Future Farming podcast

In episode 11 of the Defra Farming podcast, Defra payments lead Lisa Warne talks to father and son John and Charlie Renner, who farm on the border of the  Northumberland National Park between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Alnwick.Lisa gave an update about what's happening next in the growth and rollout of our environmental land management schemes. John and Charlie talked about how the new farming payments will fit in with the management of their farm and had plenty of questions about the new grants and actions from the farmer's point of view.For more information on how the Renners farm, see the LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) website.There's something for everyone in Defra's schemes and grants. We've made them much more straightforward, flexible and workable, so if you haven't yet looked, now is the time. Find out what you can get paid for on the Defra Farming blog.

In episode 10 of the Future Farming podcast, to celebrate National Young Farmers' Week 2022, Matt McGuire welcomes 3 up-and-coming young people in farming to the podcast. Charlie Beaty, Ed Dungait and Charlotte Garbutt discuss how to get started in farming, the importance of education and the range of roles in agriculture. They also discuss the benefits new talent can bring to the sector.#YoungFarmersWeek  Charlotte @ThisIsGarbs works in agronomy and sales for an agri-chemical company and is YFC Agri Chair @LincsYFC. Charlie @MeridenFarm is a mixed beef-sheep and arable farmer from Warwickshire and WFYFC County Chair.  Ed is an arable farmer from Northumberland and Chair of the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs. Subscribe to the Defra Future Farming blog

In episode 9 of the Future Farming podcast, Defra farming strategy lead Briony Turner talks to CLA (Country Land and Business Association) land use advisor Harry Greenfield and TFA (Tenant Farmers Association) farm advisor Lynette Steel about new public and private sector environmental schemes.CLA and TFA have been working together to produce a set of guidelines to support tenants and landlords in applying for the schemes. Harry and Lynette explain the thinking behind the collaboration, and how  tenants and landlords can get the best out of the new environmental schemes by working together and starting conversations early.Find out more about the CLA and TFA joint guidance for environmental schemes Read the joint CLA/TFA guidance for environmental schemes in full Subscribe to the Defra Future Farming blog

The Sustainable Farming Incentive is now open for applications. Through SFI, farmers will be paid for looking after the natural environment while they're farming. This year, we'll start paying farmers for taking care of their soil or assessing the condition of moorland. From next year, we'll be expanding the range of SFI actions farmers can get paid for.For episode 8 of the Future Farming Podcast, we brought together Cambridgeshire farmer Martin Lines and Defra Sustainable Farming Incentive lead Jonathan Marsden to talk about all things SFI and land management. Jonathan explains about the SFI funding that farmers can apply for now, and the new funding that will be available to farmers for environmental land management in the next few years. Find out how to apply for SFI.

In the seventh episode of the Future Farming podcast, Tim Mordan, Defra's Head of Farming Innovation, Productivity and Science talks to Rui Andrês, CEO of Fieldwork Robotics, about their innovative raspberry robot picker.Listen to find out how the project was developed, initially at Plymouth University, and then with the help of government innovation funding to bring it to market.Find out more about government innovation funding for farming:How we're encouraging innovation in farmingUKRI: find out about farming innovation funding

In the fifth episode of the Future Farming podcast, Defra Future Farming and Countryside Programme Director Janet Hughes talks to policy lead for the Farming Investment Fund Sarah Evered.Listen to find out how the team designed the fund, what we've learned from launching it and what's coming next.

In the sixth episode of the Future Farming podcast, Janet talks with British Farming Awards Arable Innovator of the Year Tim Parton. Tim is Farm Manager at Brewood Park Farm, Staffordshire, where he manages 300 hectares using regenerative agriculture methods. Listen in to find out how Tim has moved to no-till, reduced insecticide and fungicide use and brewed his own nitrogen-fixing bacteria.Follow Tim @parker419 and Janet @JanetHughes on Twitter.

In September 2021 the Farming Forum held a two-part Q&A session with Janet Hughes, Defra's Future Farming and Countryside Programme Director. Farmers were invited to submit their questions about the Sustainable Farming Incentive. Clive Bailye, Director of the Farming Forum, put the most-asked questions to Janet. The original videos can be watched here and here. We are making this version available as slightly abridged highlights version on the podcast. 

In our third Future Farming podcast, Janet Hughes talks to Gabe Brown.Gabe has been named one of the twenty-five most influential agricultural leaders in the United States. He is one of the pioneers of the soil health movement and author of the book, “Dirt to Soil, One Family's Journey Into Regenerative Agriculture.” He farms at Brown's Ranch, a diversified 5,000 acre farm and ranch in North Dakota, with his wife Shelly and son Paul.Gabe is  a partner in the regenerative farming consultancy Understanding Ag and an instructor for the Soil Health Academy, which teaches the power and importance of healthy functioning ecosystems.You can read more about the six principles of soil health here.

In our second Future Farming podcast, Janet Hughes talks to Nic Renison. Nic farms with her husband Paul on the edge of the North Pennines in Cumbria, where they produce cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens. They are part of a growing movement towards regenerative farming that has been picking up pace since 2014. Nic is on the steering group for the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) and is part of the Carbon Calling @carboncallfarm regenerative conference organising team. In this podcast, Nic shares her approach to farming and her views on the future of the industry and the English countryside. Janet and Nic also discuss farm life in the North Pennines and the Renisons' homemade version of the eggmobile!You can follow Nic on Instagram @renisons_farm and Twitter @NRenison

In our first ever Future Farming podcast, Janet Hughes talks to Neil Heseltine. Neil is a farmer and the Chair of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. He works with The Pasture-Fed Livestock Association (PFLA), The Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) and Land Workers Alliance. Janet and Neil discuss how working with nature can not only safeguard it but can be more profitable. Neil was born and grew up on Hill Top Farm at Malham in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. He runs the farm with his partner Leigh Weston. You can follow them on Instagram and Twitter @hilltopfarmgirl