In a similar Focus section last year, my intro suggested it had never been a better time to invest in farmyard developments. Commodity prices were strong, weather played ball and farming was in a good place financially.

Fast forward 12 months or so and it’s a different ball game. Milk prices have fallen, as too have beef and lamb, while the prolonged drought – which has extended further into August than we have experienced in the recent past – is putting significant pressure on both farm finances and winter feed supply. Farmers are now forking out thousands a week just to keep stock fed; losing money on every litre of milk or kilogram of beef passing through the farmgate.

At the same time, there are still many areas on a farm that require investment. Safety is the number one priority, and a tight year for cashflow should not hamper any spend on farm safety.

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What value can you place on either your own life or those working on the farm? It’s priceless, and wherever possible, money needs to be prioritised following a jump in deaths on farms in 2025. One hundred per cent of eligible applications of the Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme are still being approved, and with a 60% grant rate for all farmers, this is still a valuable option.

Talks of difficulties in exports due to only one ferry company now operating roll-on roll-off ferries for calves could force farmers to hold on to calves for longer, and if the facilities aren’t there to accommodate them, significant pressure is placed on labour and animal health.

This Focus section contains an excellent feature on the Hogans’ new calf shed, with labour a major driver of the investment.

After one season using the automatic calf feeders, the Hogans couldn’t be happier with the system.

Farmers also need to be cognisant of the upcoming changes to slurry storage rules, which will require increased storage for dairy cows from 1 October 2028. Planning now will allow this work to be completed on time.