Podcast appearances and mentions of Charlotte Smith

The farming minister says changes announced this week will help make farms more resilient. Angela Eagle speaks to us about the government's biggest environmental scheme, England's Sustainable Farming Incentive, which is getting an overhaul. The other UK nations have different schemes. Reaction has been generally welcoming, with some buts...Farmers and landowners are calling for a new arrangement which would allow them to take rubbish illegally fly tipped on their land to landfill sites free of charge. At the moment they have to foot the bill for any clean up. This comes as new government figures for England show a nine per cent increase year on year in the number of incidents local councils have to deal with. We hear an update on the illegal waste site cleanup at Hoad's Wood near Ashford in Kent.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Charlotte is a 5th generation farmer and mindset coach and there's a reason she's one of our first speakers on Day 1 of The Profitable Dahlia Summit. Everything starts with mindset. You can learn every strategy in the world for selling dahlias, but if you don't believe you're worth charging for them, none of it matters.Charlotte is going to get your head right so you can take full advantage of every single session that follows. She's tackling the "broke farmer trap," the pricing guilt, the scarcity thinking, all of it. And she's replacing it with the confidence you need to actually build a business that pays you.If you've ever thought "I just feel bad charging people for flowers"... Charlotte has something to say about that.Charlotte is speaking on Day 1 of the summit, March 3rd at 9:00 AM PSTGrab your summit ticket at the link in the show notes. Tickets start at $99.https://thefloweringfarmhouse.mykajabi.com/profitabledahiliasummitConnect with Charlotte Smith: https://www.instagram.com/charlotte.m.smith/

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak, which caused devastation to thousands of farms across the country. Around 6.5 million animals were culled, with a cost to the UK economy of £8 billion. Charlotte Smith meets a farmer whose animals were destroyed in the outbreak, and speaks to UK Chief Vet Christine Middlemiss about the risk of another outbreak - and whether the response would be different.The issue of biosecurity at our ports has been in the spotlight in recent months. Dover Port Health Authority announced its highest ever monthly total of seizures of illegal meat - finding 34 tonnes of it in January. We hear from chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee Alistair Carmichael MP, who gives us his reaction to the latest figures.Sheep shearing is an international business, with skilled shearers travelling the world to work across different countries. Many shearers who come to the UK are from Australia and New Zealand and have previously been allowed entry into the country each year via a special concession for highly skilled workers. This year, the UK Home Office has decided not to give this special temporary access. The National Association of Agricultural Contractors say these shearers are essential to the farming industry, and are warning that sheep welfare may be compromised without them.Farm vets are vital to any livestock business, but there's a shortage of vets wanting to work on farms. We join a cattle vet on a visit to a Wiltshire farm to hear about her role and Charlotte speaks to BVA president Rob Williams, who explains some of the reasons behind the shortage.Farming Today This Week was presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Jo Peacey. A BBC Audio Bristol production.

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

There'll be a bigger splash of bright yellow across the countryside later in the spring, at least compared to last year. Signs are that, after a 40 year low in planting, Oilseed Rape is starting to come back into favour with farmers. Many had moved away from it because of pest problems, the chemical used to combat the Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle was banned in the UK in 2010. Low prices for other crops have made oilseed rape a more appealing prospect.Our subject for the week is farm vets. The UK is short of vets who want to work on farms and indeed those who want to work in the Government's animal health services, where the vacancy rate is about 25%. With the University of Cambridge considering closing its vet course and a survey last year suggesting that more than 40 per cent of farm vets have considered leaving their jobs: what's the future? Charlotte Smith discusses the reasons for a shortage of vets, and what could be done about it, with the president of the British Veterinary Association. We also hear from a panel of experts discussing the potential risks and benefits of Artificial Intelligence for vets and farmers.Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling

After what was the wettest January on record for some, more rain means more problems for farmers, from flooding and waterlogged fields to worries about the impact on this year's harvest and their bottom lines. This week we heard from farmers at different ends of the country.We hear from the Environment Agency boss on building resilience though natural flood management, in a landscape recovery project in Oxfordshire.And AI in dairy: Big Brother is watching moo.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

James Winslade's fields started to flood nearly three weeks ago. They're still under water, and the floods are creeping closer to his farm buildings. He updates us on the situation on his Somerset farm, and tells Charlotte Smith that this year's floods will put a 'huge strain' on the business.The relentless rain is leaving some livestock farmers, especially dairy farmers, with a mucky conundrum. Environmental regulations prevent slurry being spread on the land during the wettest winter months, to reduce the risk of pollution runoff into water courses. That period's now officially over, but many fields are too wet for slurry spreading. Storage space is finite...and with animals winter housed the slurry keeps coming.With increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and rising costs of fertilisers and pesticides, could Artificial Intelligence help arable farmers make their growing season more efficient, and more profitable? The Royal Agricultural University is investigating the use of AI and drones to identify weeds in a wheat crop, so precision treatment can be used to take them out.Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling

With some farms underwater we hear from the Environment Agency boss on building resilience though natural flood management.The plant based drink company Oatly has lost a long running legal battle over the use of the term 'milk' in its marketing. And can AI help fight crop pests? Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Over the past few weeks farmers have been protesting, at ports and around supermarket distribution centres. Why? They say it's a combination of things, from concerns about the impact of imported food to the prices supermarkets pay for UK produce, along with continuing anger over inheritance tax on farms. The Government has raised the threshold, now farmers can pass on a farm worth up to £2.5m without being affected but some say that not enough and they want the tax scrapped. Civil servants will be spending time on farms. The Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has agreed a 4 year contract with the Allerton Project to provide training to all its staff and 'deepen their understanding of modern British Agriculture".Artificial intelligence is having an impact on many businesses around the world and farming is no exception, so this week we're looking at AI in agriculture. From monitoring the health of crops to measuring their uptake of water and improving animal welfare AI is already being used all around the country.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Sustainable Foods 2026: a conference in London which brings together big food companies, supermarkets, producers and scientists in a drive to transform our food systems - but what does it mean for agriculture?Flooded farmers say government needs to spend more on infrastructure to make rural communities are more resilient in the face of climate change.The secret lives of octopus, revealed in new report. Their numbers have increased dramatically - what is the impact on the fishing industry?Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

FREE Master Class: The Farm Marketing Fix Sign Up HERE Are you a farmer struggling to turn a profit despite working harder than ever? In this episode, farm marketing expert Charlotte Smith answers the most common questions from over 2,000 farmers who attended her recent webinar—and the answers might surprise you. Charlotte explains why social media is a distraction for most farmers and why email marketing should be your number one priority. She breaks down a counterintuitive truth: at farmers markets, your primary job isn't making sales—it's capturing email addresses. Why? Because the lifetime value of a single customer can reach $5,000 or more, compared to a one-time $50 purchase you may never see again. You'll learn practical steps including how to collect emails legally (and why using your personal Gmail can get your account shut down), which email platforms work best for farmers, and how to keep customers buying all winter long—even when the farmers market closes. Charlotte also addresses the overwhelm that keeps farmers stuck: how to find time for marketing when you're already exhausted running the farm. Her solution involves creating two hours of protected "focus time" daily to work on money-making activities rather than constantly reacting to interruptions. Whether you're a beginning farmer or have been in business for decades without turning a profit, this episode provides the foundational marketing strategy that's helped Charlotte's clients achieve results like going from $45,000 to $300,000 in annual revenue. Click HERE and Let's Meet! Chat with us to see if The Profitable Farmer can break you out of marketing misery.

Farm Marketing Mastery is open for enrollment! Sign Up HERE What happens when farmers stop struggling alone and finally get the marketing and mindset tools they need? In this episode of The Profitable Mindset Podcast, host Charlotte Smith steps back and lets her Farm Marketing Mastery clients tell their own stories. These aren't hypotheticals—they're real farmers who were losing money, burning out, and wondering if they'd have to give up farming altogether. You'll hear from Alyssa, who ran her first-ever five-day subscription launch and sold almost double what she'd made in any single month over ten years of farming. From Stacey, who made back twice her program investment in under 30 days and now sells $17-per-pound chicken breast in one of the poorest counties in North Carolina. From Vanessa who went from $25,000 in year one to over $300,000 by year three. But here's what makes these stories different: it's not just about the money. Farmers share how their marriages improved, how they stopped crying over marketing, how they finally believed in themselves enough to raise their prices without flinching. One farmer's husband quit his off-farm job. Another built a farm store. Several went from sold-out waitlists to calm Sunday planning sessions with their spouses. If you've ever wondered whether direct-to-consumer farm marketing actually works—or whether you're just not cut out for the business side of farming—this episode is your proof that it's possible. Farm Marketing Mastery registration is open this week only. Click HERE and Let's Meet! Chat with us to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery.

FREE Master Class: The Farm Marketing Fix Sign Up HERE Why do your gorgeous farm photos get dozens of likes but zero sales? Charlotte Smith has the answer—and it's probably not what you think. In this Q&A episode of The Profitable Mindset Podcast, Charlotte responds to questions pouring in from farmers who signed up for her upcoming Farm Marketing Fix webinar. These aren't hypothetical problems—they're the real struggles keeping small farmers stuck. The first question hits hard: "I have a small flower farm and I can't sell hardly anything. I put it on Facebook and I get likes and shares, but no money." Charlotte breaks down what's missing: a clear call to action and a defined brand. Without both, you're entertaining people instead of converting them into customers. She introduces the Rule of One Framework—the system her successful clients use to cut through overwhelm: one ideal customer, one core message, one primary platform, and one call to action. When farmers narrow their focus this way, marketing finally starts making sense. Charlotte also tackles a question about marketing mindset, explaining why the farmers who succeed share a specific belief: marketing is serving people, not pushing products. She shares what she discovered after years of teaching—students with identical training and similar products had wildly different results based entirely on their beliefs about selling. The episode wraps with advice on transitioning from wholesale to direct-to-consumer sales, and why comparison marketing ("our beef is better than the grocery store") actually backfires long-term. If you're creating content consistently but your bank account doesn't reflect the effort, this episode will show you what's missing. Click HERE and Let's Meet! Chat with us to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery.

A new approach to working with England's upland communities has been announced by the Government, starting with Dartmoor and then Cumbria. Clubs have been formed so farmers and other enthusiasts can come together to enjoy repairing and maintaining old Land Rovers. This week we're focusing on cheese, from the very big brands you find in the supermarkets to the small artisan producers.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Defra Secretary of State spoke at the Oxford Farming Conference with new announcements for England's environmental farm payments, while protesting farmers in tractors hooted horns outside the hall. And Charlotte Church opened the Oxford Real Farming Conference with some improvised singing.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

FREE Master Class: The Farm Marketing Fix Sign Up HERE Can you really build a profitable farm business while homeschooling, caring for family, and working from a small homestead? Jen Collins proves you can. In this episode of The Profitable Mindset Podcast, host Charlotte Smith sits down with client Jen Collins, owner of The Collins Cluckery in southeast Michigan. Jen raises pastured poultry and is launching farm classes—all from just a few acres. When Jen joined Farm Marketing Mastery nine months ago, she was selling chickens to friends and family and treating her farm "like a business" rather than running an actual business. She didn't have a marketing plan, struggled with confidence, and felt overwhelmed by where to start. Fast forward to today: Jen has grown her email list from 37 to 71 subscribers, increased annual sales from $4,000 to over $10,000 (a 127% increase), and developed the confidence to call herself a farmer and business owner. In this conversation, Jen gets real about the discomfort of putting herself out there, asking for email addresses, handling unsubscribes, and collecting payment from difficult customers. She also shares how tracking where her customers come from (church, a chiropractor's office, word of mouth) helped her focus her marketing efforts. If you're a woman over 40 wondering whether it's too late to start something new, or a small farmer unsure how to turn your hobby into income, this episode is for you. Click HERE and Let's Meet! Chat with us to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery.

At the opening of the Oxford Farming Conference 2026, Charlotte Smith previews the government's latest announcement on England's largest environmental payment scheme.Produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Growing resilience and transforming our food and farming system, the two themes of the two farming conferences happening in Oxford this week. We will be at both - so what can we all expect? And we revisit a farm that installed a milk vending machine with the hope of improving the farm's fortunes.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

A round up of seasonal offerings from Farming Today.The charity Farms for City Children turns 50 this year. Set up by writer Michael Morpurgo and his wife in 1976, the charity works to connect children with farming and the countryside. Fiona Clampin dons her wellies and joins the Morpurgos at their farm in Devon.Farming life is full of traditions, and we hear from Rathfriland Livestock Market in County Down about one of these: the luck penny. Farmers selling their animals hand money back to the buyer, to seal the deal. It's a way of wishing the customer success with the stock and building up a trustworthy business relationship. Kathleen Carragher visits Rathfriland to find out whether it's still practised today.Tradition also abounds at one brewery in Oxfordshire, which still uses heavy horses to deliver barrels of beer to local pubs. Vernon Harwood meets three of the shire horses delivering horse-powered pints.Work is being carried out in orchards to DNA fingerprint cider apple trees to identify varieties whose names died with the people who created them, or were never named. The aim: to secure the future of forgotten cider apple varieties. Sarah Swadling speaks to Keith Edwards, Professor of Crop Genetics at Bristol University and Devon cider-maker Barny Butterfield who have been working on the project.Historians in Cumbria are publishing extracts from the diary of an 18th century yeoman farmer. The writings of Isaac Fletcher, who farmed at Mosser near Cockermouth, are providing a window into rural life 250 years ago. Helen Millican has been for a tour of what would have been Isaac's farm. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Jo Peacey. A BBC Audio Bristol production.

FREE Master Class: The Farm Marketing Fix Sign Up HERE What happens when you finally hit your farm revenue goals—but you're exhausted, overwhelmed, and thinking about quitting? It's more common than you'd think. In this final installment of the four-part Year-End Business Marketing Planning Workshop, host Charlotte Smith tackles the piece most farmers skip: personal fulfillment. Because a profitable farm you hate running isn't really success. Charlotte shares from her own experience running a raw milk dairy. After eight years of hosting a popular (and profitable) farm camp, she realized she was done—and gave herself permission to stop. When she turned 50, she hired and trained milkers so she could step back from the physical labor she'd outgrown. These weren't failures. They were intentional choices that made her farm sustainable long-term. In this episode, Charlotte guides you through questions like: What did you actually enjoy doing this year? What are you complete with—and ready to never do again? What was your biggest moneymaker with the least effort? And critically: Who do you need to become to hit your 2026 goals? She also walks through a practical exercise for projecting revenue by product. List every way you make money on the left. Write your 2026 sales goal for each on the right. Add it up. Does it match your total revenue goal? If not, you've just identified the gap you need to solve—whether that's raising prices, adding volume, or cutting what isn't working. Charlotte gets honest about the mindset shifts that made the biggest difference for her, including giving up weeknight wine to improve her sleep, energy, and focus. Click HERE and Let's Meet! Chat with us to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery.

This year, Anna Hill marked her 30th anniversary as a presenter of Farming Today. Talking to her fellow presenter Charlotte Smith, Anna reflects on three decades of reporting on farming life, from Mad Cow Disease and Foot and Mouth to the lighter side of life on farms and her love of rural East Anglia. Produced by Beatrice Fenton and Chris Ledgard for BBC Audio Bristol

FREE Master Class: The Farm Marketing Fix Sign Up HERE Are you farming without a clear sales goal? In this episode, Charlotte Smith—farm marketing expert and business coach who works with 300+ farmers annually through her Farm Marketing Mastery program—reveals why having a specific revenue target is the difference between a thriving farm and one that struggles to survive. Charlotte walks through her proven goal-setting framework, explaining how to choose your gross sales projection even if you're brand new to farming or unsure what you'll sell. She shares real client success stories, including a farmer who made $100,000 in beef sales in one week and another who generated $2,000 before breakfast from a single email. You'll learn Charlotte's counterintuitive approach to goals: if you don't hit your target, don't lower it—extend the timeline instead. She explains why goal-setting is really about personal transformation and developing the marketing, mindset, and time management skills needed to reach any revenue number. The episode also covers a critical business planning exercise: evaluating what worked and what didn't work on your farm last year. Charlotte shares her own experience letting go of a successful farm camp program and teaches you how to distinguish between ventures worth refining versus those ready to release. Whether your goal is $10,000 or $10 million, this episode gives you the exact planning process Charlotte's clients use to build profitable farms across the country. Click HERE and Let's Meet! Chat with us to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery. Resources & Links Mentioned Training & Programs Farm Marketing Fix (Free January 2026 Training): https://charlottemsmith.com/masterclass Farm Marketing Mastery: https://charlottemsmith.com/mastery Five-Day Launch: Sales strategy taught within Farm Marketing Mastery Key Takeaways Choose a specific gross sales number – Any goal is better than no goal; leaving revenue "up to chance" dramatically increases the likelihood of going out of business. Work backwards from your goal – Break annual targets into quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily actions. Don't lower goals; extend timelines – If you don't hit $100K in 12 months but reach $65K, keep the $100K goal and extend to 15-18 months. Goal-setting transforms you – The real value is developing skills in marketing, boundary-setting, decision-making, and time management. Evaluate what worked AND what you still want to do – Something can be successful and still be worth letting go (like Charlotte's farm camp). Write it down by hand – Physical planning exercises significantly increase follow-through compared to just thinking about goals.

Colony cages for hens and pig's farrowing crates are to be phased out as part of the Government's animal welfare strategy which is launched today. Trail hunting and snares will be banned while new laws on livestock worrying will be introduced. Ministers say it's the most ambitious such strategy in a generation.We hear reaction to the Batters' Review of profitability in farming. It was published last week and makes 57 recommendations to government and, as she put it, calls for 'a total recalculation' of farming's economic importance to England.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Batters Review into Farm Profitability in England was finally published this week. It was put together by Baroness Batters, former president of the National Farmers Union. More than 150 pages long, it has 57 recommendations for the government: it calls for a National Plan for farming, and a New Deal for profitable farming that recognises the true cost of producing food and delivering for the environment. We look at the issue of supermarkets using veg like carrots and potatoes as loss leaders in their stores. Some are selling packs for as little as 5p for 2kg. We hear from the Fresh Food Editor of The Grocer magazine who says it's all about getting shoppers through the door, but can ultimately devalue food. All this week on our sister programme Farming Today we've been looking at the rural heritage buildings that make up our countryside, from barns to country houses. Today we hear from students learning heritage construction skills, a church in need of renovation, and historic mill stones.And we're at a livestock market carol service, where a silver brass band replaces sheep and cattle in the stalls.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.

The Governments of the UK need to do more to support native farm animal breeds. That's the view of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust which says that while there have been many warm words about the importance of rare and native breeds, clarification is needed on what the post-Brexit support schemes will offer. And the Trust says government funding should be given to the national gene bank.The sprout harvest in Scotland is in full swing, with hundreds of tonnes being cut for Christmas. Has it been a good sprout year?  A new project in Northern Ireland is using vets to help farmers look after their health. The ‘Nip It In The Bud' campaign was launched at a veterinary conference.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Rural traditions - from morris dancing, to dry stone walling to tartan weaving - could be internationally protected by UNESCO. The government has launched its search for examples of living heritage, from the people who are involved with them to go onto an inventory. With dairy companies continuing to cut the prices they pay farmers for milk, the man appointed to ensure fairness and transparency in the UK agricultural supply chain says he'll be watching out for any breaches in the coming months. Richard Thompson is the first in the new adjudicator role, looking first at the dairy supply chain. His report, which covers the year from July 2024 to June 2025, says some farmers are still afraid to speak out in case of reprisals. And you've probably noticed cattle vanishing from the fields as they come inside to protect the grass for spring. For livestock farmers this marks the start of months of daily feeding and changing bedding- and as part of our week looking at winter farming jobs we're off to the North York Moors with new entrant Mark Burrell. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.

A group of Labour MPs with rural consitituancies have urged the Government to think again on Inheritance Tax Changes, with some abstaining on a Commons vote on the issue earlier this week. This is the ongoing row over the Government's plan to re-impose inheritance tax on farming and business assets over a million pounds, which was introduced in last year's budget and is due to take effect from April next year. Ministers insist the plan is fair and say its time to move on. The cost to arable farmers of this year's summer drought has been estimated to be £828 million. The think tank the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit says farmers will lose the income as a result of what it says is the second worst UK harvest on record, where crops were hit by a very hot spring and summer as well as the resulting lack of water. A pioneering project to help the crews on fishing boats manage the unpredictability of their earnings has been launched in Cornwall. Weather conditions, fuel prices and market demand can mean that one week crews will earn, but the next they won't, making budgeting tricky.  Citizens Advice Cornwall says its led to problems - which is why, along with other local groups, it's set up Net Savings, a government backed collaboration to help fishing crews with financial advice. And as part of our week-long look at winter jobs on farm, we meet a cider apple farmer who'll be tending his trees throughout the season. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.

Farmers were in London again to protest about the re-imposition of inheritance tax on farming and business assets of more than £1 million, something announced last year. In her budget, the Chancellor made a change to transferring inheritance tax allowances between spouses, but farmers said it wasn't enough.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The latest Farm Business Income Survey from DEFRA shows average dairy farm incomes for 2024/25 had doubled year on year. The reality at this moment may feel very different on farms as the milk price rollercoaster is starting to rattle downwards, with some global dairy commodities tumbling. The Chairman of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, Robert Craig, tells Charlotte Smith that the industry is becoming used to a cycle of rise and fall in milk prices but that ultimately there will be fewer people left in the industry at the end of this downturn.We also dig deeper into what that Farm Business Income survey shows for other types of farming in England. Below the encouraging signs on the surface, for most sectors, incomes were buoyed up by diversification and agri-environment schemes in the last financial year.And farmers on the Isle of Man are anxious about the future of veterinary care, as a major provider prepares to withdraw from farm animal practice on the Island. Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling

The price farmers get for wool is up, about 20% up from last year, but it still doesn't cover the cost of shearing the sheep. We hear from a dairy farmer who is getting out: this year's exceptionally hot summer and the resulting cost of feed for the animals has proved too much.Farming fish rather than livestock is being seen by some as the answer to sustainable food security. China is the world's biggest farmed seafood producer, providing more than 60% of the world's farmed fish, and it's investing in bigger and more high tech fish farms.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

We hear warnings that unless we see some serious rain, England will be in drought next year. The Environment Agency says there will be widespread impacts on farming as well as nature and describes the current situation as 'precarious'. COP 30, the annual world meeting on tackling climate change is underway in Brazil. This one is notable perhaps for the leaders who've skipped it, neither the Chinese or American presidents are attending, but plenty of farmers are.All this week we are looking at growing mushrooms. We hear from a farming family in Leicestershire producing 25 tonnes of woodland mushrooms every week. Over the winter most of the sweetcorn, radishes, spring onions and chilli peppers sold by supermarkets will come from two farms in northern Senegal. The businesses involved say it's a win-win arrangement for the local communities, and more vegetables for the UK market are likely to be grown there in future.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The government's Drought Group has warned of ongoing problems in the year ahead unless reservoirs and rivers get enough rain in the next few months. The hot dry summer has pushed many farmers to re-evaluate how they use water. We speak to an expert who works with farmers and landowners to plan and manage water use. This week on Farming Today we've been looking at invasive species - from the Asian hornet which is killing our native honey bees, to Himalayan Balsam which spreads quickly and can choke waterways. We hear from people and groups trying innovative ways to control or eradicate non-native invasive flora and fauna. And the environment agency and police are criticised in a new report from the House of Lords Climate Change Committee. It says 38 million tonnes of illegal waste is dumped each year, yet few successful convictions are achieved. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.

A Government commissioned review of the problems with farm profitability, carried out by Baroness Batters, is due to be delivered to DEFRA soon. It comes at a difficult moment for the arable sector in particular. One of the UK's biggest farming companies, Velcourt, has recently given notice to a fifth of the landowners it works with, that it will either leave or restructure contracts following negotiations. Velcourt's Group Chief Executive, Nick Shorter, tells Charlotte Smith that a painful period of adjustment will lie ahead as arable producers adapt to the harsh economic reality of life without subsidies. He says continuing to grow wheat and other crops at a loss will be unsustainable for individual farmers and for the wider industry, and there could be new business opportunities on unprofitable land. As the land is gradually being replenished by autumn rain we meet the scientists measuring soil moisture using cosmic ray neutron technology.And, continuing our look at tackling invasive species, how the distinctive buzz of the Asian Hornet could be key in tracking down its nests.Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling

There will be no U-turn on the Government's plans for inheritance tax for farmers, according to the Farming Minister. Dame Angela Eagle says planned changes will go ahead in next month's budget, in spite of press reports to the contrary."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.Red Tractor, the UK's largest farm assurance scheme, has had a TV advert banned by the Advertising Standards Authority. The watchdog says the advert exaggerated the environmental credentials of the scheme and misled customers.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

England's current approach to planning for floods is "underpowered and fragmented". That's according to a report from MPs which is published today. The Environmental Audit Committee says the Government should set up a single joint flood reporting and information service and spend more on flood resilience, with a fairer funding formula for rural areas. The MPs say farmers can play a key role, for instance in storing water, but should be paid for their work. We've been talking to all the major political parties over the past few weeks, during party conference season. The SNP conference continues in Aberdeen today and with elections to the Scottish Parliament in May there is a lot to discuss.Over the past few decades many councils have been reassessing their property portfolios and council farms have been sold off. This week we'll look at why, and why some feel that's a mistake. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

We report on the increasing amounts of waste dumped in the countryside and how to tackle it.As party conference season continues, we're hearing from most of the major parties on their farming and rural policies. Agricultural policy is devolved and with elections for the Welsh Parliament in May next year, Plaid Cymru's conference this weekend may well be seen as a launch for that election campaign.Farmers whose land was compulsorily purchased say they're frustrated that they still can't buy it back. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The price farmers are paid for milk is falling. This comes at a bad time for many farmers who are having to buy in forage for their cows after the long hot summer slowed, or stopped, the growth of grass. The new Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds says farming is "transforming and modernising". In one of her first speeches, at the Labour Party conference, she told delegates she's seen first hand how much we depend on hardworking farmers.And why bluetongue virus matters for food security.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

As the fallout continues from cyber attacks on Jaguar Land Rover and nursery chain Kido in recent days, so too does scrutiny of the food supply chain and how vulnerable it may be to hackers. We've talked a lot about the problems the baking weather this summer has caused farmers, but for apple, pear and plum growers it has been great. The Lyth Valley in south Cumbria is known for its damson orchards, a dazzle of snowy white blossom in spring and this year creaking under the weight of a bumper harvest. It's such a bumper crop that some growers have more damsons than they know what to do with.What will you eat today and where will it come from? For Max Cotton that's an easy question: he'll be having what's in season and grows in the UK. For the past year he has been following a UK only diet on a strict budget and he's made a series about how and why, Food Britannia on BBC Radio 4 next week.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

It's a good year for British apples, a lack of frost and an abundance of warm weather should mean a bumper crop. Harvest is underway and hopes are high, but there are continuing concerns about the loss of orchards and growers' reluctance to invest in new ones.It's party conference season and we're hearing from all the parties about their plans for the countryside. Today we speak to Tim Farron from the Liberal Democrats who would scrap inheritance tax on farms.An experimental scheme using drones to disperse native tree seeds across areas of rocky moorland in the Scottish Highlands has produced encouraging results. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Fresh from her celebrity judging of the Flower and Produce Show and now freed from the starstruck clutches of Azra, ‘Countryfile's' Charlotte Smith is our special guest on this bonus episode. As a lifelong fan of ‘The Archers' Charlotte will be reflecting on the thrill of being asked to appear in an episode and how it all came about. Now where's that missing cheesecake?…This is an audio only recording.You can BUY US A COFFEE here: buymeacoffee.com/allaboutthearchersYou can buy our MERCH here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/aboutthearchers/shopDo join our FACEBOOK Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1127587031446013/ We are on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/aboutthearchersWe are on X: https://twitter.com/AboutTheArchersWe are on BLUESKY: https://bsky.app/profile/allaboutthearchers.bsky.socialWe are on THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@aboutthearchersWe are on TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@allaboutthearchers?_t=8gmqKVCW3HM&_r=1Email us at quickbookreviews@outlook.com#FarmingToday #CharlotteSmith #CountryFile #bbcradio4 #BBCCountryfile Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new report into the health of waterways in National Parks in England and Wales claims that they aren't being properly protected from agricultural and sewage pollution. The research, from the Campaign for National Parks and Rivers Trust, has found that almost sixty percent of rivers and lakes in these areas are failing to meet the legal standard for 'good ecological status'.Whether it's doctors and dentists or banks and buses, services in the countryside are often harder for residents to access. According to the Rural Services Network, local authorities in rural areas get 40 percent less funding than their counterparts, and rural residents pay 20 percent more council tax. We hear from their Chief Executive Kerry Booth. This week, the Environment Agency announced that drought conditions are likely to continue into Autumn, with five areas of England remaining in drought status. With many of us seeing torrential rain over the past week, the news may come as a surprise. We speak to two farmers in different parts of the country - the traditionally wet West and the dry East, to hear about the impact of the weather this summer - and this week - on their businesses. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Jo Peacey. Farming Today This Week is a BBC Audio Bristol Production.

The lack of affordable housing has long been a barrier to people living and working in rural areas. The Rural Services Network described it this year as a 'rural housing emergency'. All this week we've been looking at rural services, from buses to health, and today it's housing. We've reported before on some of the issues: planning, second homes and high prices for instance. Today we hear about some of the solutions.It's party conference season; agriculture is important to Northern Ireland's economy and so will be discussed at its parties conferences, Sinn Fein's in April and the DUP's tomorrow.A report out this week says our food system needs to change as it's responsible for too many emissions and too much ill health. The 5 year study which cost £47 million was funded by UK Research and Innovation and published this week in a Royal Society journal. What might a food system transformation mean for farming here in the UK? Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Environment Agency announced this week that drought is likely to extend into the autumn for some areas. But September is making up for August's lack of rain and, where there have been heavy downpours, farmers are starting to hope for a little respite. Charlotte Smith talks to two dairy farmers: one in the dry East of England the other in the (usually) damp West about the swing from heatwave to showers.An organised crime gang has been jailed for machinery and vehicle thefts from farms, worth millions of pounds. Seven men were jailed for a total of twenty five years after pleading guilty at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Monday. We hear from the detective in charge of the investigation.And we continue our look at rural services, with buses.Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling

We've discussed the impact of President Trump's trade policy on producers here in the UK, we now turn our attention to American farmers, who are being hit by retaliatory tariffs imposed on American products by countries around the world. The American Soybean Association says that exports to China have practically halted after China imposed an extra 20% tariff in response to American tariffs on Chinese goods. China is instead importing soya from South America because it's cheaper, just as it did during President Trump's first trade war in 2018. Low prices for US corn and soybean, combined with rising costs are already placing pressure on farm incomes. And with record high yields predicted for the upcoming harvest, some forecasters are warning of an over-supply of crops without a customer, potentially adding further downward pressure on US grain prices.Woodland creation is one of the most important ways of helping us meet our climate change targets, and that starts with seeds. But they're not always easily available, sometimes British supply is short or not up to scratch, leading to a reliance on less genetically appropriate imports, which carry a risk of pests and diseases. To solve that problem, the domestic production of seeds is being expanded at Forestry England's new Tree Seed Processing Centre in Cheshire. And keeping an ear on on farmland birds is becoming easier with the use of AI.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

There should be more urgency and a bigger budget to tackle TB in cattle in England while farmers should be empowered to do more to eradicate the disease. Those are headlines from a new report published today. It also calls for a bovine TB tzar to co-ordinate government policy along with investment in IT systems, vaccination and testing. We hear from the report's author, Professor Sir Charles Godfray, the Badger Trust and the National Farmers' Union.The blue green algae on Lough Neagh has had a big impact on residents and businesses this summer.Researchers say racism in rural areas is often not reported but has a profound impact on people who visit and live in the countryside.A wet winter and dry spring meant cereal crops were hard to sow and grew slowly. The result, straw short in stature and in short supply, so greater costs for livestock farmers.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

There should be more urgency and a bigger budget to tackle TB in cattle in England while farmers should be empowered to do more to eradicate the disease. Those are headlines from a new report published today. It also calls for a bovine TB tzar to co-ordinate government policy along with investment in IT systems, vaccination and testing. We hear from the report's author, Professor Sir Charles Godfray, the Badger Trust and the National Farmers' Union.Major changes are needed to rebuild trust in the body responsible for promoting Welsh meat, that's according to an inquiry by Senedd members.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Concern is growing about a shortage of fodder this winter. Drought in some parts of the UK has meant that the grass just hasn't grown, so farmers have had to feed their animals with the food they planned to save.A new study suggests people working with pesticides can be at higher risk of problems with their lungs. The study from the Health and Safety Executive published in the Occupational Medicine Journal says chest tightness and nasal allergies were common in those they surveyed.A team of researchers from Seafish, the public body supporting the seafood industry, is currently carrying out its annual survey of the nation's fishing fleet, talking to around 10% of the 4,000 skippers. The work is essential to know just what's happening in the fleet and what challenges it faces.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The cider apple harvest has started already. Most apples are picked in the autumn and even varieties which ripen early aren't usually ready yet, and the apple harvest looks likely to buck this year's trend and be good.The Government's decision last week not to offer a rescue package to two plants producing bioethanol is a cause for worry for farmers. This week the Vivergo bioethanol plant on the Humber near Hull stopped production and started laying off staff. It had been buying around a million tonnes of wheat a year, distilling it into bioethanol which is added to petrol to reduce emissions. It also produced large quantities of cattle feed as a by-product. A separate business, Ensus on Teesside is continuing for now; it produces bioethanol and also carbon dioxide which is used in abattoirs and the food industry. The plants have been rendered economically unviable by the US trade deal, which removed tariffs from bioethanol imports from the States. We hear how the UK has been dependent on American bioethanol for some time now.Avian flu is on the rise again. In England new rules on game birds are being introduced after warnings of a 'heightened risk' of the virus. The Government says there have been more new cases, particularly in coastal areas and places with a significant number of shoots. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farm Marketing Mastery is officially open for enrollment this week!

If you've ever struggled with burnout, self-doubt, or pricing your flowers with confidence, this episode is for you. In Episode 66 of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast, Jennifer sits down with Charlotte Smith — a farmer, coach, and host of The Profitable Mindset Podcast — to talk about the mindset shifts that can make or break your flower farming business.Charlotte shares how her own farming journey led her to coaching, why your thoughts shape your results, and how to overcome limiting beliefs like “people won't pay that price” or “my field's not good enough.” You'll learn why perfectionism holds so many farmers back, how to stop looping in overwhelm, and simple questions that can help you get unstuck and grow with purpose.You'll also hear about Charlotte's free upcoming Master Class — 5 Mistakes Farmers Make That Keep Them Broke — happening August 18–19. Don't miss your chance to learn from one of the most respected voices in the industry.