Farming Today

There have been violent clashes during big farmer protests in Romania. Thousands of shepherds have been demonstrating in the capital Bucharest about an extension to a ban on the export of live sheep. We speak to the BBC's Central Europe correspondent to find out why.The battle to find the best sheepdog handler in Britain and Ireland has been won by a Welsh hill farmer for the second year. After a three day competition in the Cotswolds, he's been named the 2026 International Sheepdog Society Supreme Champion.All this week we're looking at the work of agricultural cooperatives. In Scotland more than 50 farm coops serve around 25,000 members on everything from supply chain development, to branding and quality assurance. One of them is Scottish Agronomy, established in 1984, and now offering cropping advice to more than 200 members across Scotland and northern England. Each year they run crop trials across 30,000 plots, and it's the sharing of their findings, knowledge and expertise, they say, that keeps them ahead of the game.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farmers have been assessing the damage done by the summer's severe drought, but it's not just low crop yields they've had to face. Woodlands have also suffered, especially younger trees which haven't had time to get fully established, which can take up to five years. In 2024-25 just over 10 million individual trees were planted in England. How many of those have died? And what can farmers do if they've planted trees using grant money but now have thousands of dead saplings on their land? We speak to The Woodland Trust.The government's holding a wildfire summit next month - and MPs have been questioning ministers about how they handled wildfires over the summer and whether England was fully prepared to tackle them. On the day that the first Scottish Licences for burning moorland were open for applications, the Environment Food and Rural Affairs committee also discussed reducing fuel load on hillsides in England.We all like to get a bargain, and it's often the case that the bigger you are as a buyer, the more likely you are to find one. It's the same for farmers, and many have joined buying groups to source everything from seed, fertiliser, fuel and chemicals right down to mobile phones and stationery. All week we're looking at agricultural cooperatives, today it's a big one in Lincolnshire.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The former Labour Home Secretary David Blunkett has told the government to 'reset' it's rural policy, and 'learn from its mistakes' with inheritance tax. Speaking at an event launching the Countryside Alliance's 'Campaign for The Countryside', he said the government should also “set aside pro­pos­als to ban trail hunt­ing” and he warned that “for our coun­tryside to be sus­tain­able, it requires a listen­ing gov­ern­ment.” We speak to the former NFU President Minette Batters who was also at the launch.Over the summer you've probably seen the massive combine harvesters crawling across the fields to cut grain, but what if you've got a very small patch of cereal crops, how do you harvest it? Most contractors with combines won't even look at a couple of acres, so what do you do? A community farm near Edinburgh has been struggling to find answers.All week we're taking a closer look at farming co-ops. They're usually formed of a group of farmers so they have more clout when selling their products, they also share information with each other about benchmarking and new innovations. Arla Foods is the biggest producer of dairy products in the UK and Europe's largest dairy co-operative. Its 9,000 multi-national farmer-owners not only share in the profits, but play an active role in deciding how the business is run. We visit farmers who're part of it on a Cumbrian dairy farm in the Eden valley.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

We hear calls for more ‘cooperative working', to give farmers a louder voice in the food supply chain.When is a Hereford cow not a Hereford cow? How a dispute about breed purity has ended up in the High Court.And cultivating hemp and flax for building materials is now the focus of a trial project on a number of farms in Dorset.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The number of bluetongue cases since the first of July in the UK has now topped a thousand. That's nearly three times the number of positive cases for the whole of the previous year to that date. How are farmers feeling about the UK's largest ever outbreak of this livestock disease?There have been fears that livestock movement restrictions imposed to try to halt the spread of the outbreak could disrupt this autumn's big sheep sales, which play a critical role in the shepherding year. One of UK's biggest is Kelso Ram Sales took place this week in the Scottish Borders.The National Sheep Association estimates that every year around 200 farmers are affected by sheep rustling. We hear from a couple in Cumbria who realised they'd become victims of sheep rustlers with both rams and ewes missing from one of the fields they rent next to the busy A66.As farmers decide how they're going to manage next year's crops, the cost of fertiliser and fuel will be in the mix, but what if you could farm without fertiliser or diesel? We speak to a Cornish farmer who's putting this into practice on his farm and we visit a farmer who's set up a biomethane plant and is growing maize to produce energy.Farming without fossil fuels was on the agenda at a gathering of environmentalists this week. The Wild Summit in Bristol brought together more than 1000 people - campaigners, policy makers, scientists and farmers.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The number of bluetongue cases since the first of July in the UK has now topped a thousand. That's nearly three times the number of positive cases for the whole of the previous year to that date. How are farmers feeling about the UK's largest-ever outbreak of this livestock disease?There have been fears that livestock movement restrictions imposed to try to halt the spread of the outbreak could disrupt this autumn's big sheep sales, which play a critical role in the shepherding year. One of UK's biggest is Kelso Ram Sales, taking place later today in the Scottish Borders. The National Sheep Association estimates that every year around 200 farmers are affected by sheep rustling. We hear from Laura and Sean Robinson in Cumbria, who realised they'd become victims of sheep rustlers with both rams and ewes missing from one of the fields they rent next to the busy A66. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

UK dairy cows produce around 15 billion litres of milk every year and each litre comes with an environmental cost: methane and greenhouse gas emissions; energy and water use; and potential pollution. Scotland's Rural College, SRUC, has completed a study looking at what the dairy sector needs to do to improve sustainbility and reduce its impact on the environment, while staying resilient and profitable. The report was commissioned by The Dairy Roadmap, an industry-wide initiative to improve the environmental footprint of the whole dairy supply chain by 2030. The farming of salmon divides opinion - supporters in Scotland say it's worth more a billion pounds to the economy but others argue it's responsible for environmental damage, pollution and disease that spreads into wild salmon. Those same arguments are now playing out on the other side of the Atlantic in the Falkland Islands. Salmon aren't native to the waters around the islands, but plenty of other fish are, and concerned locals are demanding a referendum over plans to introduce the commercial farming of this non-native fish. Lots of farmers are using renewable energy like solar, wind and biomass for powering some aspect of their farming practice, but one of the most stubborn challenges is how to power tractors. An electric tractor trying to do heavy work like ploughing would simply run out of battery after a few hours and take hours to charge but new advances in gasifying biomass means a low emission alternative to diesel has become an option. We visit a farm in Nottinghamshire which is trialling production.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Britain is producing less food now than 30 years ago, with lower levels of self sufficiency in 10 out of 11 key food stuffs grown by UK farmers. That's according to a new report from the National Farmers Union which argues that food production been overlooked as a national priority by successive governments. The UK's biomethane network says producing green energy could offer an "incredible opportunity" for farmers. The National Energy System Operator - or NESO - is responsible for planning and operating the country's energy network. It says biomethane could form a crucial part of the UK's energy mix, strengthening energy security and reducing greenhouse gasses. Could you survive a month without going to the supermarket to buy food? That's the challenge being taken up by one islander on Shetland. He's living off nothing but local produce for a month.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A Westminster think tank has warned that internet-connected technology has the potential to be used by China to spy on the UK food system. The Coalition on Secure Technology describes itself as a cross-party group of policymakers and experts. It says that components which allow devices like tractors and crop monitoring drones to connect to mobile networks could present a security risk, with the majority of these 'Internet of Things' modules being made in China.Think of English hop growing and you might think of Kent or Herefordshire, but Surrey was once famous for its hops, too. Now the only remaining commercial hop garden in Surrey has finished its final harvest. Climate change and economic pressures have made it unviable for Hampton Estate, at Puttenham, to carry on producing the traditional Fuggles hops that add bitterness to real ales. All week we're exploring whether agriculture could become fossil-free, and asking how much progress farmers are making to reduce their fossil fuel use. Paul Baker icalls himself The Experimental Farmer on social media. He's been looking at soil microbes and how they can be made to work harder, so their nutrients are more available to crops, cutting the need for artificial fertilisers. Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Sarah Swadling

Every year, huge numbers of pheasant and partridge are raised across the UK for shoots, with around 40 million released into the countryside. Now the Government is launching a call for evidence to understand the welfare and environmental impact of the birds, which are kept in enclosures before their release.As farmers decide how they're going to manage next year's crops, the cost of fertiliser and fuel will be in the mix. But what if you could farm without fertiliser or diesel? This week we'll be finding out how far the UK is moving towards fossil-free farming.Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

As the UK experiences its worst ever outbreak of the livestock disease bluetongue, we find out how government vets and scientists are coping as they deal with thousands of cases. The trade union which represents them says morale is low and the workload is mountainous. They say more long term strategic planning is needed and better pay to address staff shortages.How well prepared are we for a major threat to our food security? Not quite well enough, according to the National Audit Office report on resilience in England's food supply chain.Plans for data centres on farmland in Scotland.Finding out exactly what species are in a river can be challenging, but environmental DNA sampling is a relatively new tool which can help. It can detect the presence of rare or invasive species by analysing genetic material in water.The farm vet with a passion for dung beetles. She's teaching livestock farmers how to use fewer medicines to help protect the ecosystems and insects on their land. There are only around eleven hundred calling male corncrakes in the UK, but that number may be about to grow.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

How well prepared are we for a major threat to our food security? Not quite well enough, according to the National Audit Office, which is publishing a report later today on resilience in England's food supply chain. Why strawberry growers have found their plants are still producing healthy, even bumper crops much later than usual. There are only around eleven hundred calling male corncrakes in the UK, but that number may be about to grow. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The many pressures on land use are coming into sharper focus in Scotland where opposition is growing to a series of large AI data centres planned across the central belt, between Glasgow and Edinburgh. The ruling Scottish National Party's national council is calling for a moratorium on building them. Most of the centres are to be built on open countryside, and farmers are among the people who have raised concerns. However the boss of one data centre company claims the centres could bring a boost to horticulture by using the heat they generate to warm glass houses.While farmers across much of the UK are counting the cost of a poor harvest, it's a different story in The Outer Hebrides. We speak to a crofter from Uist who's just had one of his best years yet.The state of the UK's rivers has been making the news - if not pollution, then drought, and, earlier this year, flooding. The Tweed is one of the world's most famous salmon rivers, flowing eastwards across the Scottish borders and Northern England. We've been finding out how conservationists and farmers are working together to ease the pressure climate change is putting on the river.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

As the UK experiences its worst ever outbreak of the livestock disease bluetongue, we find out how government vets and scientists are coping as they deal with thousands of cases. The trade union which represents them says morale is low and the workload is mountainous. They say more long term strategic planning is needed and better pay to address staff shortages.Scientists in Northern Ireland are using DNA methods to help identify the exact source of pollution in Lough Neagh. It's the fourth summer in a row that the lough has been blighted by blue green algae.As the Bayeux Tapestry goes on display at the British Museum in London, BBC Radio 4 has a range of programmes inspired by the Normans. We hear from food producers in Normandy whose apple harvest and cheese making have been affected by drought and climate change.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farming groups from around the country are pressing for what they are calling 'a government-backed, interest-free Keep Britain Growing Loan' which they say will help farmers maintain cashflow and fund next season's crop production.How using pasture sown with a diverse mix of grasses, legumes, and deep-rooted herbs and rotational grazing can help in times of drought.Finding out exactly what species are in a river can be challenging, but environmental DNA sampling is a relatively new tool which can help. It can detect the presence of rare or invasive species by analysing genetic material in water.Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Anna Hill travels on a safari with a difference, across North Norfolk, to discover how dozens of farmers have joined together to create connected corridors for wildlife and farming. She explores four projects funded by FiPL (Farming in Protected Landscapes), follows a 26-mile mega-hedgerow across 14 farms; a 10 mile corridor of wildflower margins along a river bed; follows a new shepherdess moving a flock of sheep across contiguous arable farms to fertilise the soil; and sees the extraordinary natural hives for wild bees, which farmers have created to protect the species for years to come.

With the livestock disease bluetongue still spreading across the UK, we speak to a Dutch vet about how they coped with a massive outbreak there in 2023, and what we can learn. This week we've been looking at what crops farmers might grow in the future to cope with a changing climate - whether precision-bred crops, or turning to traditional varieties. And we're at a lavender farm in the Lake District. The farm uses several varieties of the aromatic herb, including those from Provence in France. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

The system for licensing firearms and shotguns in England and Wales is not fit for purpose and should be replaced to ensure public safety. That's the conclusion of a report published today by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.When Sandi Thornton started growing lavender on her 30-acre farm in the south of the Lake District, some neighbours did raise a quizzical eyebrow. Two years on, the lavender beds are getting established and there's a distinctly purple haze across part of Cumbria's Lyth Valley.With drought, climate change and many demands on land use, scientists and food producers are looking at the best crops to grow for the future, and that's something we've been focusing on all this week too. Researchers at the University of Essex are using gene-editing technology to create dwarf cucumber plants better suited to indoor vertical farms and glasshouses.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farmers in the UK are urging the government to ban imports of beef from Brazil amid fears that it's not produced to the same high standard. The EU and Norway have already imposed bans because of Brazil's use of antibiotics, which they fear could lead to resistance. In the US cattle farmers are angry about President Trump's plan to allow beef in tariff-free to bring consumer prices down. They say it'll undermine their industry. And we visit a long-running trial of miscanthus at Aberystwyth University. They're looking for more uses for the crop, which has proven it copes well in drought. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

UK scientists working on gene-editing of crops will get access to European markets after the European Parliament voted to relax rules around the practice. We speak to a scientist from Rothamstead Research. We also meet scientists working on gene editing of wheat to make it more resilient to climate shocks. And what does the closure of Bernard Matthews' Derby factory mean for the wider turkey production sector? We hear from the editor of the publication Food Manufacture. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

The drought, and the livestock disease bluetongue, are having an effect on milk production, with yield down by 1.5 milllion litres every day, according to the industry body the AHDB. The shortage is pushing up prices for farmers. We speak to a Dutch vet about how bluetongue developed there three years ago. They had a huge outbreak which led to the loss of tens of thousands of cattle and sheep. Since then a vaccine has been developed. And we're looking at future crops, bred to be resilent in a changing climate. Today we meet a breeder at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee to sample some new varieties of raspberry. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

More cases of the livestock disease Bluetongue have prompted the Scottish Government to impose tighter movement restrictions. It's the first year the midge-borne disease has reached Scotland. There are fears it could disrupt the up-coming ram sales season which involves the movement of thousands of sheep. With the weather so unpredictable and extreme this year, we're taking a look this week at how we can grow food differently, or use different crops. We speak to a scientist at the National Institute for Agricultural Botony who says it's not just new varieties, but repurposing heritage crops. And we meet a sixteen year old in Northern Ireland who's come up with an app to help farmers manage their time better. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner .

It's been a summer of drought, extreme heat for much of the UK, lots and lots of sunshine, and all week on Farming Today we've been talking about solar energy, from large scale solar developments to roof top panels on farm buildings. It's a topic that raises blood pressures: some rural communities feel that too much good growing land is being turned into an industrial landscape as solar panels march across fields; others say it's a small price to pay for clean renewable energy ; and for farmers, after another tough year, a diversification like solar power could make all the difference to the bottom line. We explore some of the issues around solar power in more depth, with three expert guests: Dr Jonathan Scurlock a renewable energy consultant; Jackie Copley, head of policy at the Campaign to Protect Rural England or CPRE; and William Leschallas lecturer in rural land management at the Royal Agricultural University. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

We revisit a vegetable farmer who told us during the second drought in June that he was having to use extra water to try and get his crops established. Will Shakeshaft from Greens of Soham says he's had hardly any rain since then, and his potatoes and beetroot are struggling, with yields and quality down. A new report using information gathered over 12 years shows that biodiversity can thrive alongside a solar farm - if it's planned and managed correctly. The report was produced by Suffolk Wildlife Trust on the Broxted Estate. And we visit a sheep farm in the Yorkshire Dales, which featured in research to produce a new three-part choral work based on a full year in the life of a Yorkshire Dales shepherd. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

The UK Health Security Agency is investigating the outbreak of salmonella that's led to confirmed cases in more than 200 people, and the death of one person. Initial findings suggest it could be linked to imported eggs. Salmonella is extremely rare in UK produced eggs - all laying hens have to be vaccinated against it, and there's a ‘passport' system ensuring that all hens, eggs and feed are fully traceable. Although the vast majority of eggs we buy to cook with at home are British, eggs and egg products used in restaurants and other food services can often be imported to reduce costs. Not all of the countries they come from enforce the same production standards as the UK, The British Egg Industry Council says there needs to be a stricter testing regime for imported eggs. We eat around 40 million eggs a day in the UK, and import five million of those. We speak to an expert about how you begin to track down where a salmonella outbreak might have come from.Beekeepers are warning that the lack of rain this summer could have long term consequences for their bees, which are vital pollinators for many crops. Roof-top solar on agricultural buildings - we visit a dairy farm and ice cream producer in Derbyshire where it's making a big difference to electricity bills.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Caz Graham is at the Hawkshead Show in the Lake District, to see why local shows like this are so important to rural areas. All over the UK, through the summer months, communities come together for village shows. There are hundreds of them, each reflecting the distinct flavour of the farming, food, local customs and the people of the villages and towns they're held in. Produced by Sally Challoner.

Supplies of the vaccine for the livestock disease Bluetongue are in short supply after a large outbreak in the south west of the UK. A mild winter, hot dry summer, and the midges - which cause the disease - moving into densley populated livestock areas, have all contributed to the worst ever outbreak, which has now affected Wales and Scotland too. We speak to the president of the Sheep Veterinary Society about when we can expect more vaccines.All this week we're looking at solar farms. Today we're in Staffordshire where the country council has launched a campaign called “Stop the Solar Land Grab”. The council is particularly concerned about the effect three solar farms will have on the community of Drointon. And the hot weather has been good news for the UK's increasing number of vineyards. But winemakers in Devon and Cornwall say it's left them in "uncharted territory.” One new challenge is how to replicate their normal crisp flavours because the heat changes the taste of the grapes. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

The Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a package of measures to help drought-hit farmers in England, saying food production is national security. It will give more flexibility for farmers in environmental schemes, and easier access to water. More details will also be announced today about plans to help farmers build reservoirs on farm. The NFU says it's a start, but action needs to be taken now to make the UK more resilient to future floods and drought. All this week we're looking at the solar industry - from solar farms on agricultural land, to panels on farm roofs to generate power. Today we hear from the industry body, and a farm where hens are grazing amongst the panels. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

The Prime Minister's due to announce a package of support to help farmers in England cope with the drought. The measures will include putting an extra £50 million of Defra's budget towards this year's Sustainable Farming Incentive and offering up to £15 million for on-farm reservoirs, to enable farmers to store water in the winter which they can use in the summer. As well as drought and heat, livestock farmers are staving off an outbreak of bluetongue - it's a disease which affects cattle and sheep, but not humans. The South West is dealing with hundreds of cases, mostly in sheep in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. However there've been cases in Northern England and Wales as well, and for the first time ever, a couple of cases in Scotland.Brassica growers say the sector's in crisis. Farmers say crops like brocolli and cauliflower are dying in the fields because of the drought and extreme heat.The hot weather means demand for salad is up but when it's too hot, the crops don't like it - and nor do the pickers. We visit a grower in Lancashire where workers are picking by torch-light to avoid the heat.Vitamin B12 is essential for our diets, it's found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, but not in plants, or not until now, that is: scientists have developed a way of fortifying peashoots with B12 and hope to get them in supermarket salad bags in the next year or two. This summer marks the end of an era for the Thompson family and their berry farm at Blairgowrie, in Perthshire, one of Scotland's most important soft fruit growing areas. The Thompsons have decided to end commercial production because they say the business is no longer economically viable. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Brassica growers are warning their crops are in crisis after the relentless heat has left them stunted or dying in the ground. The British Growers Assocation says crops including cauliflower and broccoli are half the size they should be, putting prices up. We meet growers at Tebay services on the M6 in Cumbria. The company has been working with the horticulture and mental health charity Growing Well, and have established a kitchen garden to keep their cafe and farm-shop stocked with the freshest possible salad and veg. And it's the end of an era for the Thompson family on their berry farm in Perthshire. They've decided to end commercial production as they say it's no longer viable. For their very last cherry harvest, they invited the public to come along and ‘pick their own' with the proceeds going to charities. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

Bluetongue, the livestock disease that is transmitted by midges, is spreading, especially in the south west. It affects farm animals including sheep and cattle. It doesn't affect people, but it can be very painful and fatal to livestock. Annual bluetongue statistics are counted from July to June, the so-called bluetongue season. Since the end of June this year, there have already been more cases than in the whole of the previous season. Hundreds of farmers in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset are coping with the virus in their sheep, in particular. We visit a farmer near Exeter whose flock is just beginning to emerge from a bout of bluetongue.We import more than 80% of fresh tomatoes, and more than 50% of lettuce. However, new analysis from the environmental think-tank The Green Alliance suggests that if the UK replaced half of fruit and vegetable imports with homegrown produce, it would generate nearly £2 billion for the economy and make us more self-sufficient in food production than we've been for the last 25 years. Vitamin B12 is essential for our diets and is found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, but not in plants - until now. Scientists have developed a way of fortifying pea shoots with B12 and hope to get it in supermarket salad bags in the next year or two. After successful trials, agri-tech company Lettus Grow and the John Innes Centre believe it could work for other crops too. B12's very expensive, but growers say they've developed a super-efficient way of getting it into the pea shoots.Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Rebecca Rooney

Feelings are running high amongst farmers in Northern Ireland over a cull of 51 cattle. It was carried out in June by a humane slaughter team from the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs in County Tyrone. The government said it was a final resort after a court ordered that the farmer who owned them should be ‘deprived of the ownership of all farmed animals' because of a previous animal welfare conviction. The cull has proved extremely controversial. It's claimed it was visible to members of the public and some question why the animals had to be killed at all. Hundreds of farmers protested outside Stormont, home of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Daera minister has now ordered an investigation into how it was handled. Rain has been in short supply this summer with the driest July ever recorded in England and Wales. Some rivers are flowing at exceptionally low levels. Shallower rivers heat up more quickly and the water temperature in places is far higher than usual which can be disastrous for fish and other aquatic life. There've been reports of several incidents of fish deaths. We ask the Angling Trust how bad the situation is.All week we're looking into commercial salad production. We speak to a big producer in Worcestershire about how they manage water to irrigate their crops in huge glasshouses in the Vale of Evesham.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Livestock farmers in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset are at the centre of the current outbreak of bluetongue and cases are rising rapidly. Bluetongue can be fatal to animals like sheep and cattle but doesn't affect humans, it's spread by midges, and makes animals lethargic and lame as well as causing birth defects or spontaneous abortions. The Farming Community Network has a 24 hour help line: we ask them about the impact the disease is having on farmers in the South West of England. As England and Wales are set to enter the fifth heatwave of the summer, almost three-quarters of England is now in drought. The National Drought Group has added the East Midlands, Lincolnshire & Northamptonshire, Kent & East Sussex, and Solent & the South Downs into drought status. The prolonged lack of rain in some places is having a major impact on farming and food production in the UK and Europe. We speak to a farmer from Copa Cogeca which represents European farmers and farming cooperatives.We're talking about UK salad production all this week. Unseasonably hot weather doesn't just increase our demand for lettuce, tomatoes and other salad crops, it also has an impact on how they well they grow, the diseases they might catch, and the working conditions of those planting and harvesting them.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The finances of farming in and after a heatwave.And salad - endless sunshine and no rain isn't ideal for many crops, so prices are up as UK supplies tighten and some companies are even importing.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farmers are being 'strongly urged' to vaccinate sheep and cattle to protect them from the rapid spread of bluetongue. The UK's chief vet says vaccination is the only way to deal with the disease. There are now more than 200 farms with cases in the UK, more than double the number this time last week. The vast majority are in England, with most in the South West. In Wales there've been five. There are none in Scotland or Northern Ireland. The disease is spread by midges and this year's heatwave means the midges and the virus are replicating much more quickly. There is a vaccine but previously take up was low. We speak to the National Sheep Association and the UK's chief vet.Harvest 2026 has been the earliest in England for at least 20 years. Yields have suffered from the heat and a lack of water, leaving farmers counting the cost. All week we've been hearing harvest stories from around the UK and asking what impact all this will have on food, prices and the future for British farming. We visit Northamptonshire where they've been harvesting at the crack of dawn to ensure the wheat's not too dry, and hearing from a miller who says the quality of British milling wheat this year is very good. In Perthshire, Scottish farmers have been dodging the rain to bring in the barley. Growers in Berkshire, who're cultivating their dry dusty fields ready to plant oilseed rape, are wondering whether they'll be growing next season's crops at a loss.We also speak to a plant scientist who says the DNA of ancient varieties of wheat could hold the key to breeding future crops which are more resilient to climate change. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

In the light of this summer's dismal harvest, we hear of work to make the UK's arable crops more resilient in a changing climate.With the hot dry weather continuing in much of the country, not to mention the situation in the Strait of Hormuz making diesel and fertiliser prices volatile, some farmers are already scratching their heads about what best to grow for next year's harvest. And a beautiful native breed cow, so rare it was declared extinct in the 1930s, now making a surprising comeback thanks to a farmer in Somerset's Chew Valley.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farmers are being 'strongly urged' to vaccinate sheep and cattle to protect them from the rapid spread of bluetongue. The UK's chief vet says vaccination is the only way to deal with the disease. There are now 130 cases, more than double the number this time last week. The vast majority are in England, with most in the South West. Wales has four cases, there are none in Scotland or Northern Ireland, and here cases means farms affected rather than individual animals with the disease. Bluetongue can make sheep and cattle lethargic and lame, it can cause birth defects or spontaneous abortions and it can be fatal. The disease is spread by midges, originally they were blown over from Europe but now they, and the virus, survive the winter here. This year's heatwave means the virus and midges are replicating much more quickly. It doesn't affect human or food safety. There is a vaccine but take up has been low. We ask the National Sheep Association why that is, and speak to the Chief Veterinary Officer who says scientists expect the virus to peak in September. Across much of England and Wales the heatwave and drought has meant an early harvest and poor yields, in much of Scotland things are different. There's been hot and dry weather earlier in the summer but now it's rain that's making things difficult.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Scotland's first minister John Swinney has been speaking about the future for Scottish farmers and crofters while touring the country visiting summer agricultural shows. This hot dry summer hasn't hit farmers in Scotland quite as hard as southern England, but some areas are now considered to be in what Scotland terms 'water scarcity'. We speak to him about support for farmers and the government's future plans to tackle wildfires.A new report estimates farmers could lose as much as £390 million in revenue because of the heat waves and drought this summer. Analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit estimates the grain harvest could be down by as much as 2.5 million tonnes. We're talking about the harvest all week. We visit the Eden Valley in Cumbria find out how one farmer near Penrith is managing his harvest balancing-act.Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Rebecca Rooney

Official figures show the harvest this summer is the earliest in England for 20 years. All week we're following farmers around the country as they bring in their crops. We visit a farmer in Northamptonshire who thinks this year's harvest will put him in the red.When cheese is made, it produces curds and whey. There are two types of whey, sweet and salty. The sweet is often used for protein ingredients but the salty whey is difficult to dispose of and can be hazardous to the environment. Now scientists at Herriot Watt University have found a way to make salty whey into bio-ethanol, which could be used in car fuel.Scientists are studying how interactions between people and working dogs could help spread a harmful tapeworm. Mid-Wales has been described as a hotspot for hydatid disease, which can cause slow-growing cysts on internal organs. It's found in sheep and farmers who work closely with sheepdogs are most at risk. Health experts say that although rare, the disease is a significant concern due to the potentially serious health consequences. Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Rebecca Rooney

The drought is hitting nature; the Wildlife Trusts warn that rivers, lakes and wetlands are under immense strain, leaving animals struggling to survive. Harvest 2026 has been the earliest in England for at least 20 years and yields have suffered from the heat and a lack of water, leaving farmers counting the cost. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The whole of Wales and half of England are now officially in drought. For farmers the impacts are huge. There are concerns about a shortage of feed for livestock and cereal yields are down. The Environment Agency in England says it will step up controls on how much water can be taken from rivers and groundwater. The National Farmers Union has called for a more modern abstraction system, saying we're still using regulations which are 50 years old. The environmental charity River Action says too many businesses are taking water from rivers, and the government should review the abstraction licence system. It says that trillions of litres of water are being taken from rivers, lakes and aquifers every year.There's been a rise in cases of bluetongue this summer. The disease is spread by midges and can have a devastating impact on cattle and sheep. We hear from a farmer who lost a third of his calves due to the virus, and a scientist who says the hot weather is accelerating the spread.All week BBC local radio stations in England have been focusing on agriculture, as part of this year's Farmwatch reporters have looked at food inflation and what rising costs mean for producers. We also hear from an inspiring young farmer in Cornwall, who has got his own dairy herd - comprising one Jersey cow.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The fourth heatwave of the year in the UK is still making the daily farming jobs a struggle for many. But this year the dry weather and heat have also created the conditions for significant wildfires across the country. In Scotland a wildfire started 2 weeks ago in the Cairngorms National Park. It's thought to have damaged around 25 square kilometres of natural forest and hillsides, although the exact extent isn't yet known. The surface fire has diminished but it's still burning deep in the peat soil, and nearly a hundred firefighters are still deployed in the area. The Chief Executive of the Cairngorms National Park Authority Grant Moir tells us that the fire took hold in an area known for its important wildlife habitats, much loved by visitors and the local community.The end of harvest can also be the start of a very worrying time for farmers, when illegal hare coursers drive over stubble fields, set off dogs to chase hares, and often bet on the outcome. South Wales Police have warned of an increase in illegal hare coursing in the Vale of Glamorgan, with local farmers being threatened and intimidated when they try to intervene.This week is BBC Farmwatch week and today we're heading to a farm in Nottinghamshire which grows wildflowers to harvest their seeds.Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Sarah Swadling