Podcasts about agriculture act

The budget for agriculture in Scotland comes from the UK Government - but as of two weeks ago, it's no longer ring fenced. The change has attracted criticism from farming groups. But the DEFRA Secretary, Steve Reed, has defended the decision, saying his Government believes in devolution, and that comes with the power to decide where money is spent. We hear from Scotland's Rural Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Mairi Gougeon.A change to the Suckler Support Scheme in Scotland aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by making calf production more intensive. It's being introduced as part of the country's new Agriculture Act, and it's rooted in the idea that more efficient beef farming means less carbon and less methane. Some beef farmers, however, fear it could have an impact on animal welfare as well as some farm incomes.And "Farmer Time" is an initiative set up by Cambridgeshire farmer, Tom Martin, which connects teachers with farmers, so children can have regular catch ups with a farmer. So far ten thousand pupils have enjoyed lessons enhanced by their own ‘class farmer' through a live video-link and the initiative is one of our three finalists in the "Farming for the Future" category of this year's BBC Food and Farming Awards.Presented by Caz Graham Produced by Heather Simons

Bird flu is back in the UK. Two years ago a strain of the virus called H5N1 caused outbreaks across the world, killing millions of birds, on poultry farms and in the wild. In America, that same strain has infected dairy cows on nearly 500 different farms, and in some cases also been passed on to humans. The UK has just seen its first avian flu outbreak of the winter in a commercial poultry flock in the East Riding of Yorkshire, but this time the strain's been identified as H5N5. What difference does that make, and should UK dairy farmers be worried?Scotland's new Agriculture Act came into force in June. NFU Scotland says it got what it wanted from the Act, but with much of the legislation aimed at improving the environment, and with little detail as yet, there are still concerns over what the changes will actually mean.And as the UK apple harvest draws to a close, growers are reporting that although the wet weather's made picking difficult, the crop is high quality this year. Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Heather Simons

The latest figures for the brood management trial for hen harriers have been released. The Welsh Agriculture Act has received Royal Assent. And, how hedgerow management makes a difference to farms and the land. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Organic farmers and businesses in Wales say they have been 'forgotten' by the Welsh government; they say millions of pounds worth of support is being withdrawn under the new farming policy proposals. The 1947 Agriculture Act aimed to get farmers producing more food to shore up Britain's self sufficiency following the pre-War depression, and it rewarded farmers financially for removing their hedgerows. Decades later, hedges are increasingly being reinstated. How musical collars instead of fences are keeping cattle in their fields. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

As supermarkets ration salad, one tomato grower tells us what that what the sector really needs is government help to invest in hi-tech greenhouses. Flavourfresh near Stockport produce tomatoes under glass. They have their own power plant, selling energy to the grid. They use the excess heat to warm the glasshouses and the carbon dioxide to help plants grow bigger. However, large modern greenhouses like theirs cost millions. Producer Andy Roe says the sector needs help to finance state-of-the art sites like theirs, then he says they'd be able to grow more for the British market. The Defra secretary, Therese Coffey, has been addressing farmers at the NFU annual conference in Birmingham. She said the ELMS budget did not need to be increased to help farmers meet government environmental targets, and she also said that the challenges faced by pig and poultry producers did not equate to market failure and so she would not be using new powers under the Agriculture Act to intervene. Re-introductions of animals and birds usually feature high-profile species like beavers or wild cats, but there are others like the pine hoverfly - a small, elusive and very rare insect, whose habitat is among Scots Pine trees. The last population in Britain is in the Cairngorms National Park - and that's where conservationists from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland are involved in a breeding programme which has been releasing pine hoverflies back into the wild for the past two years. Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Rebecca Rooney

In EG's final 2022 episode of In on the Act, Sarah Jackman speaks to Falcon Chambers' Oliver Radley-Gardner KC about the requirements contained in the Agriculture Act 2020. They discuss the reasons why it was implemented, the timeframes for compliance and how landowners need to respond.  

As the UK leaves the EU and takes back control of its agricultural policy, new opportunities and new possibilities open up for UK horticulture. The future direction of travel for the sector is laid down in the Government's new Agriculture Act. The main focus is a new approach where farmers and land managers are rewarded with public money for delivering public goods. The Act also contains provisions for improving productivity and monitoring the UK's level of food security. Historically, horticulture has fallen outside main support mechanisms within the CAP. Parts of the industry benefited from funding through the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme, but in comparison with other sectors of agriculture, UK horticulture has survived on the returns generated from the marketplace, with minimal reliance on the system of CAP subsidies.   Over the past 30 years, the area devoted to fruit and vegetable production in the UK has declined by 30%, but improvements in productivity have resulted in a 36% volume increase in the production of fruit and vegetables. Over the same period, there has been a substantial increase in imported fruit and vegetables. The growing interest in diet and health is focusing attention on eating fresh, unprocessed food and the vital role of fruit and vegetables in the diet. As a nation, the UK significantly under-consumes fruit and vegetables. The latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) data shows that 33% of children eat less than one portion of vegetables per day. The UK has started to see an upturn in the consumption of fruit and vegetables and if the nation was to meet the daily Eatwell recommendations for fruit and vegetables, it would massively increase demand. With the UK's excellent maritime climate, perfect for growing, it makes sense to produce as many fruit and vegetables for UK consumers.  UK horticulture stands at the edge of a major opportunity to deliver not just a continuous supply of high-quality, high-provenance fruit and vegetables, but also play a major part in improving the overall health of the nation. The big challenge is how? Part of the UK's exit strategy from the EU is the negotiation of Free Trade Agreements and an FTA with New Zealand is seen as a priority for the UK government. The New Zealand horticultural industry has many parallels with the UK industry. It is broadly similar in size and turnover but services a large export market, in contrast to the UK industry, which is mainly focused on the domestic market. In March 2020, a delegation of UK industry representatives visited New Zealand to explore the New Zealand horticulture sector, to understand its challenges and opportunities, to examine what could be learnt, what new ideas could be adopted and to explore what new relationships might be possible between our two nations. Each member of the delegation travelled with a different objective: Ali Capper, Grower, Chairman of the NFU National Horticulture & Potatoes Board, Wye Hops and British Apples & Pears Ltd, Director of the British Hop Association, Nuffield Scholar – how to grow the sector, export markets, opportunities, policy issues and solutions, catalysts for change Jack Ward, CEO of the British Growers Association, Trustee at PGRO, Nuffield Scholar – how to bring value and profitability back to growers' businesses Chris Moncrieff, Head of Horticultural Relations at the Royal Horticultural Society – how to attract, educate, train, develop and retain key staff An executive summary of the trip and associated findings has been compiled in collaboration between the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, British Growers Association, National Farmers' Union and the Royal Horticulture Society and reports on findings from a Defra-led trade delegation to New Zealand in 2020. There are several similarities between the UK and New Zealand fresh produce industries and some significant differences. To discuss the executive summary...

Jyoti Fernandes, farmer of Five Penny Farms and Policy Coordinator with the UK based Landworkers' Alliance, discusses what agroecology means to her and the efforts to shape food policy in the United Kingdom. We also discuss the risk of agroecology being co-opted and the current boycott of the UN Food Systems Summit. Episode Links Five Penny Farms, Dorset Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa Scientists Boycott the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit Jyoti testifying at the EU Parliament in 2015 Raj Patel on Normal Borlaug | Interview in PBS American Experience Is Agroecology Being Co-opted by Big Ag? | Civil Eats Article Farm Protests in India Are Writing the Green Revolution's Obituary | Scientific American Article The Land Workers' Alliance The Dimbleby Report | Part One of the National Food Strategy European Coordination Via Campesina Reframing the land-sparing/land-sharing debate for biodiversity conservation | Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Nature Friendly Farming Network Pasture Fed Livestock Association SUSTAIN Alliance for better food and farming Agriculture Act 2020

In this week’s podcast, we take a look at some of the key points of the Agriculture Act 2020. Essential reading for RICS APC candidates on the Rural pathway, as well as candidates on other pathways involved with rural or agricultural property or land.

The Agriculture Act has been regarded as the first landmark piece of post-Brexit legislation by the UK Government. Passed in November, the act sets out how farmers and land-owners in the country will be rewarded for adopting sustainable food production practices. What impact will it have, and how is the act viewed by farmers and land-owners? Will the new legislation change farming and food production for the better? We’ve assembled a panel to discuss these points and more. Joining host Stefan Gates are Professor Jane Rickson, Professor of Soil Erosion and Conservation, Cranfield Soil and AgriFood Institute, Vicki Hird, Head of Sustainable Farming, Food and Farm Policy, Sustain, Emily Norton, Head of Rural Research, Savills UK and Mark Coulman, Chair, Tenants Farming Association. About our panel Professor Jane Rickson, Professor of Soil Erosion and Conservation, Cranfield Soil and AgriFood Institute Professor Jane Rickson has over 30 years’ experience of research, consultancy and teaching in soil and water engineering, specialising in soil degradation processes and sustainable land management. Her work has focused on better understanding of soil functions and their role in the delivery of ecosystems goods and services, including water regulation, agricultural production and carbon storage. She uses multi-disciplinary approaches to integrate fundamental and applied land resources science at a range of spatial and temporal scales. Her work is directed at Research Councils, industry, farmers and policy makers. Recent projects include: Development of a Soil Management Information System (AHDB); Better understanding of the soil protection landscape (Defra); Developing a conceptual framework for a soil impact metric for agricultural and commodity supply chains (Institute for Sustainability Leadership, University of Cambridge; CISL); Review of the England and Wales soils evidence base (Welsh Government); Provision of research to develop the evidence base on soil erosion (Committee on Climate Change, Adaptation Sub Committee); and The total costs of soil degradation in England & Wales (Defra). Vicki Hird, Head of Sustainable Farming, Food and Farm Policy, Sustain Vicki Hird is an award winning author, expert, strategist and senior manager who has been working on environment, food and farming issues for over 25 years. As part- time Sustainable Farm Campaign Coordinator at Sustain, Vicki manages the farm policy and related campaigning and provides comment and guidance on these issues. Prior to this role, she was director of Campaigns and Policy At War on Want. Previously she was the Senior Campaigner heading up the Land use, Food and Water Programme for Friends of the Earth and Policy Director of Sustain. She was Policy Director of Sustain, 1999 – 2004 and has been an expert consultant for NGOs and institutions (including for RSPB, WSPA, The Sustainable Development Commission, Greenpeace, The Plunkett Foundation and HEAL). She has launched many major food and environment campaigns, from local to global in scope, has blogged frequently and published numerous reports and articles on the sustainability of food systems and published Perfectly Safe to Eat? (Women’s Press 2000). She has an academic background in pest management and is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society and the RSA. Vicki is on the board of Pesticides Action Network, and the Keo Foundation, was chair of the Eating Better Alliance and has sat on numerous government advisory groups over the years. She also runs an independent consultancy undertaking campaigning and research. Emily Norton, Head of Rural Research, Savills UK Emily heads up the Savills UK Limited Rural Research team, guiding the creation of insight and analysis into rural policy, data and benchmarking for Savills and its clients across the U.K. She consults for clients and government on rural policy and corporate strategy, with a particular focus on rural asset investment and strategic sustainability and climate response. Emily is a director of the Oxford Farming Conference for 2021-2023 and a Nuffield Scholar 2018. Mark Coulman, Chair, Tenants Farming Association Mark Coulman has been a TFA member for over 20 years, serving as East Midlands Regional Chairman, National Vice-Chairman and now Chairman on the retirement of James Gray in March 2020. Having graduated in Agriculture and Food Marketing from Newcastle University, and undertaken consultancy roles and sales and marketing roles within the agricultural software industry, Mark returned to the family farm in 1993, succeeding as tenant in 1997. Farming 235 hectares of arable land, cropping wheat, rape, sugar beet, peas amongst other things, as well as flower growing which diversified into a successful flower import, packing and distribution business. Mark has managed several diversified businesses and believes in the ability of farmers to be successful entrepreneurs. Currently, the farm is involved in developing a care & social farm enterprise, providing opportunities for adults and children dealing with challenges to improve their health and well-being. The opportunity to develop this offer within the public money for public good framework is a particular interest. Mark is a firm believer in the ability of the tenanted sector to deliver successful, sustainable farm businesses which both produce quality food and environmental sustainability for the good of the wider rural community.

The new UK Trade & Agriculture Commission was set up by the Department of International Trade to guide ministers as they develop a policy that balances the need for independent trade deals with the ambitions of the new Agriculture Act and the coming Environment Bill. In this podcast we ask, is a progressive UK trade and agriculture policy possible? ffinlo Costain speaks to Tom West, UK Environment Lead at Client Earth, and Angela Francis, WWF UK's Chief Advisor on Economics and Economic Development. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/farmgate/message

The Agriculture Bill was given Royal Assent this week to become the Agriculture Act. It follows a series of fierce debates in the Houses of Parliament and beyond about whether UK farmers will be protected from lower standard imports. The Act replaces the EU's Common Agricultural Policy - we hear from the Farming Minister, Victoria Prentis. The peat lands of the Fens are usually used by farmers to grow high value vegetable crops such as lettuce and celery. Ploughing up peat soils releases massive amounts of carbon, but if the peat is kept under water it becomes a valuable carbon sink. We visit a field trial being run by local Wildlife Trusts in the Great Fen, where they're growing alternative crops in rewetted peatlands The impact of COVID 19 on the world wool market has led to some farmers burning or composting fleeces because it’s not worth packing them for sale. Most British wool is used in things like carpet - and a fall in demand has hit wool prices. Charlotte Smith speaks to a farmer about the consequences. And following on a Radio 4's Re-Think Week back in June - when we spoke to a range of people about re-thinking food and farming in a post-COVID world - we now hear from some young rural voices. From farmers, to birdwatchers - what do they think their future holds? Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

H.R. 5687 – Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief and Puerto Rico Disaster Tax Relief Act, 2020 (Rep. Lowey – Appropriations) H.R. 3830 – Taxpayer Right-to-Know Act, as amended (Rep. Walberg – Oversight and Reform) H.R. 2474 – Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019 (Rep. Scott (VA) – Education and Labor) (Subject to a Rule) S. 394 – Presidential Transition Act Enhancement Act of 2019 (Sen. Johnson – Oversight and Reform) H.R. 1494 – Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Homeland Security Partnerships Act, as amended (Rep. Thompson (MS) – Homeland Security) S. 2107 – Protecting America’s Food and Agriculture Act of 2019 (Sen. Peters – Homeland Security) H.R. 5273 – Securing America’s Ports Act (Rep. Torres Small – Homeland Security) H.R. 3413 – DHS Acquisition Reform Act of 2019 (Rep. Crenshaw – Homeland Security) H.R. 504 – DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act, as amended (Rep. Bacon –   Homeland Security) H.R. 2932 – Homeland Security for Children Act, as amended (Rep. Payne – Homeland Security) H.R. 4737 – Department of Homeland Security Climate Change Research Act, as amended (Rep. Clarke – Homeland Security) H.R. 4432 – Protecting Critical Infrastructure Against Drones and Emerging Threats Act (Rep. Richmond – Homeland Security) H.R. 4753 – Drone Origin Security Enhancement Act (Rep. Crenshaw – Homeland Security) H.R. 2546 – Protecting America’s Wilderness Act of 2019 (Rep. DeGette – Natural Resources) (Subject to a Rule) H.J.Res. 79 – Removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment (Rep. Speier – Judiciary) (Subject to a Rule) H.R. 1980 – Smithsonian Women’s History Museum Act (Rep. Carolyn Maloney – House Administration) S.J. Res. 68 (To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress).  Support the show.

Al Dutcher reports a decent shot of warm planting weather is on the way for farmers ahead of rain into next week. Juli Obudzinski, Deputy Policy Director with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, talks about the Next Generation in Agriculture Act that aims to help young farmers and ranchers get a fair start. Dr. Tommy Wheeler of USDA on new meat safety testing procedures.

Al Dutcher reports a decent shot of warm planting weather is on the way for farmers ahead of rain into next week. Juli Obudzinski, Deputy Policy Director with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, talks about the Next Generation in Agriculture Act that aims to help young farmers and ranchers get a fair start. Dr. Tommy Wheeler of USDA on new meat safety testing procedures.

In this week's Tax Credit Tuesday podcast, Michael J. Novogradac, CPA, discusses the latest about the debt limit and the confirmation of Sen. Max Baucus as the next U.S. ambassador to China and what it might mean for tax reform. In new markets tax credit news, he shares news about legislation that would permanently extend the New Markets Tax Credit program, a report on the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund's release of comments on its Community Investment Impact System and compliance reporting, and February's Qualified Equity Investment Issuance Report. In our low-income housing tax credit news, he covers the passage of the Agriculture Act of 2014 and an additional co-sponsor of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Rate Act. In renewable energy tax credit news, he shares the results of a report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration about potential double dipping in the Section 1603 grant program and a report from the American Wind Energy Association about activity in the wind industry in the last quarter of 2013. On our historic tax credit news, has two state-level updates: one from Indiana and one from Kentucky.

In this week's Tax Credit Tuesday podcast, Michael J. Novogradac, CPA, discusses the latest about the debt limit and the confirmation of Sen. Max Baucus as the next U.S. ambassador to China and what it might mean for tax reform. In new markets tax credit news, he shares news about legislation that would permanently extend the New Markets Tax Credit program, a report on the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund's release of comments on its Community Investment Impact System and compliance reporting, and February's Qualified Equity Investment Issuance Report. In our low-income housing tax credit news, he covers the passage of the Agriculture Act of 2014 and an additional co-sponsor of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Rate Act. In renewable energy tax credit news, he shares the results of a report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration about potential double dipping in the Section 1603 grant program and a report from the American Wind Energy Association about activity in the wind industry in the last quarter of 2013. On our historic tax credit news, has two state-level updates: one from Indiana and one from Kentucky.

This is the latest installment of Harvest Public Media’s Field Notes , in which we talk about important issues related to food production. President Obama is scheduled to sign the long-overdue Agriculture Act of 2014, the new farm bill, into law on Friday afternoon. Many people will be sighing with relief. That includes farmers, of course, as well as advocates for food stamps. As Harvest Public Media’s Amy Mayer explains, these two groups have been wedded together politically to generate urban and rural support for the farm bill. But it’s been a rocky road.

This is the latest installment of Harvest Public Media’s Field Notes , in which we talk about important issues related to food production. As you may have already heard on KBIA, the U.S. House has passed the Agriculture Act of 2014, known to most of us as a new farm bill. The Senate is expected to take it up soon. Add President Obama’s signature shortly thereafter, and a new set of farm and nutrition policies for the next five years will finally be law. As Amy Mayer reports though, amid the relief that a new farm bill is finally coming, there’s still some uncertainty and even some disappointment. Also in this week's Field Notes, we take a look at wheat prices. A new US Department of Agriculture report is predicting that prices for this grain are on the decline, in part due to a global wheat bumper crop this year. Luke Runyon has that story.