Agonomics

The Farmbench team join Tom and Hannah to help call time on the podcast as they explain how they give farmers the ability to compare themselves to similar businesses.

A new genetic tool called EnviroBeef that aims to reduce the carbon footprint of suckler beef is also discussed along with a report looking at the economic impact of the English red meat sector and the latest harvest updates.

Plus, find out who's getting married and what's getting planted in the ground as a result?

Some useful stuff from the world of AHDB:

Farmbench - a farm business comparison tool | AHDB

EnviroBeef | AHDB

The economic impact of the English red meat sector | AHDB

Harvest progress across the UK, reports and interactive tool | AHDB

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

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The Agonomics team welcome their boss David Swales to discuss beef price elasticity and what it means for consumers and processors. They also catch up with their even bigger former boss, departing CEO Graham Wilkinson, to chat about his time at AHDB.

Plus, what do milk price indicators AMPE, MCVE and MMV mean?

And find out who had a memorable (for all the wrong reasons) experience after landing in Chicago.

Back to the useful stuff talked about on the show:

Predicting beef demand as retail prices rise | AHDB

Rising prices for beef in dining-out market forecast to impact consumer demand | AHDB

AMPE and MCVE calculator | AHDB

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

Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can:

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Despite being able to negotiate free trade agreements, the EU remains the UK's most important trading partner. AHDB's Amandeep Kaur Purewal joins the Agonomics team to discuss what it means for exports of red meat and dairy.

The spotlight also falls on abattoirs and cold storage facilities to understand how the structure of the beef and lamb processing sector in England has changed over time.

Plus, find out which A-Level subject our presenters all have in common.

Before we forget - some really interesting and useful bits from the website:

Prospects for UK agri-food exports: Europe – EU 27 | AHDB

Prospects for UK agri-food exports | AHDB

How has the structure of the beef and lamb processing sector changed over time? | AHDB

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

Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can:

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Pork is the focus in this episode as the Agonomics team are joined by AHDB colleagues Freya Shuttleworth and Vanessa Adamson to discuss the outlook for the market alongside current demand. They also look at public trust in farmers and what it means for buying British.

Plus, find out who has never set foot in in a Greggs bakery.

Some useful links:

Pork market outlook | AHDB

Q2 2025 Pork cost of production | AHDB

Consumer positivity towards British agriculture and trust in farming hits six-year high | AHDB

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

Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can:

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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]

Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can:

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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]

Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can:

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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]

Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can:

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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]

Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can:

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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]

Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can:

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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]

Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can:

• Easily update your preferences and contact information
• Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more
• Receive important updates such as disease alerts