In an (almost) all-female episode, AHDB Senior Analyst Becky Smith and Retail and Consumer Insight Manager Emma Wantling are in to take us through the current outlook for the beef market, along with demand, predictions and how things are going in retail and food service.

CEO news, dodgy puns and teasers for future guests are also on the cards.

Useful stuff:

Beef market outlook | AHDB

New modelling on rising prices for beef forecast to impact consumer demand | AHDB

England abattoir numbers – cattle and sheep | AHDB

Red meat retail performance - 13 July 2025 | AHDB

Red meat foodservice performance – 15 June 2025 | AHDB

If you want to get in touch with the Agonomics team, please email: [email protected]

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AHDB Analyst Grace Bolton joins the Agonomics team to talk through the headlines from the Lamb market outlook's mid-year update, with new season lambs coming through later, lighter and in slightly fewer numbers.

Charlotte highlights yoghurt's positive performance in the home while Hannah and Tom help explain the importance of the milk-to-feed-price ratio for dairy farmers.

Plus, find out which member of the team won't be needing to to use a comb in the near future.

Useful stuff:

Lamb market outlook | AHDB

Yogurt’s positive performance in-home highlights opportunities to push harder | AHDB

Milk to feed price ratio (MFPR) | AHDB

If you want to get in touch with the Agonomics team, please email: [email protected]

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New AHDB Chair, Emily Norton, joins the Agonomics team to discuss her appointment as well as her aspirations for the organisation and farming in general. Emily says she's not here to fight for a "single version of any particular future" of agriculture and intends to make sure AHDB continues to serve all levy payers.

Plus, find out how the recruitment process is going in the search for a new CEO.

Useful links:

New Chair of AHDB appointed by Defra Ministers | AHDB

Graham Wilkinson to step down as AHDB CEO | AHDB

Home | AHDB

If you want to get in touch with the Agonomics team, please email: [email protected]

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UK tractor registrations have fallen significantly to their lowest level in over two decades and the Agonomics team discuss what may have caused this sharp drop. They also look at AHDB's first report of the earliest harvest for at least 19 years and this week's big question is around the importance of carcase balance.

Plus, could we be expecting a lot of new jumpers to be knitted, as a sheep-shearing record falls?

Useful links:

Tractor market hits 25-year low as confidence wanes | AHDB

First harvest report of 2025 off to earliest start in 19 years | AHDB

Markets and prices | AHDB

If you want to get in touch with the Agonomics team, please email: [email protected]

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The Agonomics team take a look back at Groundswell, the regenerative agriculture festival, where Charlotte was part of one of the discussion panels. From AI in farming to wireworms, Charlotte's report from the two-day event brings you a flavour of what took place at Lannock Farm in Hitchin.

Tom also looks at the difference between land sparing and land sharing.

Plus, have you ever met a member of the Royal family?

Some relevant links:

AHDB champions evidence at Groundswell 2025 | AHDB

Identification and management of wireworms in field crops | AHDB

Retail and consumer insight | AHDB

If you want to get in touch with the Agonomics team, please email: [email protected]

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As early harvesting begins, the Agonomics team are joined by AHDB's Lead Analyst for C&O, Millie Askew, to look at the latest crop conditions across the UK.

Charlotte and Tom report back from the National Craft Butchers event in Nottingham as well as explaining what diseconomies of scale refer to.

Plus, find out which presenter is rather proud of where they grew up.

Important stuff to read:

Mixed fortunes for UK crops as rain offers partial relief | AHDB

Direct selling of beef, lamb and pork meat boxes from the farm | AHDB

If you want to get in touch with the Agonomics team, please email: [email protected]

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Tom's joined by AHDB Senior Analyst Becky Smith to discuss the trends of cattle slaughter ages in GB, with dairy-beef generally finishing later than suckler-bred animals.

Charlotte runs through her review of Easter looking, in part, at how beef and lamb fared.

And Hannah's question about how many Olympic-sized swimming pools of milk we produced last year is answered. Let's just say it's quite a few!

Some useful info:

Beef market update: BCMS data shows recent uptick in average slaughter ages for prime cattle | AHDB

Easter 2025 review: Beef vs Lamb | AHDB

Dairy markets | AHDB

If you want to get in touch with the Agonomics team, please email: [email protected]

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When it comes to dairy products, just how well are the organic and protein-rich markets faring? Hannah, Charlotte and Tom find out as they're joined by AHDB analyst Annabel Twinberrow.

Following the recent spending review the team recap what we know so far before looking at the importance of seasonal demand for our farmers.

Plus, find out what's been in producer Martin's lunchbox recently...

Important links:

Consumers demand natural, high protein dairy products | AHDB

Spring Spending Review explained | AHDB

Easter 2025 review: Beef vs Lamb | AHDB

If you want to get in touch with the Agonomics team, please email: [email protected]

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The results from this year's Planting and Variety Survey are revealed as Charlotte, Hannah and Tom are joined by AHDB Senior Analyst Helen Plant to discuss them in more detail.

We also hear what happened when 28 buyers from across the globe took part in our biggest ever inward mission for the red meat sector.

And as 10 top tips for managing cabbage stem flea beetle are announced, find out which member of the team once shared a caravan with the pests!

Some useful links:

Planting and Variety Survey | AHDB

Biggest red meat inward trade mission highlights global appetite for British produce | AHDB

Reboot for cabbage stem flea beetle management in OSR | AHDB

If you want to get in touch with the Agonomics team, please email: [email protected]

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Charlotte, Hannah and Tom take over the reins as David looks at the economics of agriculture for one last time. Among the topics discussed are flexitarian diets, Donald Trump's tariffs and why AHDB reports on pricing.

Plus, who makes the lousiest cup of coffee?

More on the important stuff:

Video – What does future red meat consumption look like? | AHDB

Impact of UK-US deal on UK agriculture | AHDB

Markets and prices | AHDB

If you want to get in touch with the Agonomics team, please email: [email protected]

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