Podcasts about Farming Today

Farming Today comes from the Royal Highland Show on the outskirts of Edinburgh. The Scottish rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon has said the Scottish government will not reduce livestock numbers, as recommended by the Climate Change Committee. She told farmers Scotland would reach its net-zero targets in other ways. Robert Neill, vice president of NFU Scotland, explains how new high-frequency digital ear tags will make it easier to track cattle in Scotland.Scotland has big ambitions for its agritourism sector. Next year, it will be hosting the first global agritourism conference. We speak to the farmer who is bringing the event to Aberdeen, Caroline Millar.Thousands of animals compete in the show across four days, we catch up with the competition organiser in charge of all the logistics. Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Rebecca Rooney

Livestock moving into Wales from England will have to be tested for the disease bluetongue from the first of July, after the Welsh Government decided not to join England in a nationwide restriction zone. Wales and Scotland have no cases of bluetongue so far this year and hope testing and vaccination will keep it out. But livestock organisations say it'll cause chaos at the borders with huge delays and financial losses for farmers. This week the Chancellor unveiled her spending review, which resulted in relief among some farmers, who'd feared big cuts in budgets for environmental projects. In the event, while there is a cut, it's not as big as many had feared - £2.7b will go to sustainable farming and nature recovery in England; there's also investment in flood defences. Defra though is facing cuts to its own budget of 2.7%, which some worry will land on arms length organisations like Natural England and the Environment Agency. All this week we've followed the journey of a loaf of bread from seed to milling into flour. We find out what challenges seed breeders and farmers face in producing the perfect grain of wheat. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.

The BBC Food & Farming Awards are back for 2025! Jaega Wise visits River Cottage HQ to meet returning head judge Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. They talk about what Hugh is looking for in this year's awards, what makes the West Country a special place for food and farming and some of the history of River Cottage. She also visits previous winners Westcombe Dairy who not only have been thriving since winning in their award, they have been something of an incubation hub sharing a site with other artisanal food businesses like Brickell's Ice Cream, Woodshedding brewery and Landrace Bakery. She also talks to Farming Today's Charlotte Smith and Mali Harries who plays Natasha Archer on the Archers about the Farming for the Future Award.To nominate in this year's awards go to bbc.co.uk/foodawards where you can also find the terms and privacy notice. You have between 6am on 6th June and midday 30th June 2025 to nominate.Presented by Jaega Wise Produced in Bristol by Sam Grist

Farmers say they're relieved that feared cuts to nature-friendly farming budgets didn't materialise during the chancellor's spending review. More money has been allocated to farming schemes, though Defra's budget itself is facing cuts of 2.7% in real terms. We speak to the Wildlife Trusts and the National Farmers' Union.The biggest event in the arable farming calendar - Cereals - is being held in Lincolnshire. We speak to the host, and learn about new drone technology to help spray delicate crops.And Defra has announced badger culls will continue in 11 areas of England. The Labour government has pledged to end them by the end of the parliament, instead stepping up vaccination of badgers and other measures. But the chief vet has advised it's too soon to end culling.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.

As the UN Ocean Conference continues in Nice, the Marine Conservation Society aims to remind us that all land and river-based pollution, including agricultural run-off, will end up in the ocean. They're calling for a more joined-up approach to farming and fishing more sustainably.Scientists at Rothamsted Research have genetically modified an oil seed plant with a red flax to create fish feed that provides antioxidants and the red colour in salmon and shrimp. Though not authorised in the UK, the GM crop would be an alternative to the chemicals currently used.And it's the second day in our journey of a UK loaf of bread from seed to slice. Today we're with a wheat farmer in Norfolk.Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

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.

The Environment Agency says the north west of England is in drought. One farmer tells us this year's crops are already ruined because of a lack of water.Two proposed reservoirs have been given 'nationally significant' status by the government to speed up the planning process. Decisions on the Lincolnshire Reservoir which is planned for an area near Sleaford and the Fens Reservoir near March in Cambridgeshire will now be accelerated. Ministers say the law will also be changed so that in the future all projects which are, as they put it, 'fundamental to national water resilience' will automatically be designated as 'nationally significant'. Farming communities are concerned about the impact on productive farmland, and one farmer says the Lincolnshire scheme will wipe out her home and her business.All week we're talking about the nation's national parks. The Scottish Government's decided not to go ahead with plans for a new national park in Galloway. After a long legal battle supreme court judges ruled that wild camping is allowed on Dartmoor, we speak to the park's chief executive. In Wales we report on a nature recovery project in Pembrokeshire which works with farmers to enhance farmland by the coast. In The Broads Norfolk farmers and environmentalists are trying to tackle the damage being caused by deer. Golden Eagles have been extinct in England since 2015 when a solitary bird died in the Lake District. But could that be about to change? A conservation project in the south of Scotland which began in 2018 has seen a huge increase in the eagle population there, and some of those birds have begun exploring places like the Northumberland National Park where one was spotted just a few weeks agoPresenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

In a special bank holiday programme, Anita Rani escapes from the studio and spends the day at a dairy farm in Devon to explore the reality of female farmers' lives.Farmer Lorna Burdge shows Anita what a day in her life as a dairy farmer involves, from milking at 6am to feeding calves, measuring grass, looking after her three children and tackling invoices in the office.We hear about a groundbreaking three-year study into the health and wellbeing of female farmers announced by the University of Exeter and Farming Community Network. Dr Rebecca Wheeler, the project lead from the University of Exeter's Centre for Rural Policy Research, and Linda Jones, from the charity Farming Community Network, explain why the study is needed, who they want to hear from and what they hope it will achieve.Farming Today and Countryfile presenter Charlotte Smith gives Anita some of the context and policy changes of the last few years in the industry which some say have impacted farmers' wellbeing.Anita has a cup of tea in the farmhouse kitchen and hears from three women farmers about the challenges, stresses, achievements and joys of their jobs. Joining Anita and Lorna are Sinead Fenton, an edible flower and herb farmer in East Sussex, and Caroline Millar, who has an arable, lamb and beef farm near Dundee in Scotland.What action is being taken to address some of the challenges for women in this industry? Anita hears from Rachel Hallos, the Vice-President of the National Farmers' Union for England and Wales, an organisation which represents thousands of farmers and is looking at the experience of female farmers.And finally, Katie Davies, who was awarded Farming Woman of the Year at the National Women in Agriculture Awards 2025, tells Anita why she's trying to inspire more women to get into farming.For more information on the three-year study on the wellbeing of female farmers, and how to take part in the research, head to: https://exe.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5pqBN1BBqIxEns2Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Olivia Bolton Assistant Producer: Claire Fox Editor: Karen Dalziel

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.

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.

A challenge to Britain's ban on commercial fishing for sandeels in the North Sea has been partially upheld. The ban was introduced by both the English and Scottish governments in March last year because of concerns that so many sandeels were being fished that seabirds along the UK's East coastline were losing out. But Danish commercial sandeel boats said it threatened their future, and that claimed the move was discriminatory and disproportionate. They then took the case to the EU's Permanent Court of Arbitration, which upheld the ban in Scottish waters, but not the English one. The British Veterinary Association and the Pig Veterinary Society have issued a new joint statement calling for farrowing crates to be banned. Farrowing crates are the small pens that 60% of sows in the UK are kept in around the time they give birth to ensure they don't roll on and crush their piglets. New research published this week suggests that a spray, which boosts the equivalent of a plant's blood sugar, could improve wheat yields by 12%.Conservation groups in Scotland are urging ministers to reject plans for an offshore windfarm which the developer predicts will kill tens of thousands of seabirds.We grow some pulses in the UK and most go into animal feed for the high protein, things like beans and peas and even lupins. There is a drive to grow more pulses for feed here in the UK to replace imported soya, and research into the best options for British farmers is underway.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Restrictions have been introduced on what visitors and returning holidaymakers can bring into the UK, in response to concerns about foot and mouth outbreaks in Europe. Meat and dairy products cannot be brought back from Europe into the country, and the new rules cover everything from cured meats and cheeses to sandwiches. The aim is to prevent a foot and mouth outbreak here in the UK. But are the new restrictions being made clear enough to the public?The government's Planning and Infrastructure Bill aims to streamline the planning system, making it easier for developers to speed up big building projects. This week, the government tabled an amendment to the bill which removes statutory consultees from the pre-application process, with the aim of speeding things up. However, the Wildlife Trusts have warned that the plans would be disastrous for both the natural world and big building projects.This week, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust published its latest watchlist - an annual situation report for rare breeds. Whilst there is good news for some native livestock breeds, the watchlist has highlighted that others are in decline. Agroforestry means putting farming and forestry into the same field, with the aim of improving soil and biodiversity as well as growing food. The term encompasses a wide range of approaches, from growing arable crops to grazing livestock, all alongside trees. We hear from farmers who are implementing different agroforestry systems on their very different farms.

Charlotte Smith examines what's behind 2025's unprecedented increase in prices paid to UK beef farmers. According to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board fewer cattle are being farmed in the UK, and beyond. This week Farming Today is taking a closer look at Agroforestry, the approach which combines farming crops or livestock with trees. And, big fish, big money: we visit a carp grower in Yorkshire.Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling

If you're travelling in mainland Europe this Easter and thinking about possibly bringing back some local delicacies, think again. Following outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in Germany, Hungary and on its border with Slovakia, restrictions on the food you're allowed to bring in, have changed significantly. You are now not allowed to bring in meat or dairy products from any EU country, except for poultry. So how great is the potential for cured meats or cheeses in your suitcase to transmit foot and mouth?Some of the UK's rarest wildlife is being "torched alive" and pushed closer to extinction after weeks of intense grass fires, conservationists have warned.There has been a bit of talk about trade deals this week, with the the US Vice President JD Vance talking about a prospective UK/US agreement, and that's making farmers nervous. They worry that agreements risk undermining them and this week raised concerns over a deal with India, saying it mustn't allow imports of cheaper food, produced to lower standards. The company behind one of the UK's biggest vertical farms has closed. The Jones Food Company which ran indoor farms in Scunthrope and Gloucestershire, as well as a development centre in Bristol, called in the receivers after failing to find new investors. Vertical farms grow crops, mainly herbs and salad leaves, inside on shelving, using special lights to create a warm humid atmosphere which reduces growing time in comparison with conventionally grown crops. But with a number of companies going bust in recent years, is this a viable way to grow food?And as spring is springing, we talk sheep shearing in West Dorset.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Salmon farming has long been plagued by questions over its environmental impact and welfare concerns for farmed fish and the wild fish that live nearby. Charlotte Smith asks if those concerns might be reduced if the industry moves into deeper, wilder waters.There's also a look at illegal meat imports and the resources that the Port of Dover has to police the arrival of suspect foods on British shores. Producer: Rebecca Rooney

President Trump's announcement of sweeping new tariffs on goods entering the United States from around the world has caused chaos in international markets, and producers have been trying to work out what it'll mean for them. The UK faces tariffs of 10% on all exports to the States. The US is the third largest export market for UK farmers after Ireland and France, according to the most recent DEFRA figures. On average, we sell £68 million worth of cheese, £23 million worth of pork and around £3 million worth of beef to the States every year. Salmon is another major food export. All week we've been visiting islands and hearing about the advantages and challenges of living in some of the UK's most beautiful places. A survey by the Young Islanders Network found the biggest concern for young people in Scotland's islands, is housing – or a lack of it. We speak to people about some of the problems they've faced - and some of the solutions.For communities on the Isle of Lewis off the west coast of Scotland. ferries are essential - and for crofters who have livestock, the ferry service is a vital part of their farming business. However getting animals on and off the island by boat isn't always predictable. In Guernsey, dairy farmers have welcomed a decision to increase the support they receive from the island's government.Firefighters are warning of the 'extreme risk' of wildfires in Scotland. The fire service has issued its third warning this year after fires in hills near Glasgow and in Aberdeenshire. It says after a spell of warm weather there is plenty of dry vegetation which can act as fuel for fires, and is urging people not to light fires outside this week.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Bird flu has been found in a sheep for the first time. DEFRA said the case in Yorkshire was on a farm where avian flu was present in captive birds. One ewe tested positive and has been culled, but her lambs and the rest of the small flock of sheep were negative. Surveillance of mammals for avian flu has been stepped up, partly because in the United States many dairy cattle and even some dairy workers have gone down with the disease. We speak to the chief vet.Avian influenza is at the forefront of egg producers' minds at the moment. All week we've been taking a closer look at egg production, including a free-range egg producer in Wales. We also visit a farm which supplies pullets, which then grow into laying hens. For every female chick which grows into a pullet, there's a male chick, which will never lay eggs and isn't wanted by egg producers. In the UK these chicks are gassed at one day old, but in Europe techniques are being used to sex the chicks before they're hatched, whilst still in the egg.Red Tractor has pledged to improve communications with farmers and simplify its audits as part of its response to an independent review. The review, published earlier this year, recommended more than 50 changes. The Chancellor's spring statement has drawn a mixed reaction from the rural community. Farming itself wasn't mentioned as such, Rachel Reeves focused on the government's agenda for growth and plans to build more homes. We speak to a professor from Newcastle University's Centre for Rural Economy to assess what it means for agriculture and rural communities.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Farming Minister has told Farming Today that it's the success of England's biggest environmental scheme which has led to its closure. As we've reported this week, there has been a furious reaction to the Government's decision to close the SFI to new applicants. The government says it plans to 'reset' the scheme before re-opening it. The Sustainable Farming Incentive paid farmers for environmental work - farming and environmental organisations have criticised its closure, saying it will put financial strain on farming businesses and have a detrimental impact on the environment. Minister Daniel Ziechner says more farmers than in previous years have applied for SFI and so the budget has been spent.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The American President Donald Trump wants farmers in the US to produce more for the domestic market as the rows over import tariffs continue. So what might this all this mean for them, for us and for global trade? For This Natural Life, this week on on BBC Radio 4, Martha Kearney visited Sir James Dyson on his farm in Somerset to hear what the natural world means to him, and how that is being reflected in his approach to farming.Bird flu continues to hit poultry farms across the country. Last week we heard from Jerry Saunders, from Orchard Organic Farm in South Devon, about the emotional toll of having all 5000 of his birds culled after getting bird flu. We hear how the financial impact can be severe, too. Broadband speeds in rural areas are 26% slower than they are in urban areas - that's according to the Government, and there are still parts of the country that have no mobile phone access at all. We speak to Chris Bryant, the minister with responsibility for digital inclusion, about the Government's Digital Inclusion Action Plan.New rules for the pig supply chain are due to be introduced this spring to help even up what Defra describes as a 'power imbalance' between farmers and processors.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The re-introduction of inheritance tax on farm assets dominated this year's National Farmers Union Conference in London. The Union President told delegates farming is facing its biggest crisis of confidence in his lifetime. Facing a frosty reception, the DEFRA Secretary Steve Reed announced a new Farm Profitability Unit to be set up with the department, but told farmers he couldn't give them the answers they wanted on inheritance tax. Elsewhere, the conference focused on growth in agriculture - through investment, exports and tech. The Climate Change Committee has called for a transformation in agriculture in its latest report. The CCC advises the UK government on ways to reduce emissions in order to meet net zero by 2050. Its 7th report sets out a plan from 2038 to 2042, and recommends a 27% drop in the number of cattle and sheep, and that we all eat less meat.The government's allowing the re-introduction of beavers into the wild in England. Up until now they've only been allowed to be released into enclosures - though there have also been some illegal releases. Wildlife groups will need a licence and to get that they'll need a 10 year plan showing the impact beavers are expected to have. The National Farmers Union has argued that farmers should be able to kill beavers should they end up in the wrong place. Scientists at Scotland's Rural College have been feeding cattle an extract from daffodil bulbs to help reduce methane. The ground-breaking research aimed at reducing emissions is called "dancing with daffodils".We round off with a bit of tradition and competition. The European Ploughing Championships are being held in Nottinghamshire we catch up with a ploughing champion who's one of the organisers

The DEFRA Secretary told Farming Today the Government will be looking into ways to prevent cheap imports of crops grown in countries which allow the use of chemicals that aren't authorised for use in the UK. But how easy will that be? We ask a trade expert.There's been a flying trade for beef and sheep this spring. The price for what's called ‘dead weight' cattle is at its highest ever according to the ADHD, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, and they say sheep prices are historically high too. So what's behind these high prices? Are they likely to last? And will we be paying more for meat in the shops?And we visit a bulb business on a smallholding in Wales where, for almost 40 years, they've been sourcing and supplying a wide range of bulbs, both native to the British Isles, and from different parts of the world.Presented by Caz Graham Produced by Heather Simons

The majority of the UK's peatlands could be at risk of drying out in the next 40-50 years because of climate change - according to a new study from scientists at the Universities of Exeter, Manchester and Derby. Healthy, wet peatlands are seen as part of the solution to climate change because they soak up planet-heating carbon dioxide - UK peatlands currently store an estimated 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon. But where they dry out, they become a problem because they can then release that stored carbon back into the atmosphere.MPs have been debating calls to ban bottom trawling in some parts of the sea. Bottom trawling is a method of fishing where weighted nets are dragged along the seabed to gather things like scallops, sole and plaice. According to The Marine Conservation Society, bottom trawling is currently forbidden across 5% of the UK's MPAs, and a wider ban in ALL protected areas is something conservation charities have been calling for, for some time. But is it the right move?And farming leaders have said they left a much-anticipated meeting with the Treasury this week with their blood "boiling", claiming the Government has "shut the door" on any rethink of planned changes to inheritance tax on farms. Representatives from agricultural organisations met the Exchequer Secretary, James Murray, and Farming Minister, Daniel Zeichner, on Tuesday. It follows months of protests over plans for inherited agricultural assets worth more than a million pounds to be taxed at 20% from April next year.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Heather Simons

After a week that saw hundreds of tractors block Whitehall and a prime ministerial visit disrupted by protesting farmers, we take an in-depth look at the proposed changes around inheritance tax on farms.From April 2026, inherited agricultural assets worth more than a million pounds will be liable to inheritance tax at 20% - half the usual rate. The Government says the tax is fair and will raise much-needed public funds. Farmers argue the move could see family farms put out of business. Charlotte Smith is joined by a panel of guests: Aled Jones - President of NFU Cymru Emily Norton - farmer and founder of the rural business advisory service, Farm Foresight Dan Neidle - tax expert who runs Tax Policy AssociatesProduced by Heather Simons

MPs are told that animal products from Germany continued to enter the UK after an import ban was put in place because of the foot and mouth outbreak there.Egg producers want their chickens ordered inside to protect them from bird flu.A new report finds farming leaders in Scotland must do more to call out racist, misogynistic and homophobic language from union members.We visit a prize winner of the Westmorland Agricultural Society's annual hotly contested silage competition. And we speak to The Crown Estate about its new rural strategy, offering tenants 'environmental farm business tenancies' or green leases.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Egg producers want the Government to order all free range chickens inside to protect them from bird flu. The British Free Range Egg Producers Association has told Farming Today that with rising numbers of cases of the virus, it's time to protect the national flock. In Scotland, tenant farmers are concerned about inheritance tax because of the way their farm lease system works.A new report gives a 'critical' warning about the UK's ability to feed us all, given pressures like climate change and global political instability. The report published today by the National Preparedness Commission, an independent body which describes its aim as being to make the country better prepared to withstand major shocks, warns that food supply chains are fragile and the UK 'complacent'. Presented by Charlotte Smith 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.

The Climate Change Committee is revising its advice on eating meat. In 2020, the committee - which is the government's advisor on climate change - recommended people cut their intake of beef, lamb and dairy produce by 20% by 2030 and by 35% by 2050, to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses produced by livestock in the UK. But now that could change, in the light of progress to reduce emissions though things like livestock breeding and new technologies on farm.Farmers are being warned to be vigilant after Foot and Mouth disease has killed several buffalo in Germany. Back in 2001 an outbreak of Foot and Mouth in the UK caused the death of millions of animals, through disease and preventative culling. The UK has temporarily banned imports of German meat and dairy, as well as live cattle, sheep and pigs.And we visit the the LAMMA machinery show - which took place at the NEC in Birmingham this week - to see some innovations in farm kit, and ask farmers whether they feel ready to invest right now.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Heather Simons

Farming Today This Week comes from Oxford where two big conferences have been taking place: the Oxford Farming Conference and the Oxford Real Farming Conference. The first is traditionally seen as attended by the established and larger farms, and the Real Farming Conference has wider scope with more smaller farms, organic producers and artisan food producers. Both together represent UK farming as a whole.A convoy of tractors and farmers with placards staged a protest in Oxford City Centre as Defra Secretary Steve Reed gave his speech to the Oxford Farming Conference. They're angry at plans to change the rules around inheritance tax. This wasn't the focus of Steve Reed's speech; instead he promised a plan for change. He told delegates this must have three things: food production at its core, diversification of income, and restoration of nature as part of farming. He also announced speeding up the planning process for farm buildings. Agriculture's a devolved issue, and farming ministers for the devolved nations gave speeches about what's happening in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.We also report from The Oxford Real Farming Conference, where have similar concerns about the future of their businesses. We speak to the manager, interview an upland farmer about whole farm profitability, and drop in on a session about inheritance tax.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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

The Derby Tup is a traditional Derbyshire agricultural folk song, performed at Christmas. It tells the story of a farmer, his wife (Our Owd Lass), their son and a giant tup - the ram used for breeding. The sheep's reared, sheared and eventually butchered. We hear from a group of performers who've kept this old "mumming play" tradition alive. Matthew Headley Stoppard is a Leeds-based folk poet who performs it every year with his wife and sons. Its exact date of origin is unknown, but it was performed regularly throughout the 1800s in North East Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, an area that was, and still is, hugely reliant on sheep farming. Originally children would visit remote farmhouses and ask for pocket money. It later became a regular Christmas fixture at pubs and working men's clubs Local folklorist Richard Bradley explains the origins of the play and its link with the cultural significance and history of sheep farming. While sheep farmers Andrew Beresford and Siobhan Lucas, of Pinfold Farm on the Derbyshire-Nottinghamshire border, offer their insight as modern day sheep farmers in the area and memories of their own festive traditions. Farming Today was produced and presented by Nina Pullman.

Farmer protests over the Government's proposed changes to inheritance tax have continued this week, with rallies around the country and around 600 tractors making their way into central London on Wednesday. They arrived just as MPs were discussing the issues at the House of Commons' Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee, which was looking at inheritance tax as part of a wider inquiry into the future of farming. Fruit and veg importers say a shortage of government inspectors at ports is reducing the shelf life of products and the current system risks spreading plant disease. Nearly 6% of dairy producers across the UK left the industry in the last year, according to Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board figures. In Wales the figure is even higher at 17%, according to NFU Cymru. The amount of milk produced has stayed about the same, but the number of individual dairy farms has fallen.'Tis the season when Christmas turkey farmers are at full stretch across the country, as they get their birds ready for sale. Two years ago it was a very different picture: there were warnings that there could be a turkey shortage after millions of birds died or were destroyed because of avian flu. We visit a producer in Norfolk who lost thousands of birds to the disease. This year, he's back on his own farm, rearing thousands of free-range birds once more.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Fruit and veg importers say a shortage of government inspectors at ports is reducing the shelf life of products and the current system risks spreading plant disease. At the end of April, the Government introduced its new Border Target Operating Model, a post-Brexit system of biosecurity checks for goods entering the UK. It means products classed as high or medium risk have to be physically checked, including live animals and meat, as well as fruit and vegetables and some plant products. The Government built a checking facility at Sevington in Kent, and said they'd take a pragmatic approach to implementing the checks to avoid queues. Other companies have also built private inspection points, where they too use government inspectors. The British Association of Tomato Growers say they're seeing significant delays in seeds getting to farms and the logistics company, PML Seafrigo, told Farming Today they regularly see consignments of fruit which should be inspected waiting too long for government inspectors to arrive, only to been 'green lit' without a check.Dairy farming is at a tipping point and many may leave; that's the warning from the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers. Its chair Robert Craig says farmers will need confidence to invest for the future, and at the moment many don't have it. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Agriculture accounts for around 12% of greenhouse gases in the UK, according to DEFRA and there is much work across the industry to cut that figure. Arla, the farmer run dairy cooperative plans to reduce its emissions by 30% per kilo of milk by 2030. The company has just started trials using a dietary supplement called Bovaer which is added to a cow's feed to reduce methane emissions. The trial involves around 30 farmers and 3 supermarkets who buy their milk. But despite the feed supplement getting the thumbs up from UK and European food safety bodies, there's been a social media storm of protest, some people calling for the boycott of Arla products because they do not think it should be used, including posting videos of themselves on social media pouring milk away. A scientist and industry expert give their views.A number of tenant farmers in East Yorkshire say they could be facing eviction to make way for a large solar farm.Dairy farmers say it is hard to find workers and growers use seasonal migrant workers to pick fruit and veg. The lack of people joining the fishing industry means some older skippers are now giving up early as they can't find a crew, meanwhile one farming apprentice is realising his dream.And Charlotte speaks to the winner of the BBC Food and Farming award in the "Farming for the Future" category.Presented by Charlotte SmithProduced by Alun Beach

Arla, the farmer run dairy cooperative plans to reduce its emissions by 30% per kilo of milk by 2030. They've just started trials using a dietary supplement called Bovaer which is added to cow's feed to reduce methane emissions. The trial involves around 30 farmers and 3 supermarkets who buy their milk. However, even though the feed supplement has been approved by UK and European food safety bodies there's been a social media storm of protest, some people calling for the boycott of Arla products because they don't think it should be used. Some other milk suppliers have been guaranteeing they don't use it. We ask a dairy analyst what all the fuss is about.We're talking agricultural labour all this week on Farming Today. Horticulture relies heavily on the Government's Seasonal Worker Scheme which means it can recruit overseas workers on short term contracts. We ask British Growers how well the current scheme's working for fruit and veg producers.Tenant farmers in East Yorkshire say they could be facing eviction to make way for a large solar farm. The BBC has been told that at least eight farms that lease land from The Dalton Estate, north of Beverley, had been notified of the proposals. Farmers said the solar project could cover at least four square miles and would be a "bombshell" to families who've farmed in the area for generations. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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.

In the week when thousands of farmers took to the streets of London to protest over changes to inheritance tax, we dig into the details and ask if the Government will change it's mind.There's a global trend for farms to scale up and intensify their production and the UK is no different. We ask why it's happening and the impact it's having...as well as exploring large scale beef and chicken production.Presented by Caz Graham Produced by Heather Simons

On the programme this week, we investigate concerns over plans for new saltmarshes near the Hinkley C nuclear power plant. Upland sheep farmers tell us why they're struggling with the phasing out of the Basic Payment Scheme. We visit the islands of Lewis and Harris to look at a new approach to treating sheep disease. And there's further reaction to the Budget: farmers explain their opposition to new inheritance tax plans and the Secretary of State, Steve Reed, responds. And farming tax advisor, Rob Hitch, gives his view on what the changes might mean.Presented by Charlotte Smith. Produced by Heather Simons at BBC Audio Bristol

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.

This week we are focusing on livestock and their impact on climate change. We hear about the concerns over the number of livestock here in the UK, and find out how farmers are reducing emissions by growing cattle faster or breeding sheep to burp less.A BBC freedom of information request has revealed that the amount of illegal meat seized by border force officials has doubled in a year. Charlotte Smith revisits a farmer growing white maize, a staple crop in his native Zimbabwe. Eleven years since her last visit, David Mwanaka now rents a council farm near Cambridgeshire and his farm selling exotic crops is going strong.Alpaca breeders use something called a 'spit off' or a 'spit test' to see if their females are pregnant with a cria, or baby alpaca. We go along to see the test in action.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Following an application from farmers for the emergency use of a neonicotinoid pesticide on next year's sugar beet crop the Government has told Farming Today that it will ban neonics, but that a decision on this application will be taken 'in line with legal requirements'. We understand that that means farmers may get permission this time - but not again.We visit a Wiltshire farm, where the family who run it have spent the last 4 years changing the way they do things to reduce their carbon footprint. It's a mixed farm with dairy, beef and arable, and alongside trying to reduce the emissions from their livestock, they're also hoping to increase how much carbon they sequester by planting trees in an agroforestry project.And the Bower family farm in Staffordshire grows crops, and vegetables and has a herd of sheep and another herd of beef cattle. But locals are far more likely to know it for the pumpkin patch and the play barn - which pull in more than 100,000 visitors every year. We head to the pumpkin patch!Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Heather Simons

The UK is in danger of violating international agreements on restoring nature, according to The Wildlife Trusts. It says the upcoming COP 16 on biodiversity is a crucial chance for the Government to demonstrate how it will meet targets to halt and reverse the decline of nature by 2030. As the grape harvest gets underway, we take a deep dive into a growing UK farm sector - viticulture. There are more than 10,000 acres of vines grown across the UK, and that area is expanding. Recent data shows more than 80 new vineyards opened in 2023 - bringing the total number to more than a thousand for the first time.And where has all the organic skimmed milk gone? Our listeners wanted to know...so we found out.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Heather Simons

Proposals for abattoirs to take on more of the cost of vets and meat inspectors are 'excessive and dangerous' according to the meat industry. The Association of Independent Meat suppliers or AIMS which represents both big and small slaughterhouses, says the Food Standards Agency's plan to remove or reduce the discount offered to smaller abattoirs risks 'single-handedly destroying the foundations of the British meat industry. The FSA have urged people to take part in their consultation.Farmers are getting the highest price for their beef animals in England and Wales, for ten years. Part of the reason, according to Meat Promotion Wales, is growing domestic demand. We speak to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.Some Welsh farmers claim they're having to choose between the risk of polluting rivers or breaking the law, ahead of a controversial muck-spreading ban. New rules forbid slurry spreading across Wales from mid October to January, in an effort to protect water quality. After a record breaking year of rainfall across many parts of the UK water management has become an ever pressing issue for farmers. In Wales, it's a year since the launch of the Welsh Government's Natural Flood Management Accelerator programme. We visit a natural flood management project that's part of the two-year £4.6 million pound programme.Conservationists in Devon are working with Natural England to see whether there could be some kind of financial support for farmers who make space for beavers on their land as part of natural flood management.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Poultry keepers say they can't access government websites to register their birds. From 1st October anyone who keeps birds has to register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency, to help with monitoring bird flu outbreaks, even those with just one or two chickens. Failure to comply could mean a fine of £2,500. However bird owners who've tried to register say the system is not working. Defra says it's had a high number of applications and is working at pace to process them. Dairy farmers are finding it a 'real struggle' to recruit new staff, according to industry experts, The farmer-owned dairy coop Arla 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've been talking about deer all this week, their impact on the environment and how to manage their growing population. Presented by Charlotte Smith 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.

Farmers in the Lake District have lost an estimated 10 million pounds in funding, in a year - and some are now under severe financial pressure. So says the National Farmers Union, which claims there are limited opportunities for upland farmers to tap into the Government's new ELMS - Environmental Land Management schemes - which are replacing the old EU system of farmer support in England. We visit one farmer who says he's been left in limbo.The new Government wants to build more one and a half million homes over the next 5 years as well as developing more solar farms, wind turbines and the pylons to transport the energy. For some, all that equals the industrialisation of the countryside and a threat to food security. But the Energy and Net Zero Secretary, Ed Miliband, pledged to take on what he called 'the blockers, the delayers, the obstructionists'. This week on Farming Today, we look at the changing rules around planning and what that means for people who live and work in the countryside.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Heather Simons

Radical changes to food safety are being proposed. The Food Standards Agency is discussing removing responsibility from cash strapped councils and relying instead on data collected by food companies and supermarkets. Chris Elliott, professor of food safety at Queen's University Belfast and Vice President of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, says more work and more consultation is needed.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 still yet to be fixed. And the National Farmers' Union has warned that many farms still in dire need of flood support.It's been 20 years since fox hunting was banned by Tony Blair's government. Since then trail or drag hunting are two different ways of hunting without doing anything illegal. In drag hunting the hounds follow a non-animal scent laid by a drag pulled on a string, in trail hunting they follow an animal scent. Critics say trail hunting can be used as a smokescreen for illegal hunting and in its election manifesto Labour said it would ban trail hunting.Picking blackberries from the hedgerows, along with the wild damson and sloes, is one of those end of summer outings, marking the seasonal shift. September is also the biggest month for selling commercially grown blackberries. Growers say new varieties mean they're bigger and better and while sales are up about 6% year on year, they're nowhere near as popular here in the UK as raspberries. Is it worth buying blackberries, at £2 or more a punnet, when you can pick them for free? Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

It's party conference season and Farming Today will be covering the three main conferences. This week, the Liberal Democrats meet in Brighton. Their relative success in the recent General Election has given them a boost, and many of their new constituencies gained this summer are in rural areas. The big question is budget. Before the election the Liberal Democrats promised £1 billion a year more, for the Environmental Land Management Scheme which replaces old EU payments in England. Different changes are being made in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Since the election, it's emerged the Conservative government underspent its DEFRA budget by £358m in the previous parliament. We speak to the environment food and rural affairs spokesperson for the Lib Dems, Tim Farron.All week we're taking stock of birdlife on farms. The RSPB says farmland bird numbers are still declining for some species, and more needs to be done to improve numbers through habitat creation, and changing farming methods. On the Lowther Estate, near Penrith, in Cumbria, recent changes in grazing, tree planting, even the introduction of beavers to help with wetland creation, are already having positive repercussions on both the range and number of birds choosing to nest and breed there.The UK has an estimated three million hectares of peatland, both upland and lowland, but it's believed about 80 percent of that is in poor condition. A new report from the International Union for the Convention of Nature shows progress has been made on restoring UK peatlands over the last thirty years but its Peatland Programme also reports that it's unlikely to meet the target to restore two million hectares by 2040.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

DEFRA has confirmed there has been a £358 million underspend of the agricultural budget over the last three years. It follows unconfirmed reports in the press that the new Government plans to cut the future budget by £100m a year. So what would that mean for farming businesses and the environment?We visit the 225th Westmorland County Show to see the livestock on show, talk politics with young farmers and enjoy tasters in the Food Hall.The UK fishing industry is renewing its calls for the Government to develop a Fishing Strategy. The National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations says with plans in place on off shore energy and marine conservation, fishing is falling through the cracks. Meanwhile conservationists say the quota system is allowing overfishing of some UK stocks, and fishing gear needs to change to prevent unwanted bycatch.And we meet the new Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee - the group of MPs who scrutinise the Government's decisions around food, farming and environmental policy.Presented by Caz Graham Produced by Heather Simons

The Government plans to cut the budget for nature friendly farming in England by £100m, according to a report in the Guardian. It claims that civil service sources say the cut is needed to help fill a £22 billion treasury shortfall. The reduced spending could affect the new Sustainable Farming Incentive which replaces the old EU system, paying farmers for environmental benefits produced on their land. Nature and farming groups have reacted with consternation. We ask how significant would a cut of £100m be.All this week we are looking at how land use is changing, as public and private investment is brought in to fund environmental schemes. With increasing green finance opportunities, more and more companies are stepping in to broker deals between farmers and investors. Natergall's business model is to deliver ecological restoration on its own land and that of others, and to commercialise the results.Rural areas across England are in danger of becoming 'pharmacy deserts', as medicine providers across the country continue to consolidate and close smaller branches. That's according to the National Pharmacy Association, which has published a study showing that over the last two years, nearly nine in ten council areas in England have lost pharmacies. It found that rural areas often rely on fewer providers, so are harder hit by closures.A new report has revealed that part of the seabed off Devon which had been trashed by years of trawling and dredging is being revitalised. Research by the University of Plymouth shows that within just 10 years the former shellfish reef has been transformed.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.