Farming Today

Curly sheep, innovation and profitability on farm - we visit the Great Yorkshire Show.Caz Graham is out in the sunshine at England's largest agricultural show to see the livestock and ask what's the mood this year for farmers.The Government is carrying out a Farming Profitability Review in England, to inform policy. There's been a call for evidence and practical solutions which closes today. We ask the National Farmers' Union what could be done to help.Produced by Beatrice Fenton.

A new strategy for tackling rural crime across Wales will offer greater protection for people and wildlife in the countryside, according to the Welsh government. Priority areas include tackling damage to ancient monuments, or heritage crime, and attacks on livestock, with new awareness courses for animal owners. A new ban on the use of lead in ammunition has been announced by the UK government, in a bid to stop the toxic metal contaminating fields and waterways. Shot containing more than 1% lead and bullets with a lead content of more than 3% are to be prohibited. It's a long-awaited move that ministers say will protect iconic wildlife and improve water quality. There'll be a three year transition period, but conservation groups say they'd like to see it introduced straight away.All week we're taking a deep dive into the UK's shellfish industry. Almost 90% of the mussels produced in Scotland are grown in Shetland.  We visit a farm which produces 1000 tonnes a year on long ropes dotted on 24 sites around the islands.  Should British farms and supermarkets have to pay the travel and visa costs of seasonal staff? The idea's been suggested as a way of protecting workers travelling to the UK to pick fruit and vegetables, some of whom are taking out loans to get here, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation. The Employer Pays Principle feasibility study, jointly commissioned by the government and the Seasonal Worker Taskforce, looked into the idea which has support from some retailers and recruitment agencies. The National Farmers Union however, has concerns about the challenges growers would face if forced to cover these additional costs, from job cuts to reduced production. Presenter = Steffan Messenger Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Chronic bee paralysis has been in bee populations for thousands of years, but cases are rising in the UK and it's estimated up to two percent are affected. The disease is not notifiable, so doesn't have to be reported, and bees can have the virus and not show symptoms, so it's prevalence is difficult to ascertain. We speak to Professor Giles Budge who's working on the disease at Newcastle University. As part of our week-long look at shellfish we visit Bridlington in East Yorkshire the largest lobster port in Europe, There are no quotas for catching crab and lobster and most of it is exported. After concerns about the rising number of abstraction licences, we speak to a water management expert who advises farmers in on the driest parts of the country.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

New proposals to improve water quality in Northern Ireland could prove fatal for pig farming there according to the Ulster Farmers Union. The Nutrients Action Programme aims to reduce agricultural pollution in loughs and rivers and would involve limiting the amount of phosporus and nitrogen that can by spread on the land in slurry. The consultation on the programme has already been extended once and now the UFU says pigs numbers would need to be reduced by as much as 80% if the plans get the go-ahead. Craftsmen are building a new four and half mile dry stone wall in the Cotswolds. Part of one England's biggest road construction projects, the wall will run alongside the new road near Cheltenham. Work started last year and won't be completed until next summer.  All week we're looking at shellfish from lobsters and oysters to mussels. The Shellfish Association describes it as an industry with huge untapped potential but producers are still suffering from the loss of trade to Europe since Brexit as exports account for most of their business.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The sustainable farming incentive or SFI will re-open in the New Year, it pays English farmers for things like planting hedges or wildflowers. It was suddenly closed to new applications earlier this year after it ran out of money. Speaking at the regenerative farming festival Groundswell, the Defra secretary Steve Reed said he wants the SFI to support a transition to regenerative farming. Details will be announced later this summer with applications opening next year though Mr Reed says it will still have a limited budget. He also announced the reintroduction of capital grants for English farmers which were unexpectedly closed last year. These grants are for projects such as cutting water pollution or prevent flooding and now educational visits. All this week we've been looking at regenerative agriculture, where farmers reduce or stop ploughing, grow cover crops and keep livestock - all with the aim of improving soil and storing carbon. We speak to Becky Wilson from the Farm Carbon Toolkit about how farmers can make money from improving the biodiversity on their land and storing more carbon.A PhD student from the University of Exeter is interviewing female farmers as she cycles thousands of miles across England. We speak to Veronica White at the end of her research tour in Cumbria.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A new study published by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology shows that nature-friendly farming is not currently as profitable as intensive food production. Its authors say the report is the first of its kind and shows that agroecology improves biodiversity and can boost crop yields. However, the cost of creating habitats and the loss of some productive land, they say, means lower profits. Dr Ben Woodcock led the four year study which studied 17 farms.More big food companies are paying producers who farm regeneratively a premium, encouraging them to improve soil health, increase on-farm biodiversity and reduce their carbon footprint. Nestle is working with the farmers' cooperative First Milk to collect data from 80 UK farmers who supply them with milk and are being paid a premium to farm regeneratively. We visit one of their dairy farmers in Cumbria.One of the farmers seeking a judicial review of the treasury's decision to impose inheritance tax on farm businesses says the government failed to consult properly on changes to the tax. Tom Martin from Cambridgeshire tells us why he's taking part in the legal action.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Harvest has begun early in some parts of the country, combine harvesters were out in several different counties last week. The early start is really down to exceptionally low rainfall, throughout the spring and now the sunny, hot weather. Last year, the wet autumn meant planting crops then was delayed but crops planted this spring went in early. Breaking records for starting harvest isn't always a celebration and it seems this year, yields could be significantly down, although it's a little early to be definitive. We speak to Olly Harrison in Merseyside who's farming in an area where drought was declared in May.Regenerative farming used to be seen as niche, but as we'll hear all this week, that's gradually changing. With more farmers working their land regeneratively, how much of a market is there for what they're growing and the livestock they're rearing? Does the public understand what it is? That's what farmers, buyers and industry experts have been discussing at Carbon Calling, a regenerative farming conference held in Cumbria. Agricultural shows across the country this summer are a fun day out for some, and all about showing animals for others but many also provide an important public forum to discuss the latest issues concerning farmers. At the Royal Norfolk show, this year's big debate was about data. Farms harvest massive amounts of data, on crops, markets, carbon footprints and profitability but how that data is used, who can see it, and who owns it are serious issues all the way along the food supply chain. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

From July, livestock going from England to Wales or Scotland must be tested for bluetongue, and farmers are warning the new system could be "catastrophic" for their businesses. The virus is spread by biting midges. It doesn't affect humans but can cause fever and lameness in cattle and sheep. From July 1st, the whole of England will become a bluetongue restriction zone, meaning livestock can move freely around. Governments in Cardiff and Edinburgh, however, have decided that animals coming from England must test negative for the virus before they're allowed in. Farmers renting land for mobile phone masts may be about to lose money. The government is considering changing the rules, which would allow companies to re-write rental agreements and potentially impose rent cuts retrospectively. The guidelines are part of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill, part two. There were changes to the rules in 2017 which, critics say, caused a lot of problems. The Country Land and Business Association or CLA thinks the new proposals will make things worse.All week, we're talking about regenerative agriculture. It's a way of farming which aims to restore and protect soils. Regen methods include farming without ploughing, using cover crops so fields are never left bare, growing a range of crops, and using animals to fertilise the ground. But there is no one definition of "regenerative". Professor Andy Neal, a soil microbiologist at Rothamsted Research, explains why he thinks that's a good thing.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Climate Change Committee report shows little progress on the reduction of emissions from agriculture and substantial action still needed.Many UK supermarkets have made public commitments to sourcing 100% of their beef from the UK. But in recent months some seem to be moving away from these pledges. We ask how much beef is being imported, from where, and why.A group of farmers are seeking a judicial review over the decision to re-impose inheritance tax on some farm businesses. Work has begun to clear more than 30,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste from a Kent woodland, in an operation led by the Environment Agency.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The UK has once more missed its tree planting targets - provisional figures for last year show that overall the number of trees planted fell in comparison with the year before, from 20 and a half thousand hectares to just over 15 and a half thousand hectares. The Government aims for 30,000 every year. New figures from the farming industry body the AHDB show that 190 dairy farmers left the industry last year. There are now 7,040 dairy producers in England, Wales and Scotland. That's a 2.6 per cent fall from the year before. But, despite that, there has been an increase in the amount of milk produced. We ask a dairy farmer why so many are leaving.English olive oil is now a reality, after a Cornish olive grower pressed his first oil last winter. Nik Butcher claims to be the first person to bottle English olive oil commercially since the Roman times. So could English olive oil one day prove as successful as English sparkling wine? All this week we've been hearing from those about to embark on farming related careers. For many students the exams are now over and they're just waiting for the results. For others, the wait is over, and we hear from three graduates from CAFRE, Northern Ireland's College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.

The Climate Change Committee report shows little progress on the reduction of emissions from agriculture and substantial action still needed.Many UK supermarkets have made public commitments to sourcing 100% of their beef from the UK. But in recent months some seem to be moving away from these pledges. We ask how much beef is being imported, from where, and why.All week we're hearing from the next generation of young people coming into agriculture-related jobs. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Work has officially begun to create a new National Biosecurity Centre. It's being built on the existing Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) site, at Weybridge in Surrey. The whole project is costing between two and three billion pounds and is expected to take until 2033 to complete. The APHA was recently criticised by the National Audit Office, which said facilities there were not adequate to prevent or cope with contiguous national animal disease outbreaks such as foot and mouth and avian flu. However, the government says it is putting that right by the upgrade, which will ensure that the threat of animal diseases, which could be passed to humans, are prevented or dealt with efficiently. Unreliable mobile phone signal is a common complaint on many farms. Connectivity isn't just about messaging or making calls. Using apps and uploading data are an increasingly important part of everyday farming. Could part of the solution be private, portable digital  5G networks? We visit a farm thathas been trialling such a system.All week we're meeting the next generation of agricultural talent; whether it be farmers, foresters, land managers or agronomists. Thousands of young people will graduate from agricultural courses, across the UK this summer and all week, we'll be finding out what they hope to achieve, and what jobs they are looking forward to. We meet students from Moulton College in Northamptonshire who have just completed their agricultural studies.Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Rebecca Rooney

We look at what the prospects are for modern agriculture students, and what they're studying - from land management and vet science to AI and robotics. The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers says the Scottish government should be doing more to help the sector recover from falling cattle numbers. Meat imports are putting pressure on farmers. But the government says it is committed to keeping numbers up while working to keep emissions down. And we hear about a trial to find ways of making livestock production more environmentally friendly.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.

Despite Climate Change Committee warnings, the Scottish Government says it will not reduce livestock numbers.Some good news on rural crime, but livestock theft remains high.Could a trade deal with the Gulf States open the door to low-welfare meat imports?Mud sunscreen for pigs: farmers tell us what they do for livestock and crops to combat a heatwave.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farming Today comes from the Royal Highland Show on the outskirts of Edinburgh. The Scottish rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon has said the Scottish government will not reduce livestock numbers, as recommended by the Climate Change Committee. She told farmers Scotland would reach its net-zero targets in other ways. Robert Neill, vice president of NFU Scotland, explains how new high-frequency digital ear tags will make it easier to track cattle in Scotland.Scotland has big ambitions for its agritourism sector. Next year, it will be hosting the first global agritourism conference. We speak to the farmer who is bringing the event to Aberdeen, Caroline Millar.Thousands of animals compete in the show across four days, we catch up with the competition organiser in charge of all the logistics. Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Rebecca Rooney

Mud sunscreen for pigs: farmers tell us what they do for livestock and crops to combat a heatwave.And seaweed farms, which aren't always popular with local residents.Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The NFU has confirmed it sent a private letter to the Prime Minister, raising concerns over a prospective trade deal with the Gulf States. It said the deal could open the UK up to imports of low-welfare meat from the Gulf, and more importantly, many other countries around the world. Although meat from the Gulf States might come up to UK hygiene standards, some welfare groups are concerned about the conditions animals are kept in, and the intensive nature of production, especially poultry.Annual payments farmers in England receive based on the amount of land they have will be capped at just £600 next year. New details have emerged after last week's Spending Review.And there's evidence that humans have been using seaweed as a fertiliser for thousands of years. When chemical fertilisers were developed a century ago, that use of seaweed largely died out, but for some, it's making a comeback.Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Heather Simons

Anna Hill finds out how new farming technology could mean more jobs, not fewer. A new report from The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture says the expansion of artificial intelligence apps collecting data and providing real-time advice will mean recruiting and training more people, to give farmers technical support. In Northern Ireland, stealing farm animals is being linked to organised crime, and it seems the current high stock values are making them even more attractive to criminals.As arable farmers wait for their crops to ripen in the fields, many are watching grain prices carefully. Grain isn't just a domestic commodity, but is traded worldwide...and aspects like exchange rates, and President Trump's new tariffs make a big difference to the price.And we visit the Scottish Association for Marine Science in Oban, where scientists are embarking on a new five-year international research project looking at the economics of extracting various products from seaweed, as well as assessing the climate resilience of different species...and even training up new seaweed farmers.Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Heather Simons

A Scottish abattoir has closed with the loss of 90 jobs. Scotbeef at Inverurie has been shut. The company says an operational review concluded it was necessary to protect the long-term future of the business amid industry challenges. Earlier this year the number of cattle in Scotland fell to its lowest for a decade and farming groups called for government support to rebuild the national herd, warning that some abattoirs might close because they'd become uneconomic. All this week, we'll be talking about seaweed. At the Holkham estate in north Norfolk, a trial funded by the WWF and the Co-op foundation has been trying to prove that the use of seaweed based biostimulant can reduce the need for artificial nitrogen fertiliser, without affecting yields. If successful it could present a way for farms to reduce costs, and minimise the negative side effects of overusing fertilisers.The cost of rural crime has fallen. New figures from the insurers NFU Mutual show a 16.5% fall last year - the costs are put at £44 million in comparison with £53 million the year before. The biggest fall is in the theft of agricultural vehicles, and the number of animals killed or injured in dog attacks was also down, by a quarter, but livestock theft remained high. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Livestock moving into Wales from England will have to be tested for the disease bluetongue from the first of July, after the Welsh Government decided not to join England in a nationwide restriction zone. Wales and Scotland have no cases of bluetongue so far this year and hope testing and vaccination will keep it out. But livestock organisations say it'll cause chaos at the borders with huge delays and financial losses for farmers. This week the Chancellor unveiled her spending review, which resulted in relief among some farmers, who'd feared big cuts in budgets for environmental projects. In the event, while there is a cut, it's not as big as many had feared - £2.7b will go to sustainable farming and nature recovery in England; there's also investment in flood defences. Defra though is facing cuts to its own budget of 2.7%, which some worry will land on arms length organisations like Natural England and the Environment Agency. All this week we've followed the journey of a loaf of bread from seed to milling into flour. We find out what challenges seed breeders and farmers face in producing the perfect grain of wheat. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.

Livestock moving from England to Wales will have to be tested from next month. The Welsh Government says that once the whole of England becomes a restricted zone for the bluetongue disease on the first of July, animals will have to test negative for the disease before they can go into Wales. There have been no cases of bluetongue in Wales, or in Scotland this year. There the government also decided earlier this month that animals should be tested if they're coming from a restricted zone. Earlier this week the Livestock Auctioneers Association warned on this programme that limiting the movement of animals across the boarders would be 'catastrophic'. As the UN Oceans summit in Nice draws to a close, it's hoped that more countries will ratify a High Seas Treaty and so bring it into force. This agreement was made two years ago to put 30% of international waters into marine protected areas by 2030. However even within those areas, bottom trawling is allowed. Bottom trawling is already banned in some English waters and the government is consulting on plans to extend that ban. We speak to Michael Kaiser professor of fisheries conservation at the Lyell centre at Heriot Watt University. All week we've been following the journey from field to bread bin - and today we're at the millers. 85% percent of the wheat used for our bread is grown and milled in the UK. We import about 15 percent of bread wheat from Canada and Germany. We visit a miller in Essex who can trace his milling roots right back to the Domesday book. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farmers say they're relieved that feared cuts to nature-friendly farming budgets didn't materialise during the chancellor's spending review. More money has been allocated to farming schemes, though Defra's budget itself is facing cuts of 2.7% in real terms. We speak to the Wildlife Trusts and the National Farmers' Union.The biggest event in the arable farming calendar - Cereals - is being held in Lincolnshire. We speak to the host, and learn about new drone technology to help spray delicate crops.And Defra has announced badger culls will continue in 11 areas of England. The Labour government has pledged to end them by the end of the parliament, instead stepping up vaccination of badgers and other measures. But the chief vet has advised it's too soon to end culling.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside.

As the UN Ocean Conference continues in Nice, the Marine Conservation Society aims to remind us that all land and river-based pollution, including agricultural run-off, will end up in the ocean. They're calling for a more joined-up approach to farming and fishing more sustainably.Scientists at Rothamsted Research have genetically modified an oil seed plant with a red flax to create fish feed that provides antioxidants and the red colour in salmon and shrimp. Though not authorised in the UK, the GM crop would be an alternative to the chemicals currently used.And it's the second day in our journey of a UK loaf of bread from seed to slice. Today we're with a wheat farmer in Norfolk.Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

Grimsby could become home to the UK's first large-scale onshore salmon farm. A judicial review has upheld North East Lincolnshire council's decision to grant it planning permission. An animal rights group had challenged the development on fish welfare grounds. However a high court judge ruled that animal welfare concerns could be a key planning consideration in future planning cases.This week we're following the journey of a loaf of bread, from seed, to the field, to the mill and eventually the shelf in the shop. The wheat used for bread has to be high in protein and have specific qualities to make good dough. It's known as Group 1 Wheat. We visit a seed breeder in Cambridgeshire where bread-making varieties of wheat are developed.Most commercial poultry farmers keep chickens for either egg-laying or meat production, and that specialisation is the way modern poultry farming has operated for decades. But does it have to? A group of farmers are now looking into the use of ‘dual-purpose' heritage poultry breeds that can be used for both eggs and meat. They say that if these birds were farmed more widely it could also stop the cull of the male chicks which aren't wanted in egg-laying flocks. Six farms are taking part in field trials run by the Innovative Farmers group.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Eggs up, wheat down: what's made the most cash for farmers? The Welsh government's plan to protect the environment, increase biodiversity and punish polluters. And warnings of innovation brain drain without more investment in agri-tech.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The government is unlikely to be able to cope with a severe outbreak of animal disease like Foot and Mouth, according to the National Audit Office. In a new report, it says key public bodies including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, have been working so hard to manage outbreaks of diseases like avian flu over the last six years, that long term resilience is being undermined and there is no long-term strategy.The artificial fertilisers that farmers put on their crops are generally produced using the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch method. The process has a large carbon footprint, but we find out about research to find a biological alternative to chemical fertiliser.And we meet cattle foot trimmer, Dave Phillips from Dorset, who will be representing England at this year's World Foot Trimming Cup!Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Heather Simons

A new law which is intended to protect nature and reverse the loss of wildlife has been introduced by the Welsh Government. The Environment Bill aims to allow members of the public to challenge organisations in Wales, including councils, on environmental issues such as water pollution. If passed, it will set up a new Office of Environmental Governance, to enforce environmental law, and Ministers in the Senedd will have to set targets to reduce pollution and manage ecosystems.We visit Down Land Traditional Meats in West Sussex, where the owner says increasing financial strain and red tape is putting the future of small abattoirs at risk. The closure of abattoirs has been a long standing trend - in the 1970s the UK had 2 and half thousand abattoirs...but that had dropped to just 203 by 2023.And we find out about a high-tech cattle handling crate that incorporates software to monitor animals. It can minimise manual handling by drafting animals - where a herd is separated into smaller groups - by itself. Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Heather Simons

There are concerns from wildlife and farming groups that the upcoming Spending Review will see the budget for nature-friendly farming schemes being cut, with money targeted only at smaller farms. We hear from farmers about what that could mean.We visit a falcon breeding facilities which supplies birds to the Middle East for the sport of falcon racing.And £5 million pounds is on offer as part of the Farming Innovation Investor Partnerships competition, which offers government money alongside private investment to agri-tech companies.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Heather Simons

The Environment Agency says the north west of England is in drought. One farmer tells us this year's crops are already ruined because of a lack of water.Two proposed reservoirs have been given 'nationally significant' status by the government to speed up the planning process. Decisions on the Lincolnshire Reservoir which is planned for an area near Sleaford and the Fens Reservoir near March in Cambridgeshire will now be accelerated. Ministers say the law will also be changed so that in the future all projects which are, as they put it, 'fundamental to national water resilience' will automatically be designated as 'nationally significant'. Farming communities are concerned about the impact on productive farmland, and one farmer says the Lincolnshire scheme will wipe out her home and her business.All week we're talking about the nation's national parks. The Scottish Government's decided not to go ahead with plans for a new national park in Galloway. After a long legal battle supreme court judges ruled that wild camping is allowed on Dartmoor, we speak to the park's chief executive. In Wales we report on a nature recovery project in Pembrokeshire which works with farmers to enhance farmland by the coast. In The Broads Norfolk farmers and environmentalists are trying to tackle the damage being caused by deer. Golden Eagles have been extinct in England since 2015 when a solitary bird died in the Lake District. But could that be about to change? A conservation project in the south of Scotland which began in 2018 has seen a huge increase in the eagle population there, and some of those birds have begun exploring places like the Northumberland National Park where one was spotted just a few weeks agoPresenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Plans for a new National Park in Galloway and Ayrshire have been dropped. The Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary, Mairi Gougeon, has announced that following a consultation, the park doesn't have enough support locally, and so will not go ahead.In the Broads National Park in Norfolk, a rise in the number of deer is having an impact on habitats and farmland. A drone survey to asses the numbers has revealed as many as 20 per square km. Work is underway to generate a market for local venison to help support culling.And we meet Vice Chair of the Rare Breed Survival Trust, Ryan Perry. He started off feeding the pigs at his local city farm in Gateshead at the age of 7, where he fell in love with Tamworths. Now he's on a smallholding where he keeps pigs, three breeds of sheep, goats, poultry and cattle...alongside a full time job in the NHS as a biomedical scientist.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Heather Simons

Two proposed reservoirs have been given 'nationally significant' status by the government to speed up the planning process. Decisions on the Lincolnshire Reservoir which is planned for an area near Sleaford and the Fens Reservoir near March in Cambridgeshire will now be accelerated. Ministers say the law will also be changed so that in the future all projects which are, as they put it, 'fundamental to national water resilience' will automatically be designated as 'nationally significant'. Farming communities are concerned about the impact on productive farmland, and one farmer says the Lincolnshire scheme will wipe out her home and her business.Golden Eagles have been extinct in England since 2015 when a solitary bird died in the Lake District. But could that be about to change? A conservation project in the south of Scotland which began in 2018 has seen a huge increase in the eagle population there, and some of those birds have begun exploring places like the Northumberland National Park where one was spotted just a few weeks agoAll week we're talking about the nation's national parks. There has been much debate over the past few years about the state of nature in the parks and how it can be improved while also supporting farming. In Pembrokeshire a nature recovery project was launched two years ago with the aim of enhancing biodiversity on farmland by the coast - we speak to those involved.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Scottish Government is due to make a statement this week about whether Galloway is to get a new National Park - or not. Galloway, in the south west of Scotland, was chosen from five potential locations and the first round of consultation on the plan was completed earlier this year, with its report now being considered by Scottish ministers. We hear from those in favour and against.Farmers who supply wheat to Britain's biggest bioethanol plant have been told it may have to close unless the government intervenes. Bioethanol is added to the E5 and E10 petrol you see at the pumps to reduce its carbon emissions - it's made by fermenting wheat to make alcohol, with the leftovers being used for animal feed. Vivergo Fuels says it will be impossible to compete with subsidised American ethanol, after the recent trade agreement with the US promised to scrap tariffs on imports.And as tractors get bigger and faster, how safe are they on our roads?Presented by Caz Graham Produced by Heather Simons

All week we're looking at National Parks, last week the Supreme Court ruled that wild camping on Dartmoor is legal. Some areas, however, are dealing with anti-social behaviour and 'fly camping'. We talk to Kevin Bishop CEO of Dartmoor National Park who also sits on National Parks England about the challenges.The prolonged dry spell has had affected the growth of crops and water levels in rivers and reservoirs, but what about wildlife? We ask the British Trust for Ornithology what impact it's likely to have on wading birds and also discuss their new report which examined the impact of bird flu on wild birds like swans and barnacle geese.Plastic pollution is contaminating insects at the base of food chains, raising fresh concerns about the long-term impacts on wildlife, according to a new study by the University of Sussex. Researchers have discovered fragments of plastic in a wide range of invertebrates, which are prey for small mammals like hedgehogs. Polyester fibres, commonly shed from clothing, were the most frequently detected type of plastic and scientists think it comes from treated sewage sludge used to fertilise fields. Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Rebecca Rooney

Five years on from Brexit, the Prime Minister has re-set the UK's trade relationship with the EU, with a new, wide-ranging deal. In this programme Caz Graham looks at what it could mean for food, farming and fishing.The UK and EU will now move towards an agreement which would reduce the paperwork and border checks involved in exporting foods like fish, meat and dairy, and fresh produce like plants and flowers. It also means the export of some products to the EU which has been banned since Brexit - like many farmed mussels and oysters, as well as sausages, burgers and seed potatoes - could now resume.While many exporters have welcomed the deal, it's also lead to uncertainty over the future of Border Control Posts - facilities set up since Brexit to handle similar checks on imports. A senior civil servant confirmed this week that some such facilities could be decommissioned, and the industry want compensation.Meanwhile, another part of the deal is focussed on fishing, and allows EU boats access to fish in UK waters until 2038. The Scottish Fishermen's Federation has called the deal "a horror show" - but the DEFRA Secretary told MPs this week that it's "reasonably good" for UK fishing.Presented by Caz Graham Produced by Heather Simons

Veterinary medicine is not part of the agri-trade agreement sketched out between the EU and the UK earlier this week. It's left vets increasingly concerned that some veterinary medicines won't be available in Northern Ireland after the end of this year when a ‘grace period' under the Windsor Framework allowing medication from Great Britain to cross the Irish sea and be sold there runs out.The warming of coastal waters means a change in the species that can thrive in them. Fishermen in the South West of England are reporting an invasion of octopuses turning up in lobster and crab pots. It's good news for some fishermen who are catching and selling the octopuses, but disastrous for others.And getting bovine TB on a farm can be a huge financial blow and the emotional impact on farmers can be devastating. We visit one dairy farmer in Pembrokeshire who's been working with the Welsh Government to improve their policies on dealing with the disease, and the emotional impact it can have.Presented by Caz Graham Produced by Heather Simons

Border post facilities set up since Brexit to handle import checks could now be scaled down or even dismantled. The UK's new deal with the EU promises progress towards an agreement to reduce the paperwork and border checks involved in trading foods like meat and dairy. It also includes a deal on fishing which would allow EU boats to fish in British waters for a further 12 years. The Scottish Fishermen's Federation has called it "a horror show", but the DEFRA Secretary, Steve Reed, says it's a "reasonably good deal" for UK fishing.In its manifesto the Labour party promised to end what it described as “the ineffective badger cull". The Government now says it's working on a revised TB eradication strategy, which includes increased badger vaccination and a national wildlife surveillance programme to better understand the disease. So how much difference could that make?And a new set of targets to tackle climate change have been recommended to Scottish Government ministers, replacing those scrapped last year. A report from the Climate Change Committee suggests effectively delaying short term progress by six years, but keeping Scotland on track to meet its long-term goal of net zero emissions by 2045.Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Heather Simons

The Prime Minister has re-set the trade relationship between the UK and the EU, with a new, and extremely wide-ranging deal. In this programme Anna Hill digs into the impact of changes around fishing and a new agreement around Sanitary and Phytosanitary rules that govern safety and hygiene.Bovine TB costs the tax payer at least a hundred million pounds a year - in compensation for culled cattle, and measures to control the spread. But it also costs farmers - financially as well as emotionally. We visit one farmer in South Gloucestershire how has just been declared TB-free.Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Heather Simons

Sir Keir Starmer welcomes EU leaders to London today for a summit to improve cooperation and "re-set" relations in a post Brexit world. Fishing quotas are being talked about as a possible deal breaker. Leaving the EU has had a huge impact on some UK fishing businesses which is why industry leaders are adamant their interests shouldn't be bartered away as part of a deal. We hear from Cornish fishermen who say the summit comes too late for their businesses.All week we're talking about bovine TB. Each year more than 40,000 cattle are slaughtered across the UK as part of an effort to eradicate the disease, and the wider bovine TB eradication programmes cost UK taxpayers around £150 million per year, with more costs falling to the cattle industry. The different parts of the UK are taking different approaches to tackling the disease. In England, there has been a decade-long programme of enhanced cattle testing, increased biosecurity and culling badgers - which can also catch and pass on bovine TB. Now, after promising to "end the ineffective badger cull" in their manifesto, the Government says it's "working at pace" on a revised TB eradication strategy for England. We speak to Professor James Wood, a veterinary epidemiologist and government advisor about the overall rates of the disease in cattle and whether they're coming down because of the badger cull.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The first member of Donald Trump's cabinet to visit the UK is Brooke Rollins, his Agriculture Secretary. Secretary Rollins told journalists the 'historic' trade deal would create billions of dollars in opportunity for U.S. export markets and more choice for British consumers. She also described their notorious 'chlorinated chicken' as a myth. Is it? We look for some clarity. MPs have written to the Government calling for a year's delay to the inheritance tax changes on farms. It's agricultural show season. This week we visit the Balmoral Show in Northern Ireland.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

A special programme from The Balmoral Show outside Lisburn in Northern Ireland. Helen Mark meets farmers showing rare breed pigs, as well as talking politics. Earlier this month, a consultation was launched by Northern Ireland's Farming Minister on a new Nutrients Action Programme or NAP - rules for farmers to help reduce water pollution. It includes a limit on the amount of excess phosphorus produced by intensively stocked livestock farms. The Ulster Farmers Union says it's the wrong approach, but DAERA says it's needed to reduce the impact of excess nutrients on waterbodies like Lough Neagh.Presented by Helen Mark Produced by Heather Simons

So-called ‘chlorinated chicken' has been a major sticking point in US-UK trade talks, one of the red lines British farmers say the Government cannot cross. But US Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins, says we've got the wrong end of the stick about how their chicken is produced nowadays. So is chlorine washed chicken merely a “myth to dispel”? We look for some clarity.It's been obligatory to keep all poultry and captive birds indoors in some parts of England under the Government's mandatory housing restriction order to help prevent the spread of bird flu. That order has been lifted this morning because the risk of avian flu has reduced.As part of our week looking at grass, today we visit a turf farm. There's a big market for turf from gardeners, golf courses and for sports pitches and parks, and it's not just for the pristine tightly-mown grass, you can even buy specialist turfs for green roofs, and species-rich and wild-flower turfs too. The Government's Farming in Protected Landscapes programme has funded river re-wiggling, school visits to farms and even the creation of Lake District tweed since it began in 2021, and now it's making life easier for rock climbers with disabilities in the Peak District. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.