Podcasts about caz graham

Why more farmers are opening their gates to the public - all week we're looking at agri-tourism.Scientists across the world are investigating ways to reduce the climate change gas methane produced by livestock, using feed supplements made of synthetic chemicals, tannins, fats and even seaweed. Asparagopsis is a red seaweed that reacts with enzymes in the final stages of digestion and stops methane from being produced. The cost of abattoir inspections is proving contentious in Scotland where Food Standards Scotland is the body responsible for these.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

After Farming Minister Angela Eagle's reshuffling out of DEFRA, we hear why the farming industry really doesn't like ministerial churn.We're looking at Scottish agricultural policy all week. There's a debate around whether land that's used for grazing, rather than growing other crops, should be targeted to produce more environmental benefits.Precision farming techniques and automation are getting more popular as a way to help reduce costs, but they depend on good connectivity. Something that can be a challenge in rural areas.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Department for Envrionment Food and Rural Affairs has announced how much money it's making available to farmers in England through the Sustainable Farming Incentive - or SFI - for 2026. It's something farmers and environmental organisations have been keenly anticipating. There's a total budget of £240 million pounds., with the first application opening later this month. The SFI is the DEFRA ‘public money for public goods' scheme that pays for farming in ways that protect and benefit the environment, support food production and improve productivity. Some farming and conservation groups say the budget isn't big enough.And all this week we're talking about growing cereals, things like grain and oats. The latest figures just out from the industry body the AHDB, that's the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, show that UK farmers are growing less barley than they have for the last 16 years, while oilseed rape and wheat have climbed back from last year's lows. The Eden Valley in Cumbria is possibly better known for its livestock than its crops. But over the past couple of years, father and son Thomas and Harry Ewbank have been bucking that trend. Guided by local agronomist, Steven Gate, they've abandoned ploughing in favour of what's called ‘one-pass drilling', and they've expanded their range of crops to maximise yields and increase sustainability.Presented by Caz Graham and produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Sally Challoner.

Dartmoor is famous for its semi-wild hill ponies that roam across the moorland. But concerns have been raised by the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association that new agri-environment schemes will require such a steep drop in the numbers of grazing livestock in the area that up to 93 percent of the ponies will be lost. We hear from the association's Secretary, Joss Hibbs.Next year will be the last that farmers in England receive direct subsidy payments, based on how much land they farm. Direct payments have been particularly important for upland farmers in areas like the Lake District, where they are now being replaced by environmental schemes. Caz Graham speaks to two generations of a Lake District farming family about the continued viability of upland farming.The Government has published fresh guidance this week for farmers and food businesses to help them prepare for the new sanitary and phytosanitary - or SPS - agreement between the UK and the European Union, which is expected to be brought in in around a year's time. The Government says the SPS agreement will make it easier for British farmers to sell into the EU, but it could also mean a change in the agro-chemicals farmers can legally use on their crops, and if the rules change suddenly, there are concerns farmers could be left with crops grown under the old rules, which they could no longer sell under the new rules. UK peatlands - an important habitat for wildlife and a major carbon sink - are facing pressure from development, intensive land use and a changing climate, with around 80% believed to be degraded. In Wales however, the National Peatland Action Programme has completed over three and half thousand hectares of restoration work since 2020. In the Cambrian Mountains the project has been so successful that water voles have arrived in the area. A study out this week from Lantra - a charity which provides training and qualifications in land-based industries - says that there are jobs in farming, fishing and forestry that are not being filled because of a so-called 'skills squeeze'. This comes a week after a much-discussed report, commissioned by the government, which found that job opportunities for young people are shrinking, with one million classed as NEETS - not in education, employment or training. We ask if land-based work is part of the solution.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Jo Peacey. A BBC Audio Bristol production.

Concerns have been raised that new agri-environment schemes will require such a steep drop in the numbers of grazing livestock that 90% of Dartmoor ponies will be lost. We're talking about upland farming all this week, and this morning we hear how the phasing out of the old EU farm payments are affecting English hill farmers, with two generations of a Lake District farming family.It's twenty years ago this summer that a group of farmers put their heads together and decided to set aside a particular day when they'd all open up their farms to the general public. It was a fairly radical idea at the time, driven by a desire to address the disconnect between urban populations and farming, and inspired by a similar project in Denmark. That was the very first Open Farm Sunday which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this weekend.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

A judgement from the High Court yesterday ruled that the Food Standards Agency has been 'unlawfully' charging abattoirs too much and that it wasn't transparent enough about what it was charging for. The ruling comes after a legal challenge by the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers.Developers of small-scale hydro-energy projects say the industry's missing out on investment because of a heavy focus on wind and solar. Scotland in particular has long been a pioneer of cheap hydro-electricity, but companies say the current contracts to supply power are squeezing them out of the market. All week we're hearing about the current challenges facing upland farmers right across the UK and how they're dealing with them. Farming in the hills can be an isolated, even lonely, business. But a group of farmers scattered across the uplands of Shropshire have joined forces to pool ideas.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.With thanks to British Pathé Archive.

We ask what the latest government cost of living measures mean for farmers.How a Fenland farmer must decide whether to keep on his struggling family farm.We've been talking flowers all week: the cut flower market in the UK is worth around £2.2 billion but the bulk of flowers sold in supermarkets and florists don't come from British farms.The BBC Food & Farming Awards are back and this year we're teaming up again with the Archers for the ‘Archers and Farming Today Farming for the Future Award'. We're looking for those people or organisations who are models for how farming can be more resilient and sustainable. You can nominate by going to bbc.co.uk/foodawards - entries close at midday on the 15th of June. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

In a week that has seen several wildfires break out across the country, we hear from Dr Matthew Jones, who leads a group researching wildfires across the globe. He explains to Charlotte Smith why the risk of wildfires is so high in the Spring months. We also hear from a farmer still dealing with the aftermath of wildfires last year. The impact of the Iran conflict has led to government concerns about a potential shortage of CO2 - an important ingredient in many food and drink production processes. In response, the government has awarded a £100 million pound grant to the Ensus factory at Redcar to re-start production after it was mothballed last year. The plant produces bioethanol, CO2 and animal feed from wheat and maize. However, the National Farmers' Union are concerned that “the £100m investment from government is not conditional on Ensus using British wheat”. Caz Graham speaks to Grant Pearson, the chairman of Ensus.As many farmers are continuing or starting to plant Spring crops for harvest later in the year, we hear from the AHDB about how this year's Spring cereal and oilseed drilling is progressing across the country. We also visit a project in Cumbria doing a different type of planting: using a drone to plant a crop of on wet peatland, known as Paludiculture. With fields of bright yellow oilseed rape coming into bloom across the country, one grower tells us why more farmers have been planting the crop this year compared to last. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Jo Peacey. A BBC Audio Bristol production.

Farmers in the North East of England have welcomed the re-opening of the UK's only carbon dioxide production plant after 6 months of inactivity. It was mothballed last year, after the US trade deal made it unprofitable. But the war in the Middle East has led to government concerns about CO2 shortages, and they've awarded a £100 million pound grant to the Ensus bioethanol factory at Redcar to re-start production. Paludiculture is the practice of farming on wetlands, like bogs or re-wetted peatlands and fens. Defra awarded grants to 12 projects to look at growing crops in lowland peat; the UK's peatlands store 3 billion tonnes of carbon and keeping peat wet means locking it in the earth, so it's not lost as C02 contributing to global warming. The Holker Estate on the southern coast of Cumbria is one of those exploring the potential of paludiculture.And oilseed rape is having a good year.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Warnings that animal welfare is at risk on some Scottish Islands because of widespread disruption to ferry services.Ripples from conflict in the Middle East are felt in UK ports; the fishing industry is asking the Government for help with fuel costs. Every spring in a quiet corner of England on the Herefordshire Gloucestershire border carpets of wild daffodils can still be seen in the fields and woodlands, thanks to carefully managed farming and forestry practices. And as it's lambing time, so we're learning the ropes with a student vet.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Computer says no - why nearly 4,000 farmers are excluded from the government's new environmental support schemes. Scottish seed potato growers have been gathering in Dundee this week to hear how a 5-year long project might save their industry from the impact of a tiny but devastating worm, called the potato cyst nematode.We're looking into how the food our farmers grow is processed all this week. Most of the beans and peas we grow for human consumption in the UK pass through just one large processing company. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Charlotte Smith is in Devon to reflect on the impact of the 2001 Foot and Mouth crisis 25 years on. Highly contagious foot and mouth disease was confirmed at an Essex abattoir on 19th February 2001. The outbreak which followed led to the slaughter of 6.5 million cattle, sheep, and pigs and cost the UK economy an estimated £8 billion. The emotional cost to farming families was incalculable. Charlotte speaks to the then South West Regional Director of the National Farmers Union, Anthony Gibson, who recalls the 'cataclysm' which hit the farming community. Farming Today's Caz Graham remembers the smell of burning pyres and disinfectant on the air in Cumbria, the worst hit county. She hosted a nightly phone in on BBC Radio Cumbria during the crisis, where callers would share their grief and anger. Charlotte visits Phil Heard's farm on Dartmoor, which got caught up in the controversial 'contiguous cull' policy, in which farms neighbouring confirmed outbreaks of Foot and Mouth would also have their animals compulsorily slaughtered. Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling

The Environment Agency and Met Office are warning of more rain and unsettled weather continuing into March at least. And that's going to delay essential farm jobs even longer - crops not planted, slurry not spread. For contractors who rely on this work, the forecast is another blow. Their national body - the National Association of Agricultural Contractors - has been meeting in Cornwall to discuss the situation. Its chair Matt Redman told Caz Graham the rain is stopping vital work, and when it finally clears there will be less time to complete the work, putting extra strain on staff and machinery.The UK is facing an acute shortages of vets, particularly in farm animal and public sector roles. A survey last year suggested that more than 40 % of ‘large animal' vets have considered leaving their jobs, and replacing them will be difficult - many undergraduates who study veterinary science have limited exposure to farmers and agriculture, and choose to specialise in other parts of the profession. Will Golding is a graduate of the University of Nottingham's vet school and knew from the off that farm vet practice was the career for him.Not having access to a large animal vet makes farming - or crofting - impossible. So when the last vet on the Hebridean Island of Tiree retired and no one came forward to take over the practice, islanders realised they'd have to take matter into their own hands. This week they've opened what's thought to be UK's first ‘not for profit' community owned vets. Presented by Caz Graham and produced in Bristol by Sally Challoner

With a military pipe band and trumpet fanfares, Caz Graham joins pensioners at the Royal Hospital Chelsea for their Ceremony of the Christmas Cheeses, a festive tradition where dairy processors and farmers present cheese for the Hospital's Christmas celebrations. It dates back to the late 1600s when Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned by King Charles II to build a sanctuary for soldiers "broken by age and war". He asked the dairies of London to give cheese every Christmas to the veterans who became known as the Chelsea Pensioners.Caz meets the Hospital's Governor to hear about the origins of this ancient ceremony, farmers whose milk goes into some of the cheeses, and some of the pensioners taking part, including Andy Kay, the Chelsea pensioner who cuts the first slice of a huge 25kg Montgomery cheddar with a ceremonial sword.There's also the latest news on the government's proposals for inheritance tax on farm businesses.Produced and presented by Caz Graham.

The major changes needed to make farming profitable - we hear from Baroness Batters on her long awaited review.Charcuterie is often a favourite over the festive season, which means this is a busy time of year for Lizzie and Andrew Baker in Ammanford in South Wales. They rear rare breed pigs on their farm and have a charcuterie and smoking business too.We've been taking a look at historic rural buildings this week, their cultural value and how to preserve them, and this morning we're heading to Northern Ireland. When a local community group began the restoration of an old corn mill, in County Fermanagh, it sparked interest in a number of old mill stones long abandoned on local farms. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

We ask why veg is always a loss leader at this time of year, and whether farmers suffer as a result. For the price of a first class stamp you could buy 21 kilos of carrots if you head to one of the discount supermarkets. The stamp would cost you £1.70, the carrots are on sale at 8p for a kilo. Who takes the hit?Extreme weather events mean it's become hard to predict how farmed poultry will turn out come Christmas. We meet an organic farmer in Devon whose birds are smaller following the hot, dry summer. And should the old grand houses that dot our countryside be regarded as vital heritage which must be preserved? Or are there other ways of dealing with them? All this week we're looking into what the future may hold for historic buildings in rural areas. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

Caz Graham talks to the President of the Irish Farmers Association, Francie Gorman, about the journey he's embarking upon from Dublin to Brussels by tractor as part of a Europe wide protest. Farmers are concerned about Common Agricultural Policy reforms, which could see the budget ringfenced for farm subsidies cut by around 20%. They're also angry about the potential impact of a trade deal between the EU and the South American bloc MERCOSUR, which could mean an increase in beef from Brazil and other cheap imports. An environmental group in Northern Ireland plans to demonstrate the benefits of nature friendly farming on a 90-acre hillside farm it's recently bought in County Fermanagh. The Ulster Wildlife Trust says the new Fedian Nature Reserve is a rare example of farmland largely free of chemical or fertiliser inputs.Traditional rural buildings are rich with history and a unique record of how farming and country life has changed over the centuries. But many are under threat; they're expensive to maintain and often not practical for modern use. Throughout this week we're going to be hearing about efforts to preserve them, and we start in Nottinghamshire where an old farmstead has been repurposed as The Walks of Life Museum in Tuxford. Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Sarah Swadling

The Food Standards Agency has agreed to a public consultation on the fees it takes from abattoirs. They are charged by the FSA for their official vets and meat hygiene inspectors who monitor food safety and animal welfare. The smallest abattoirs already get a 90 percent discount, but under the new system being proposed that reduction would benefit more businesses. We've been exploring the world of rare and native livestock breeds all this week, and they don't come much rarer than the Ancient Cattle of Wales. There are only around 200 of them left. Earlier this year they were added to the Rare Breeds Survival Trust Watchlist, and now the Ancient Cattle of Wales Society is on the case, trying to reverse the decline in numbers by promoting the breed. And we meet a couple of retired tenant farmers who now go around the country offering holiday relief for farmers, who struggle to leave their livestock for holidays. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

Poultry Farmers are warned this winter is on course to be among the worst for avian flu. This week all poultry in England and Northern Ireland was ordered inside after a number of new cases. The Pirbright Institute's head of avian virology explains why the H5N1 strain of bird flu has become more able to spread, describing it as 'almost a super strain'.A household name in food processing says it's worried about future supplies of raw materials, because farmers confidence is so poor. Behind the scenes with plant experts as Kew's Millennium Seed Bank marks 25 years.MPs say by 2050 almost a quarter of current UK farmland might not be farmed.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

"Too little too late", that's what we're hearing from some farmers who've already ploughed up and planted fields that were being farmed for nature. They say this is because the government took too long to come up with an extension to their environmental funding. A House of Lords Committee says the Windsor Framework, the post-Brexit agreement between the UK and EU that's meant to simplify trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is "overwhelmingly complex". Powys Council has just closed a consultation on plans for a new farm policy, which includes the possibility of selling some of its council owned farms. The Council says incomes are too low and maintenance costs too high on some of its farms, but local council farm tenants hope farming will remain a key part of council plans. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

British cheesemakers say they've got a raw deal on export tariffs to the US compared to their EU competitors.The Government is consulting on extending a ban on bottom trawler fishing in marine protected areas. Conservationists argue the practice of dragging nets and chains along the sea floor is destroying habitats and species. But fishermen are warning that restricting where they can catch will cause financial hardship.If you live in the countryside it is likely that your local authority gets 40% less funding per head than an urban one, you will pay 20% more council tax and it's harder to find a dentist, a doctor, a bank or a bus; that's according to the Rural Services Network.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

A new report from the Wildlife Trusts outlines the environmental damage caused by pig and poultry pollution. Caz Graham talks to the report authors and to the National Pig Association.Moths and hoverflies are the unloved pollinators that keep our farms and gardens healthy. We hear about their brilliant undercover work.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton

Changes to the costs, paperwork and bureaucracy that are hampering agri-food exports from Great Britain to the European Union won't be in place until 2027. Nick Thomas–Symonds, the minister for EU relations, has been setting out his priorities for the future of the UK-EU relationship in a speech in front of industry representatives and journalists. We speak to trade expert David Henig and hear how food exporters are 'disappointed' that barriers to trade won't be removed sooner.As part of our week-long look at pollinators, we visit Bishop's Bees in Devon, where owner Darren Molyneux is developing genetic lines suited to the UK climate using artificial insemination. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

New rules to make trade fairer for pig producers come in today. A series of recent difficulties in the industry revealed that many farmers didn't have proper contracts for their stock. The new system aims to change that. The dry weather continues, with heat alerts out for all of England. It can be a problem for farmers, not only immediately, but for crops just establishing now to be harvested in Autumn or Winter. We speak to a pumpkin farmer who needs his crops to be ready at Halloween. All this week we're looking at what happens to the parts of an animal carcass that we as consumers don't like to eat. Today we visit a rendering plant which deals with fallen stock on farms. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner

The UK's Chief Vet is urging travellers not to run the risk of bringing foot and mouth disease back from European holidays, in banned personal imports of meat and dairy. Caz Graham hears why a warm, dry summer in many fruit growing areas has led to a bumper crop of high quality blackcurrants. All farmers tend to the needs of their livestock, but few creatures are as needy as leeches. We visit the UK's only medical Leech farm and find out how sensitive the blood suckers really are, to everything from atmospheric pressure to metals in the water. And we drop in to the mobile consulting room bringing health checks to farmers who are too busy, or reluctant, to get to their GP's surgery.Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Sarah Swadling

The final report into the devastating mass deaths of shellfish along the north east coast says the incident was 'catastrophic' to the industry. We speak to one of the fishers affected.Throughout this week we're going to be looking at into health, mental health and wellbeing in rural Britain. Today we go to the Peak District to meet a group of women farmers who've set up their own support group. And new rules come in tomorrow allowing poultry farmers to legally pick up birds under a certain weight by their two legs when catching them. Not everyone's happy.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

Has the National Food Strategy for England been watered down? We hear reports that a Food White Paper expected in the spring has been dropped. The Welsh Government announces its new Sustainable Farming Scheme. Some environmental groups are calling it a missed opportunity. We hear from the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs on what's being described as a 'once in a generation' event.And plant breeders in Scotland have unveiled a UK-bred blueberry. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Has the Government's Food Strategy been watered down? It wasn't launched with a huge fanfare, but Defra has published its Food Strategy for England. It aims to create what it calls a Good Food Cycle, a framework to make food production more sustainable, radically overhaul our relationship with food and prepare farmers and food producers for future challenges. The National Farmers' Union has welcomed the document though says it needs to be backed up by “joined-up and pragmatic policy measures”. But there are concerns the strategy's been watered down and that a food white paper expected next year has been dropped. Most rural councils have no targets for building the social housing that many people on the lowest incomes rely on, and the government now says they don't need to set any; that's according to a new study from the University of the West of England. The soft fruit harvest is in full swing and the recent sweltering weather has proved something of a challenge for the thousands of seasonal workers labouring under polytunnels to bring in a crop which has ripened early this year. We're exploring different aspects of the UK's soft fruit sector all through this week. Today we visit a Nottinghamshire farm producing around 2500 tonnes of strawberries and raspberries each year. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The State of the UK Climate Report for 2025 is published today, Caz Graham explores the findings with Professor Liz Bentley of the Royal Meteorological Society. Meanwhile, berry growers are reporting a bumper start to their season due to the sunny weather. The recent high temperatures in some parts of the UK have made life harder for dairy farmers. When temperatures rise, cows tend to produce less milk, and in dry areas of the country conserving winter forage for the cows is proving a headache.Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Sarah Swadling

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Farmers have welcomed a new UK trade deal with India, with tariff reductions for whisky, salmon and lamb. And the UK Prime Minister and the US President announced a trade arrangement between the two countries, with UK tariffs removed on imports of American ethanol, and a reciprocal agreement on beef. But the UK ban on American chlorine washed chicken and hormone treated beef continues.To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we hear from one of the 'land girls', who ploughed crops, milked cows and drove tractors on British farms during WII.And as part of our week digging into spuds, we hear how Scottish seed potato growers are trying to resume trade with the EU.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Scottish Farm Business Survey has revealed a big drop in average farm income, falling by 51% in its latest figures for 2023/4. The President of NFU Scotland, Andrew Connon, tells Caz Graham that farm profits are being squeezed by increased costs including interest rates. As talks continue to hammer out a trade agreement between the UK and the US, the President of the NFU in England, Tom Bradshaw, remains bullish that the UK Government will stand firm on food import standards. And we visit a trout farm in Wiltshire as part of a week focussing on aquaculture.Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Sarah Swadling

Donald Trump's new tariff regime, imposing at least a 10% tariff on all imports to the US, has caused chaos in international markets, and farmers across the world are wondering how they'll be affected. Here the National Farmers Union says it's working “at pace” with government on how to react if there is market disruption.The University of Reading has a worldwide reputation for expertise in agriculture and food research. So there was some surprise when it was revealed the University was planning to sell off one of its farms for housing.As part of our week looking at island farming, we're heading west off the coast of Cornwall, to the Isles of Scilly. Frost is rare in Scilly, which means cut flowers can be grown outdoors in both the winter and early spring. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

There've been cases of foot and mouth disease in Germany, Hungary and Romania this spring. How would we fare if it crossed the Channel? We're talking about biosecurity all this week, how to prevent disease, like FMD, from getting into the country and how to stop it spreading if it does. Livestock farmers have to follow strict rules when they move their animals. They also have to record all movements to ensure each individual cow or sheep can be traced in the event of an outbreak of a contagious disease. Cattle passports were introduced in 1998 after the BSE crisis and since 2010 all sheep have to be electronically tagged, a response to the major foot and mouth outbreak in 2001. We visit a south Cumbrian auction to hear about biosecurity measures and to see what farmers make of them. And James Wood, Professor of veterinary epidemiology at Cambridge University, tells us that in order to prevent the spread of disease, biosecurity measures are just part of the story. A group of cross party MPs has told the Government that farmers are way down the pecking order compared to the big supermarkets and food processors, and often feel powerless to challenge questionable behaviour by them. Yesterday in Parliament Alistair Carmichael, Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland and also Chair of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, introduced what's called a ten minute rule bill; the ‘Food Supply Chain Fairness Bill' aims to give farmers a more level playing field. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

This week, the Government has refused emergency use of pesticides shown to harm pollinators for the first time.What's the future for US agriculture if farm workers with no documents are deported?And will the collective voice of the supermarkets make a difference on inheritance tax for farmers?Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

20 ancient barns in the Lake District are being restored thanks to a fund of just over 3 million pounds. Caz Graham joins an architect and a farmer to find out how the work is being done. Solomon is a Shorthorn bull, and he's a bull with a job title. He's the Department Bull. Owned by the Scottish Government, Solomon is one of a number of bulls available to small-scale crofters in the Highlands and Islands who want to choose a mate for their beef herds. We visit the Isle of Lewis to find out more. And the Derby Tup is a traditional Derbyshire folk play, performed in the winter months. We hear from a family keeping the tradition alive.Presented by Helen Mark and produced by Chris Ledgard at BBC Audio Bristol

Twenty historic barns across the Lake District are enjoying some long overdue tender loving care, thanks to £3.2 million pounds worth of funding from DEFRA and other sources. The oldest of these barns dates back to the 15th century. Some are traditional cruck barns with ancient timber frames and others are remote stone shelters for sheep from the 18th century.As Caz Graham discovers, they're part of the UK's rural cultural heritage and tell the story of farming over the centuries. For modern-day farmers however, these buildings can be a real headache: they are often unfit for modern farming practices and hugely expensive to restore or maintain because of building protections like listings, or because they're in a National Park.Caz joins farmers, builders, architect Mike Darwell and Rose Lord, the historic buildings officer at the Lake District National Park Authority to hear how these traditional buildings are getting a new lease of life.Produced and presented by Caz Graham.

The Northern Ireland Executive has published its draft budget for 2025-26 and it's now open for public consultation. Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs is set to receive just over £715 million pounds, an increase of 3%. But no specific funding has been allocated to address serious pollution in Lough Neagh and Andrew Muir, the environment minister, says his department has only been awarded around a third of what he'd requested for day to day spending. He describes it as ‘a difficult budget'. Historic farm diaries provide a fascinating glimpse into agricultural, social and cultural life in years gone by. So curators at the Three Rivers Museum in Hertfordshire were excited to unearth a diary written in Victorian times by a farmer from Rickmansworth called John White. Masters students at the University of Hertfordshire have been scrutinising the diary entries to see if there's anything that John's observations from 150 years ago might teach farmers today. Rearing and selling turkeys for Christmas has become a major source of income for some family farms, including Cuckoo Mill Farm at Pelcomb Bridge, in Pembrokeshire. And at this time of year, it's a real family affair, with all hands on deck. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Government 'risks creating a culture of fear and resistance' amongst farmers, according to the Nature Friendly Farmers Network. It's highlighting the suspension of grants which help farmers in England invest in infrastructure to improve the environment. That's things like better slurry storage to protect waterways or planting hedges to reduce soil erosion. Defra says the Capital Grants Scheme has been temporarily closed after unprecedented demand.Farmers and crofters held a rally to lobby the Scottish Government ahead of next week's Scottish budget. They want more money for agriculture, and a guarantee that it's ringfenced.The Welsh Government has backed down on its policy to insist farmers put 10% of their land into woodland. The decision came after farmers demonstrated against the Government's plans for its Sustainable Farming Scheme, which replaces the payments to farmers under the old EU Common Agricultural Policy. All week on Farming Today we've been digging into winter veg. Parsnips, carrots and sprouts are all firm favourites but today we visit a farm growing a relative newcomer, tenderstem broccoli. For farmers who grow it, it's labour intensive but high value.And we hear how Ivor, a detection dog, is sniffing out disease in trees. It's hoped Ivor and other sniffer dogs could play a key role in maintaining UK biosecurity and reduce the threat of serious pests and diseases that damage woodlands and commercial forestry. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Following the Budget, Caz Graham is in Cumbria to hear farmers' reactions to the news that inheritance tax will apply to farms from April 2026.The National Farmers' Union tells us farming is being "bled dry" and has "nothing left to give".The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner, confirmed that next year's farming budget for England remains unchanged at £2.4 billion.There was no mention of nature in the Chancellor's speech, something the Wildlife Trusts highlighted, saying "the UK Government must commit to long-term strategic funding for nature's recovery and provide greater funding for environmental regulators".Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

How best to stop the spread of a tiny beetle that could have a huge impact on the future health and profits of UK forestry? From the end of this month all new planting of spruce, with a handful of exceptions, will be banned across much of the south east of England. The restrictions form part of the Government's plans to control the bark beetle, a pest which has caused significant damage to forests across Europe. It was first found in the UK in 2018, this latest measure is a new addition to current rules restricting the felling and movement of spruce trees, their bark and their wood.Environmental groups say the Scottish Government is failing the nation's marine environment by leaving large areas of the seabed unprotected. It's ten years since the introduction of Marine Protected Areas, but restrictions have still not been fully implemented. We're talking about how we manage water in the landscape all this week, so we've been to see how re-wiggling a river works on a restored floodplain in Wiltshire. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Dairy farmers are finding it a real struggle to recruit new staff, according to the farmer-owned dairy coop Arla. They spoke to nearly 500 UK dairy farmers and just under 90% of them said they had advertised jobs and had few or no applicants at all. So what's holding young people back from a life working with dairy cows in a career that can also involve robotics, veterinary science and data analysis to mention just a few of the skills involved in modern milk production? The UK is 97% self-sufficient in carrots, according to the British Carrot Association, but poor weather over the last year has meant supermarket shelves stocked with bags of carrots imported from China, Israel and other countries. Is that a trend that's likely to continue? We're talking about deer all this week, their impact on the environment and how to manage their growing population. Trees and woodlands are a key tool for combating climate change, improving biodiversity, building flood resilience and increasing the UK's supply of homegrown timber. But rising numbers of deer make planting more trees, and maintaining existing woodlands, a challenge because deer both graze on them and cause damage with their antlers. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

We've been reporting over the last couple of weeks about a £358m underspend over the last three years from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' £2.4 billion agriculture annual budget for England. Now, former DEFRA director and author of the National Food Strategy, Henry Dimbleby says it's critical that this money isn't lost from the farming budget. He also tells us what he wants to see in the government's new Environmental Land Management schemes, especially for upland farmers. Some upland farmers who've spent years in what are called Higher Level Stewardship agreements, which pay for farming in a way that benefits the environment and wildlife, say there is nothing they can apply for under ELMs at the moment. We hear from one farmer in the Lake District about his frustrations with the new schemes. Increases in offshore wind means in turn that the electricity generated has to brought inland, often requiring new infrastructure. Miles of underground cabling is being channelled through the countryside, with some farmers having little choice about whether it goes across their land. The weather over the last year has had a huge impact on food producers across the UK. With the apple harvest underway, we speak to a cider apple producer who says he's lost trees because of waterlogged orchards.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Jo Peacey.

We've been reporting over the last couple of weeks about a £358m underspend over the last three years from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' £2.4 billion agriculture annual budget for England. Farmers are furious at the scale of this underspend and there are concerns that the money will be lost for good in cuts in this autumn's government spending review. Now a former Defra director says it's critical that this money isn't lost from the farming budget. Henry Dimbleby was Defra's lead non-executive board member for five years up until spring last year when he resigned over what he said was the then Government's failure to tackle obesity, something he'd highlighted as a priority in his independent National Food Strategy, commissioned by the Government. An animal welfare charity says it's filmed tonnes of dead and dying salmon being removed from a fish farm just hours before Members of the Scottish Parliament visited the site for a fact finding mission. Holyrood's Rural Affairs committee visited Dunstaffnage fish farm near Oban on Monday as part of their inquiry into whether the industry's made progress in tackling significant environmental concerns. The campaign group Animal Equality has accused the industry of trying to cover up the fish deaths, but Scottish Sea Farms who own the farm, says the workers were carrying out routine clearance of the pens. The need for clean energy has led to a large increase in offshore wind farms and electricity generated in them has to be brought inland. That means hundreds of miles of underground cabling is being channelled through the countryside with some farmers having little choice about whether they go across their land. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Britain's declining wild bird populations will only recover if more farmland is set aside for conservation, says the RSPB.A legal challenge to a new forest on a vast moorland in the Scottish Borders has forced its owners to stop planting. As the Met Office predicts another autumn and winter of destructive floods, a number of flood defences in England damaged during last winter's storms are yet to be fixed. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

More than 50 minke whales and basking sharks get tangled up in fishing gear around the Scottish coast each year. We hear about efforts to stop it from happening. The fishing industry wants the Government to negotiate a better deal for fishing for cod in Norwegian waters.With energy prices rising this Autumn, the ability to generate your own power is increasingly attractive to farmers. Growing crops like miscanthus or willow to harvest and burn to produce your own on-farm electricity is one way of doing it.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.