Farmers are being asked to support South East Water with its new 25 year environment plan - launched this week - which includes creating a new super nature reserve. More than 80% of the area covered by the company across Sussex, Kent, Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire, is agricultural. The company is under investigation by OFWAT after it was revealed as the worst performer for supply interruptions last year, and some local farmers are not impressed by the new plan.Land use and the rules around it are back under the spotlight following new government advice on planning for solar farms. It's made clear that councils should only give permission for panels on high quality farmland when "necessary", and that they should take into account any other solar farms in the area to consider their cumulative impact. This follows changes earlier this year which made it harder to put panels on the 'best and most versatile' farmland. We reflect on new Government plans for horticulture revealed at the Farm to Fork Summit.And we meet the Northern Ireland sheep farmer who has turned his everyday life into a tourist attraction.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

In this special programme, Anna Hill reports from the second Farm to Fork Summit at 10 Downing Street.The Government says it wants to increase the amount of home grown fruit and veg - after figures released this week who only 17% of fruit and 55% of vegetables eaten in the UK, are produced here. More money will be released to help fruit and veg farmers invest in new equipment.As well as interviewing Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, we hear from delegates who were invited to the summit about what it could mean for food and farming.Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The Government says it wants more home grown fruit and veg - after releasing figures that show only 17% of fruit and 55% of vegetables eaten in the UK, are produced here. It's releasing more funding to help fruit and veg farmers invest in new equipment. The announcement come as the Prime Minister hosts his second Farm to Fork Summit at 10 Downing Street. New rules in Wales mean holiday-let owners now have to rent their accommodation out for at least 182 days a year in order to qualify for business rates. It's designed to help develop a fairer housing market for locals, but farmers who have diversified with self catering accommodation in old farm buildings say it's bad news.And we meet the conservation sniffer dog helping to track down rats and ferrets that are threatening seabirds on Rathlin Island off the North East coast of Northern Ireland.Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

When Britain left the European Union, the Government said food and drink exporters had a 'golden opportunity' to put British food at the 'top of the global menu'. But the reality is that UK food is still lagging behind its European counterparts, both in terms of sales and reputation. Tourism brings £14.5 billion into the rural economy every year - according to the Country Land and Business Association. But while visitors bring much needed cash they also create problems - from the pressure on housing and roads to the challenges of finding enough staff to look after them. And we visit a new processing plant specifically for Welsh milk, which is due to open this month. Pembrokeshire Creamery aims to end the journey Welsh milk currently has to take: transported to England for processing and then brought back. It'll be the only large scale liquid milk dairy in Wales, since Wrexham-based Tomlinson's went bust in 2019. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Farmer confidence is at an all time low: that's according to a new survey published this week by the National Farmers' Union. It says the wet weather has had an impact, but farmers also point to worries about the future of their businesses. The Government’s announcement that the seasonal worker visa scheme is being extended for five years has been welcomed by farming organisations. It comes as part of Defra's response to an independent review into labour shortages in the Food Supply Chain which was published last summer. The Government had said it would respond to it last year. The RSPB says it is "vital" that a UK ban on fishing for sandeels in the North Sea remains in place. The ban, which stops sandeel trawlers fishing in English and Scottish sections of the North Sea, came into effect in April following a long campaign by conservationists concerned about declining seabird populations, particularly puffins and kittiwakes. Fishermen in Denmark are supporting a challenge by the European Union to the UK ban, claiming they have lost half of their fishing grounds because of the new restrictions. Cornish journalist and farmer, Stuart Oates, has been taking a European road trip in his fairly ancient land rover, peering over as many hedges as possible. From mangoes in spain to rice in Portugal, he started at the heart of the global wine industry in France. In the UK wine production has become a thriving business, but in Bordeaux things aren't looking so good.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Government’s announcement that the seasonal worker visa scheme is being extended for five years has been welcomed by farming organisations. It comes as part of DEFRA's response to an independent review into Labour Shortages in the Food Supply Chain which was published last summer. Also in that response is a commitment to "turbo-charge" investment in automation with an extra 50 million pounds of funding for new technology for automating pack houses and to improve robotic pickers.Jon Old’s family own around 16 hectares of watercress beds across Hampshire and Dorset. Their watercress ends up on the shelves of major supermarkets but since 2010, they’ve also been growing something else: wasabi. Wasabi is particularly difficult to grow - Jon calls it the the “Goldilocks Crop” because everything has to be just right!And our whistle-stop tour of farming in the West of Europe with Cornish farmer and Farming Today journalist Stuart Oates concludes on the Coast of Portugal, where one of the crops he discovers is rice.Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The boss of Waitrose has told Farming Today that the value of food needs reappraising and that in some cases higher prices should be considered. It comes as the supermarket announces that from 2035, it’s UK produced meat, milk, eggs and fruit and veg will come from farms that practice regenerative farming. There is no precise definition for regenerative agriculture, but it focuses on improving soil health by reducing or removing cultivation, growing cover crops to protect the soil and using fewer chemical inputs. It can also involve re-integrating livestock into an arable system. So what will it mean for the 2300 farmers who supply Waitrose?The Government needs to take “urgent action” to meet it’s own targets for cleaning up our waterways…according to a new report from the Office for Environmental Protection. The Government has committed to bring 77% of England’s surface water bodies, like rivers and lakes, to a good ecological condition by 2027…but the OEP says without a significant strengthening in the enforcement of environmental law, that figure will be more like 21%.More than 500 workers at a tractor factory in Basildon in Essex are to go on strike across the next three weeks over pay. The CNH factory produces New Holland tractors that are shipped all around the world.And our European road trip continues with a hunt for the farmer who produces the world's most expensive ham.Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The King Charles III England Coast Path was named to celebrate the coronation last year - and the plan was to make 2,700 miles of coastal path available to walkers. But, on the Isle of Wight, the Ramblers Association says some landowners won't allow access for the path, so it will have to detour away from the coast. One of those is the Osbourne House Estate - the former home of Queen Victoria, which was given to the nation in 1902.A bio-tech company has developed a new technique to enhance carbon capture in the soil. Crushed basalt rock can added to soil to capture carbon in a process called "enhanced rock weathering". Now, FabricNano has developed a protein powder made of enzymes which are already found naturally in the soil, which speeds it up. And for farmers struggling with low prices, selling produce direct to the consumer can be a solution. But platforms to access markets large enough to sell entire crops, have been thin on the ground. We hear from farmers in Southern Spain who are now selling hundreds of tonnes of their fruit directly to consumers across Europe every year through a website called Crowdfarming.Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The RSPB says it is "vital" that a UK ban on fishing for sandeels in the North Sea remains in place. The ban, which stops sandeel trawlers fishing in English and Scottish sections of the North Sea, came into effect in April following a long campaign by conservationists concerned about declining seabird populations, particularly puffins and kittiwakes. Fishermen in Denmark are supporting a challenge by the European Union to the UK ban, claiming they have lost half of their fishing grounds because of the new restrictions.Farmer confidence is at an all time low; that's according to a new survey published by the National Farmers' Union. It says the wet weather has had an impact, but farmers also point to worries about the future of their businesses. 65% of the 797 farmers surveyed at the end of last year say profits have fallen or that their businesses may not survive. 86% expect the phasing out of direct subsidy payments to have a negative impact on their farms, and 80% expect regulations and the price of inputs to hit their businesses.We visit the heart of the global wine industry in France. While in the UK wine production has become a thriving business, in Bordeaux things aren't looking so good.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Just what happens when a foreign billionaire buys a vast tract of the Scottish Highlands and sets about changing it? Does Scotland’s biggest landowner Anders Holch Povlsen dictate everything that happens on his 80,000 acres of the Cairngorm National Park? Is he making money from it? Richard Baynes has been to the heart of Povlsen’s Wildland estate, talking to those charged with restoring nature on it and finding out how they work. Produced and presented by Richard Baynes.

New physical checks have been brought in on some imports of food and plants from the EU. Products deemed high or medium risk now have to be inspected - including live animals, meat and some plant products. We report from a border control post to find out how it works.An investigation is under way following the large scale illegal dumping of waste at a site in Kent. Local residents describe a steady stream of lorries carrying waste being brought to the site.And the largest cider manufacturer in the UK - Heineken - has ripped up thousands of apple trees in a 140 acre orchard in Monmouthshire. The orchard was planted by Bulmers - which is now owned by Heineken - more than twenty years ago. Some local people have raised concerns about the effect on ecosystems in the area, but the company says it’s selling the land due to a fall in the cider market.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The latest figures from Defra show nearly 20,000 badgers were killed across England last year, as part of the Government's policy to tackle TB in cattle. Badger campaigners say that the continued culling is leading to local extinctions. Defra says there are no easy answers, but badger culling "has proved highly effective and needs to remain a part of our holistic approach".Jeremy Clarkson says if he wanted to make money from his thousand acre Oxfordshire farm he'd put as much as possible into government environmental schemes. Instead he's turned it into a TV show and for the third series, which starts today, he's gone into pigs. Fusarium basal rot: its a fungus and apparently the single biggest problem facing the country's onion growers. This week we're looking at crop pests and diseases and the efforts being made to combat them. Researchers are looking into technology which can sniff-out early stage disease.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

An investigation is under way into a case of large-scale illegal waste dumping in Kent. According to a House of Lords committee report, up to a third of veterinary medicines currently used in Northern Ireland could cease to be available to farmers when a grace period ends next year.A Natural Products BioHub has been launched at Swansea University, which will support researchers and businesses specialising in pesticides which control pests without the need for chemicals.Presented by Charlotte SmithProduced by Alun Beach

New physical checks have been brought in on some imports of food and plants from the EU. Products deemed high or medium risk now have to be inspected - including live animals, meat and some plant products. Inspections can be done either at Government run sites or at commercial facilities - we report from both to find out how it works.The major political parties are all competing for the rural vote ahead of the local elections. A combination of councillors, mayors and police and crime commissioners will be selected across England and Wales.And, blackgrass is a weed that can grow amongst fields of commercial crops, competing for nutrients in the soil, and reducing yields. We meet a team of scientists at Rothamsted Research who are looking into how to tackle this pernicious weed.Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

New border checks for imports of food and plants coming into the UK from the EU, start 30th April 2024. Some farming groups have been calling for these checks for some time - saying they will give producers here more of a level playing field with EU producers, because UK exports have had similar checks since Brexit. But some importers say inspection costs are prohibitive.We hear from the conference to celebrate the World Organisation for Animal Health's 100th anniversary, where avian flu is on the agenda.And, we’re getting to the time of year where young plants in the field are susceptible to pest damage. Rather than rely on chemicals to fight them off, under the Sustainable Farming Incentive, which is part of England's new farm payment system replacing EU subsidies, farmers can be paid for using "Integrated Pest Management". We visit a farm to hear how it works.Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Illegal fishing on rivers and watercourses is on up according to the police, who are stepping up patrols with other agencies. Angling clubs pay thousands of pounds every year to stock rivers with fish for members and taking fish without permission is theft. Better training of police in poaching laws has led to a recent spate of convictions and a legal first for volunteer river bailiffs.MPs have highlighted the impact of changes in welfare payments on farmers. Farmers historically claimed tax credits to boost low incomes, but the system has changed and they now apply for Universal Credit. But eligibility is calculated using monthly income and expenditure, which doesn’t sit well with farm businesses where these can vary enormously depending on the season. The transition process has been described as a nightmare which is having an impact on farmers mental health. Around 38 million acres of Ukrainian farmland has now been rendered too dangerous to farm by Russian mines. According to the Mines Advisory Group charity there have been more than a thousand mine accidents in Ukraine since 2022, with farmers making up one of the largest single groups of casualties.From Welsh government plans to get them planted on farms to the ever missed English planting targets and the recent cuts to the budget for planting in Scotland, trees are the subject of much debate in rural areas. All this week we've been discussing trees and despite our fondness for them and need for timber, we still don't like commercial forestry. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The National Sheep Association says it has no confidence in the Red Tractor assurance scheme's executive.MP's have highlighted the impact of the changes in welfare payments on farmers, who historically claim tax credits to boost low incomes.A tree nursery manages to combat the adverse weather conditions, and a breed of cattle found on a remote Scottish islandPresented by Charlotte SmithProduced by Alun Beach

Fishing is a very popular pastime. In England alone, the Environment Agency issued more than 900,000 fishing licenses between March 2022 and April 2023. But illegal fishing on rivers and watercourses is on the up, according to the police, who are stepping up patrols with other agencies. Angling clubs pay thousands of pounds every year to stock rivers with fish for members and taking fish without permission is theft. Better training of police in poaching laws has, however, led to a recent spate of convictions and a legal first for volunteer river bailiffs.A new housing development in Essex is welcoming some new arrivals, but they're not excited home-owners. That’s because houses on the estate at Manningtree come complete with their own flock of sheep and a full-time shepherdess.We’re talking about trees all this week and today it’s the threat to our trees from pests, pathogens and disease. Climate change, pollution, land use change and invasive species are all making trees more vulnerable to pests and diseases, like ash dieback. It was first detected in the UK back in 2012, since then it’s swept across the country with devastating effect on our third most common broad-leaved tree. According to the Woodland Trust, ash dieback will eventually kill up to 80% of ash trees across the UK. Dead trees are dangerous trees, so local authorities are spending millions of pounds managing trees that are deemed unsafe. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Labour Party has launched a Rural Crime Strategy, saying crime is rising faster in rural than urban areas. Research commissioned by the party, and based on information from the House of Commons Library, shows rural crime has risen by a third since 2011, compared to a rise of 24% in urban areas. Labour says the new Strategy would include increasing rural police presence by 13 thousand community and neighbourhood staff. We hear from the Shadow Policing Minister.In February, we reported that Scotland’s forestry grant scheme was facing a 41% cut, lopping £32 million off the funding to help pay for new woodlands. Two months on, what is it meaning for rural communities?And, deer can strip bark from trees, making them more vulnerable to disease. They can also eat young trees, killing them before they’ve had a chance to grow. DEFRA released its consultation on a Deer Management Strategy back in 2022 - but it still hasn't been published. We look at what it could contain.Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Around 38 million acres of Ukrainian farmland has now been rendered too dangerous to farm by Russian mines. According to the charity the "Mines Advisory Group", there have been more than a thousand mine accidents in Ukraine since 2022 - with farmers making up one of the largest single groups of casualties. We hear from the man in charge of clearing land mines there.Farmers can be paid to integrate tree-planting into their farm management plans through Government schemes like Countryside Stewardship. We visit two farmers in the Lake District who are being advised by The Woodland Trust on how trees and food production can go hand in hand.And an environmental charity in Germany, which invests in projects around the world, is donating more than a million euros to re-wet peatlands in England. We speak to NABU about what the UK offers.Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Today trees: from Welsh Government plans to get them planted on farms, to the ever missed English planting targets and the recent cuts to the budget for planting in Scotland, trees are the subject of much debate in rural areas. Despite our fondness for them and need for timber, we still don't like commercial forestry. Foresters warn the public's perception is hampering efforts to grow more timber. We get an overview of the state of British woodlands.The Scottish Government wildlife agency NatureScot has been holding advice sessions on wild boar and providing help for farmers and crofters dealing with them. Concerns are growing about the damage they do to grazing areas. It's claimed they kill and eat sheep and lambs, and farmers believe the Government should have taken action years ago. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Wales' new Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs says his first job it to listen to farmers. It comes after unrest and large protests in Wales by farmers, angry about the Welsh Government's approach to farming. In particular, the way its tacking TB in cattle, stricter rules on pollution and the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which will replace EU subsides in Wales and requires farmers to plant trees on 10% of their land. We put their concerns to Huw Irranca-Davies.The UK Government has admitted that it unlawfully issued some licences for releasing game birds last year. The campaign group Wild Justice challenged the licences granted in the Deben Estuary in Suffolk and Breckland in Norfolk. While DEFRA concedes that it didn’t follow Natural England's advice and that the assessment it carried out wasn’t in line with the rules – it strongly refutes Wild Justice's claim that the decisions 'were tainted with the appearance of bias'.And we visit a farm in Herefordshire where they rear tens of thousands of worms to sell for live bird feed, for improving the soil, and for composting.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Most UK dairy farms are failing to meet environmental regulations aimed at protecting rivers from pollution; so says the campaign group River Action which has used freedom of information requests to find new data. It says dairy farms are one of the biggest causes of river pollution. The National Farmers' Union says farmers are getting better.Companies importing food to the UK say the Government's plans to bring in physical checks for food coming from the EU is going to lead to higher prices, and eventually less choice. All this week we're talking about diversification, and for farms which are near towns or cities attracting visitors onto the land can be profitable. We hear how a Devon farm has diversified into Halloween pumpkins.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Government has admitted that it unlawfully issued some licences for releasing game birds last year. The campaign group Wild Justice challenged the licences granted in the Deben Estuary in Suffolk and Breckland in Norfolk, saying that ministers had ignored the advice from the wildlife regulator Natural England, and that a proper assessment of the impact hadn't been carried out. By law under the Habitats Directive there must be an assessment of the impact of any release near Special Protected Areas, and advice from Natural England must be taken into account for a licence to be granted. While Defra concedes that it didn’t follow Natural England's advice and that the assessment it carried out wasn’t in line with the rules, it strongly refutes Wild Justice's claim that the decisions 'were tainted with the appearance of bias'.A new assessment of the UK vegetable oil harvest has been made and found that oilseed rape production this year could be reduced by as much as 38% compared to last year, partly due to less area planted but also because of the wet weather. Added to that, production of olives in Southern Europe is also facing climate challenges, and the price of olive oil has shot up.Some farmers coping with challenging weather will be thankful if they have income from a diversification on the farm. All week we're hearing how farms are running extra businesses alongside their core work. Tens of thousands of worms might not be the first thing you’d think of to help a traditional farm survive. But near Hereford, the Gorringe family have set up a sideline which is helping prop up their arable and beef business. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

A total wipe-out of crops is now a possibility for some farms - it follows the record rainfall over recent months. Crops on thousands of acres of highly productive land have been destroyed and even now fields are too boggy for machinery to harvest or plant crops for the months ahead. So what impact will this have on our fresh produce supply chains?Tenant farmers "can't be left to go by the wayside" - that's the message from the NFU Tenant Farmer Conference. English farmers who rent some - or all - of the land they work face many challenges at the moment. From landlords taking land back for solar farms or the ELMs environmental schemes, to rising rents and the phasing out of subsidy payments under the basic payments scheme or BPS.And we visit a former dairy farm where cattle barns have been turned into a microbrewery, a taproom and a wedding venue.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

After farmers held protest against post-Brexit agricultural policy in Wales, is the new Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs ready for the challenge? In his first interview for the programme, Anna Hill asks him about the 10% tree policy, how they plan to tackle bovine TB and whether they're doing enough to clean up Welsh rivers.The Government has published its long awaited River Wye Action Plan, which includes the doubling of grants for farm slurry stores and up to £35 million worth of funding for poultry manure combustors. Campaigners say the river is in an ‘ecological death spiral’ and blame the spreading of manure from intensive chicken farming onto fields in the catchment, resulting in pollution going into the river. Research led by Lancaster University showed that 70% of the excess phosphate in the Wye, comes from agricultural waste.And many farms have ventured into retail and hospitality in the hope of selling some of their produce direct to customers. We visit a farm which has gone one step further, and as well as having a farm shop, butchery and cafe, it also rents farm buildings to other small businesses.Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Changes to farm support payments after Brexit, increasingly unpredictable weather, not to mention a cost of living crisis means farmers are relying more on additional income streams to boost their farm profits. We’re going to be looking into farm diversifications all this week, and while you might think the most common sources of extra income would be accommodation for tourists and things like farm shops, in fact letting out buildings for businesses and producing solar energy were the top two diversifications in 2022 - 23, according to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. It's an election year and the controversial topic of hunting is being raised again; the Labour Party has vowed to ban hunting with dogs completely in their first 5 years of government. Fox hunting’s been banned in England, Wales and Scotland for twenty years now, but hunting groups are allowed to lay a ‘scent trail’ for hounds to chase. Trail hunting is controversial, with some hunts accused of using it as a smokescreen for hunting foxes. Just last month one hunt member in Wiltshire was sentenced for helping throw a live fox to hounds, and a different hunt, in Warwickshire, was charged over the alleged death of a fox. But a leading wildlife campaigner and hunt saboteur says he thinks one hunt in Sussex is now paving the way for how trail hunting could be done around the country in a pared down and more open way. New varieties of organic hops that are resilient to climate change are being trialled by British beer makers. The Innovative Farmers Hop Trial aims to boost the cultivation of UK crops after falling production levels.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Changes have been made to the UK Government's Farming Recovery Fund after the NFU reported "major issues" with the scheme. The Fund was announced back in January, to provide up to £25,000 to farmers affected by Storm Henck to go towards repairs to their land. Four months later, this week the Government opened that fund to applications...and almost immediately some farmers reported problems... We are still in the midst of the worst Avian Flu outbreak we have ever seen - the highly infectious strain of the virus has reached every continent except Australia. Now, dairy cows on several farms in the USA have been infected with bird flu and a farm worker there has also tested positive. We hear from a virologist about what it could mean for farmers here.And who should decide whether an area of land is of such great environmental importance it should be given legal protection? Currently, it's the Government’s advisor for the natural environment "Natural England", which has the power to designate Sites of Special Scientific Interest. But a group of Conservative MPs wants that to change - with the final decision being made by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs instead.Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

A new report has put a price on how much the changing climate is affecting farmers. Commissioned by WWF Cymru, looking specifically at Wales, it estimates that extreme weather events are already costing farms tens of millions of pounds a year. Can hill farming and conservation work together? Since taking over the tenancy of a Lake District farm in 2011, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has drastically reduced the number of sheep grazing on the hills, focusing instead on nature and land restoration. It's been a controversial move, attracting some fierce criticism. Labelling on pork products is not particularly helpful for people wanting to make informed choices about what to buy; that's according to what's been described as the largest study of its kind by researchers at the universities of Cambridge, Oxford and Sao Paulo. They evaluated different methods of pig farming, assessing each systems' impact on biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, use of antibiotics and animal welfare, and found that none of the farm types performed consistently well across all four areas.Presented by Steffan Messenger and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The UK Government's Farming Recovery Fund had opened to help farmers badly hit by Storm Henck back in January to pay for repairs to their land. The fund provides those who are eligible with up to £25,000 but some flood-hit farmers say they won't get as much as they'd hoped, because the pay outs only apply to fields within 150m of specific rivers.There are many different ways of rearing pigs. Piglets can either be born indoors or outdoors, then once they're weaned most are reared inside. There, they can either be housed in barns with a slatted floor, which allows the muck to drain through, or they can be raised in barns with straw bedding. We visit a farm where straw bedding is the chosen option.And a London-based agri-tech firm has been awarded one and half million pounds by the UK Space Agency to try and develop a prototype farm for low-Earth orbit. Vertical Future will use the money to adapt its existing vertical farming system - which involves growing plants in stacked layers in a controlled, indoor environment. It's hoped it can eventually be deployed on the first commercial space station, set to be fully operational by 2030.Presented by Steffan Messenger Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Who should decide whether an area of land is of such great environmental importance it should be given legal protection? A bill being considered by Parliament at the moment wants the power to designate Sites of Special Scientific Interest transferred from Natural England - the Government’s own advisor for the natural environment in England - to the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. The Private Member’s Bill has the backing of former DEFRA secretary, Thérèse Coffey, and two former DEFRA ministers, but critics say it would turn the process into a subjective, political one rather than one based on the scientific evidence. The Government has opened the Farming Recovery Fund for applications from farmers who were affected by Storm Henck, which brought damaging winds and heavy rain to South and Central parts of England and Wales back in January. And although many sows in the UK have their piglets outside - the majority of those piglets are then taken indoors after they’ve been weaned, to be reared. Rearing piglets outside can take longer, and it needs more land, but we visit one farm near Wolverhampton where that's exactly what they do.Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The relationship between landowners and tenant farmers can be a difficult one - but it’s hoped a new Code of Practice could help improve things. It was one of the key recommendations of the Rock Review into tenant farming in England. The Tenant Farmers Association has called it a “major step forward”, saying “for too long tenants have felt marginalised and mistreated.”And we visit a state of the art pig farm to find out about a replacement for ‘farrowing crates’. These are the small pens where sows are confined by rails while, and after, giving birth to stop them lying on and smothering their piglets. Sows can get up and lie down, but not turn around or move about until the piglets are weaned when they’re about a month old. The use of these crates is banned in Sweden, Norway and Switzerland and they may also be phased out in the UK. Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Should cages for laying hens be banned? The Scottish Government is consulting on phasing them out, in order, it says, 'to improve their welfare by allowing birds to exhibit their normal behaviours.' Egg producers warn it would mean Scottish consumers paying more for eggs - or potentially being offered English imports - and say the ban is being proposed without a full understanding of the larger enriched cages currently used. Farming Today hears from one producer who says the ban will hurt the industry, and from Scotland’s Farming Minister Jim Fairlie. We visit a farm in Cheshire which is training vulnerable young adults to become "farm rangers". Let’s Farm was set up as a community project for people aged 18 to 35 with learning disabilities and difficulties. They take part in all aspects of farming life which the organisers say brings huge benefits and could lead to a future career. All this week we're talking about pigs. There has been somewhat of a crisis in the industry over the last two years, with falling prices, high feed costs, delays at abattoirs and as a result, there has been a reduction in the breeding herd. But things are starting to look up. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Marie Lennon

The Food and Drink Federation says new labelling rules will cost food companies million of pounds. From October dairy and meat products for sale in Great Britain will have to have "not for EU" on the packaging, just as products on sale in Northern Ireland have had since last year. The Government says the aim is to make sure that Northern Irish consumers have access to the same goods. The FDF says that's unnecessary could have "grave and unintended consequences" for the UK food and drink sector. We hear from the boss of a dairy company who says it will cost them at least £300,000 to make the change.According to new figures from the insurers NFU Mutual, more than £900,000 worth of farm animals were injured or killed by dogs last year in Wales alone. It's not a new problem. So what's the solution?At this time of year farmers should be putting their cattle out to graze, but in many parts of the UK it hasn't stopped raining long enough for the fields to dry out. Farmers trying to plant crops are also being delayed by the weather as it's too wet to get machinery onto the fields. We look at how much the wet weather is costing the industry.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Flooded and waterlogged farmers are asking what's happened to the Government's Farming Recovery Fund. It was announced after storm Henk back in January and offered up to £25,000 to farmers towards the clean up after the storm. Well since then, the rain has kept on falling - but no sign of the fund. We hear from one flooded farmer who needs the money to clean up a 10 mile stretch of flood debris.Today the Ramblers organisation launches its 'Outdoors Unlocked' campaign, urging the Government to remove all unnecessary barriers to access within the next five years. They say that accessing green spaces can be daunting and difficult for people with mobility or visual impairments. We find out how Farming Today listeners can help.And wool if often worth less than it costs to shear the sheep. But one farming family have come up with a way to make a bit more money from them. David and Ruth Wilkinson have opened a tiny wool mill factory on their Dorset farm.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Marie Lennon

Muddled, costly and unnecessary regulatory burdens - that's the Food and Drink Federation's description of new labelling rules which it says will cost food companies million of pounds. From October dairy and meat products for sale in Great Britain will have to have 'not for EU' on the packaging. Just as products on sale in Northern Ireland have had since last year. The Government says the aim is to make sure that Northern Irish consumers have access to the same goods, as with the same labels there isn't an incentive for companies not to sell in Northern Ireland. The FDF says that's unnecessary. We hear from the boss of a dairy company who says it will cost them at least £300,000.Succession is something we talk about a lot on Farming Today - for farming families where no one wants to take over the business, share farming can be a solution. We visit a couple who have set up a share farming deal with one young farmer to see how it works.And 30 million pounds is needed to improve mountain paths in Scotland - that's on top of the five million already spent on 140km of trails in the two National Parks. The government agency Nature Scot says paths in the uplands need work. But what’s in it for land owners and managers?Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Earlier this week English farmers drove tractors into London and held a rally outside Parliament, protesting at what they say is a lack of support for British food production. Just a few hours before that rally the Government announced a change in the rules for environmental schemes. Farmers will now only be able to put 25% of their land into schemes which take land out of food production to try to address concerns about food security. Brexit has cost Scotland up to £100m a year in 'lost' salmon exports, MSPs were told this week.Why is wool so worthless for farmers? The price they get for a fleece barely covers the cost of shearing.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farmed salmon was the UK’s most valuable food export in 2023, according to the HMRC, with £581 million pounds worth of international sales. But Scotland’s salmon farmers reckon they could have made far more, and that Brexit has cost them up to £100 million a year worth of exports.Flax is grown commercially to produce fabrics like linen in the Netherlands, Belgium and Northern France and it was once common in fields around the UK too, but not any more. However, some small-scale flax producers are passionate about its potential and feel it could, once again, have a commercial future. We visit Simon and Ann Cooper who grow flax and use traditional methods and home-made tools to process it into fabrics for things like sailcloth and fishing nets.And new research suggests spreading basalt dust on arable fields could help capture carbon and boost yields. The process is known as ‘enhanced rock weathering’ and uses a by-product of the road-building industry.Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The Government is placing a 25% cap on the amount of land farmers can take out of food production, and put aside for certain environmental schemes. Farmers can be paid for environmental actions - like growing seed for wild birds - as part of the Sustainable Farming Incentive, or SFI, which is replacing the old EU farm subsidies in England. Now, new applicants who choose a selection out of 6 of the schemes, will only be able to put a total of 25% of their land into them. The new cap comes after some raised concerns around our food security - winter flooding and the high cost of fertiliser has made growing food more expensive....and after the Government increased payments for environmental schemes in January, more farmers took them up.Centuries ago, leather production would have gone hand in hand with animal husbandry in the UK, but now animal hides are very low value - and seen by many as a waste product. There are just a handful of tanneries left in the UK for processing hides into leather. We meet a farmer whose starting the fight back.And wildlife experts say recent river flooding could be putting otters at risk. Strong currents can wash away cubs and high water levels can flood their river bank homes, or holts. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Farmers have been gathering in London's Parliament Square to protest about what they feel is a lack of support for British food production. Organisers said they have three demands: first, a ban on what they see as 'dishonest' labelling where food imported and processed in Britain can be labelled as British; second, they want the UK to withdraw from the Australian and New Zealand Trade Deals; and third, they want a clear plan for 'food security'.Herring used to be a mainstay of communities up and down the west coast of Scotland. In the early 1900s Scotland was producing 2 million barrels of herring a year, but by the 60s and 70s, stocks of herring had been over-fished and collapsed. Since then, they've struggled to return, but a huge new spawning ground has been spotted by satellite. And, hemp has traditionally been used to make hardwearing textiles - things like ropes and canvas for sails. But it can also be used to build houses using a material called hempcrete! Film-maker, Steve Barron, who's best known for directing music videos, bought some farmland back in 2017, and decided to "grow his own home".Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Why is wool so worthless for farmers? The price they get for a fleece barely covers the cost of shearing. And septic tanks in Cornwall in crisis because of wet weather.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Some farmers who already rely on state benefits are being told they need to look for paid work and ditch their farm businesses if they want to continue receiving those benefits. It’s happening because of changes in the way welfare is delivered, so farmers on Tax Credits are now being switched to Universal Credit. But eligibility for Universal Credit is calculated using monthly income and expenditure, which doesn’t sit well with very seasonal farm businesses.The Wildlife and Muirburn Bill has passed through the Scottish Parliament and brings in the licensing of grouse shoots, banning animal snares and changing the rules on the burning of heather. For the RSPB it's game changing legislation, for gamekeepers a disproportionate response.And how sustainable is our scampi? The UK gets through around £68 million worth of scampi a year. But a conservation group says the current drive to make fishing for langoustine more environmentally friendly has failed.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The Wildlife and Muirburn Bill has passed through the Scottish Parliament and brings in the licensing of grouse shoots, banning animal snares and changing the rules on the burning of heather. For the RSPB it's game changing legislation, for gamekeepers a disproportionate response.Conservation groups are calling for a clean up of an ancient woodland in Kent, which they say has been left devastated by the dumping of illegal waste. This is a place called Hoads Wood near Ashford, which is privately owned by a number of people. The Environment Agency says it's investigating a number of individuals and companies for fly-tipping.All this week we've been talking about shellfish and the oyster fishery on the Fal Estuary is steeped in history. Only sailing and rowing boats are allowed to be used to pull small dredges. But even this light touch hasn't been enough to keep the native oyster population at sustainable levels, so in a rare move, the few fishermen and women who are left are now asking for tougher regulations.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Some farmers who already rely on state benefits are being told they need to look for paid work and ditch their farm businesses if they want to continue receiving those benefits. It’s happening because of changes in the way welfare is delivered, so farmers on Tax Credits are now being switched to Universal Credit. But eligibility for Universal Credit is calculated using monthly income and expenditure, which doesn’t sit well with farm businesses where these can vary enormously depending on the season. The transition process has been described by famers as a nightmare and, as we’ll be hearing shortly, it’s also having an impact on mental health.And CCTV… for fish! John Holmyard runs a ‘rope-cultured’ offshore mussel farm in Lyme Bay about 5 miles off the south coast of Devon. He's been working with the University of Plymouth to monitor what impact the farm has on the marine life around it.Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Fishermen and wildlife are still feeling the impact nearly two and a half years after the mass shellfish deaths on England's North East Coast. After several years of investigations and reviews, the conclusion of an independent expert panel, chaired by DEFRA's Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Gideon Henderson, was that the deaths of crabs, lobsters and other commercially important shellfish, was "as like as not", down to an unknown pathogen. Fishermen had blamed contamination from dredging or the presence of a toxic pollutant - but the panel dismissed that as "very unlikely".Farmers have been protesting about the Welsh Government's plans to implement a new Sustainable Farming Scheme, which includes having 10 percent of farmland planted with trees and 10 percent to benefit wildlife. The incoming First Minister, Vaughan Gething, brings with him some rural credentials - his father worked as a vet in South Wales and his mother was a chicken farmer in Zambia... So will that make him more receptive to farmers' concerns?And new rules are brought in so that everyone keeping birds has to register on a National list. Up till now only flocks of 50 or more had to be registered, but now, anyone who keeps just a few chickens in the garden, or birds of prey, or pigeons will have to do so too. DEFRA says the new rules will help them contact more bird keepers, so they can stay up to date on local disease outbreaks - like avian flu. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Spanish farmers in Madrid have held more protests, despite the European Commission announcing a review of its so-called 'green deal' which was designed to help the EU reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Farmers across Europe have voiced their anger at red tape and new environmental rules. Last week the Commission published a raft of proposed changes, which still have to be agreed. It says it'll cut back on red tape, allow individual member states more freedom over new 'greening' rules, and remove the demand that farmers must put a certain percentage of their land over to the environment. Conservationists have criticised the move as a backward step for the environment. The UK gets through around £68 million worth of scampi a year. but a conservation group says the current drive to make fishing for langoustine more environmentally friendly has failed. How sustainable is our scampi? We speak to a fisherman and an environmental campaigner.The Office for Environmental Protection is investigating whether there's been a failure to comply with the law governing Special Protection Areas for wild birds, in Northern Ireland and England. A similar investigation is being undertaken in Scotland, while in Wales there are concerns about how these sites are being run. S.P.A.s are legally designated sites that protect rare and threatened wild birds. The OEP says it's taking action because the recommendations from a review of these sites between 2015 and 2017 has still not been published.A new National Nature Reserve's been created on the South Devon coast at Budleigh Salterton. The Lower Otter Estuary is home to Dartford warblers, silver-studded blue butterflies, populations of sea trout, Atlantic salmon and eels.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The government's farm business incomes forecast for this year makes grim reading: in England dairy farmers are expected to earn 78% less than last year, largely due to falls in the milk price; cereal farmers face a 77% cut, though prices have been high and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs says the fall reflects a return to more normal levels as well as a reduction in the amount of arable crops grown; while mixed farms will see a 49% cut in income. Only those grazing livestock or rearing pigs are expected to see their income rise, and there is no forecast for the poultry sector as DEFRA says there is too much uncertainty. A 'destructive and disproportionate attack' - that's landowners' reaction to the Scottish Government's new Land Reform Bill. The proposed legislation would mean that the sale of estates of more than 1,000 hectares could be stopped by ministers and split into smaller lots, and the owners of large estates would have to show how they use land and how that contributes to key policies like net zero. The Scottish Government says the bill will make land ownership more transparent and will mean communities have more involvement in the land where where they live and work. That view is not shared by Scottish Land and Estates, which represents landowners.All week we're focusing on shellfish. The industry has had a torrid time. We speak to a professor of fisheries conservation about some of the challenges which range from labour shortages and pollution, to climate change and trade rules. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Badger culling could continue indefinitely in England under new government proposals which reverse earlier pledges to begin to phase out badger culls from next year. The Government says culls are working in helping to reduce TB in cattle. Now ministers say that in high risk and edge areas, which covers much of southwest and central England, culling could continue until the Chief Veterinary Officer deems that the situation has improved, at which point badger vaccination would be introduced. A consultation on the proposals has just been launched. The Badger Trust describes this as 'another appalling attack on a protected native species'.New rules on food labelling could be introduced to give more information about how and where its produced, but some farmers say it'll be costly and complex. Sheep farmers are benefiting from a spike in prices as Ramadan and Easter are both celebrated this month. Both events traditionally look to lamb as their meat of choice on these occasions, and farmers, processors and retailers, have all geared up for a busy time. We answer listener questions about religious slaughter, and the difference between stunned and non-stunned killing methods.The writer Michael Morpurgo and his wife Clare have long been advocates for helping young people learn more about farming and the countryside, so much so that they set up Farms for City Children nearly 50 years ago. It gives kids from urban schools a week helping to run the farm and learning about both farming and nature. For one of their latest projects, they’ve teamed up with the Woodland Trust to involve primary school children in planting trees inside what they call roundels.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Badger culling could continue indefinitely in England under new Government proposals which reverse earlier pledges to begin to phase out badger culls from next year. The Government says culls are working in helping to reduce TB in cattle - pointing to stats from the first 52 cull areas where there is an average reduction in TB breakdowns in cattle of 56% after 4 years of culling. Now ministers say that in high risk and edge areas, which covers much of southwest and central England, culling could continue until the Chief Veterinary Officer deems that the situation has improved, at which point badger vaccination would be introduced. A consultation on the proposals has just been launched.New rules on food labelling could be introduced to give more information about how and where its produced - but some farmers say it'll be costly and complex. The Government is consulting on plans to improve country of origin labelling and introduce 'method of production' labelling on pork, chicken and eggs. This would introduce a 5 tier labelling system to differentiate between those that fall below, meet or exceed basic British animal welfare standards. We visit a factory in Norfolk where cattle intestines are turned into harp strings.And it's expected that 79% more UK farmland will be left fallow this year than last - new figures from the AHDB suggest the impact of the weather and Government environmental schemes means that fewer crops will be planted. The AHDB is the levy board which traditionally surveys farmers on their cropping plans in the Autumn - because its been so wet they've gone back to them and found that the weather is still having a big impact.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The National Rural Crime Network is calling for an overhaul of the way rural crime is dealt with. It's commissioned a new report which says serious organised criminals are increasingly preying on rural communities and highlights hare coursing, the theft of tractors and livestock and fly tipping as having major impacts. The report from Durham University says these crimes are often carried out by 'prolific rural offenders' linked with illegal drugs rather than being opportunistic. Heritage crimes like stealing ancient stone or lead from church roofs have risen according to a new report by Historic England and the National Police Chief's Council. However there's been a fall in unlawful metal detecting. Nighthawking as it's called, sounds rather romantic, but for farmers finding people metal detecting on their land without permission at night is anything but, with threats and violence from criminals searching for valuable historic artefacts. We hear from one Yorkshire farmer who helped capture a gang of four who were sentenced at Hull Crown Court earlier this month. We also speak to a former detective and archaeologist who's now in charge of tackling heritage crime at Historic England.All week we're looking into the many, often imaginative, ways byproducts and waste from agriculture are turned into something useful. On one farm site in Stirlingshire they're turning whisky waste into fish food. Scientists have found a way to turn yeast into Omega-3 using algae and say the vital oils produced this way could help save depleted feed fish stocks, boost Scotland’s salmon farming industry and give a clean, efficient way to dispose of the waste. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A shortage of vets is currently affecting services across all aspects of public and private animal health and biosecurity. In 2018 the gap in the veterinary workforce was put at 11%. At a hearing yesterday in Westminster the Chief Vet, Christine Middlemiss, told the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee that that shortage had not improved.All week we're exploring how by-products from farming can be put to use on farm or elsewhere. Today, beer and Marmite.A virus which causes birth defects in unborn lambs has returned. Schmallenberg disease has been reported since Autumn last year, and now sheep farmers are reporting that some have lost 40% of their new-crop lambs. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Soil Association, has called for a ban on any new intensive broiler farms being set up in the UK. The organic farming group has published a new report called "Stop Killing Our Rivers" which says it's impossible to manage chicken meat production without harming the environment, especially rivers. The report says the chicken meat sector has been expanding at a rate of one million birds per month, since 2014 and has now reached more than a billion birds per year. All week we're looking into the many - often imaginative - ways byproducts and waste from agriculture are turned into something useful. A renewable energy company is using poultry litter to generate electricity at their five power stations in England and Scotland. We visit their station at Thetford, in the heart of chicken farming in East Anglia where every week 11 thousand tonnes of poultry waste are delivered and used to generate electricity.Sheep farmers are benefiting from a spike in prices as Ramadan and Easter are both celebrated this month. Both events traditionally look to lamb as their meat of choice on these occasions, farmers, processors and retailers, have all geared up for a busy time. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The writer Michael Morpurgo and his wife Clare have long been advocates for helping young people learn more about farming and the countryside, so much so, that they set up Farms for City Children nearly 50 years ago. Young people help run the farm and learn about both farming and nature. For one of their latest projects in Devon, they’ve teamed up with the Woodland Trust to involve primary school children, planting trees inside what they call roundels - a protective barrier, which keeps out livestock until the trees are big enough to become part of an agroforestry grazing system.MPs on The Science and Technology Committee have called on the government to publish its National Plan for Sustainable Pesticide Use which has been been delayed by six years. The report on insect decline and pesticide use says insects are vital for food security and describes government targets to reduce pesticide use by at least half by 2030 as ambitious and welcome, but also narrow and incomplete. The Royal Entomological Society, which gave evidence to the committee, says the decline in insects has serious implication for ecosystems - including agricultural ones We hear a lot about waste in food and farming and this week we are going to look at ways of using by products or waste products from agriculture as something useful. The Blenheim estate in Oxfordshire is in the middle of a trial to turn all its organic waste, including livestock manure and sheep wool, into a material that can be used to boost soil quality or as part of an organic fertiliser. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The consultation on the Welsh Government's controversial Sustainable Farming Scheme has now closed. The National Farmers Union Cymru marked the moment by placing 5,500 pairs of wellies on the steps of the Welsh Parliament to highlight the farming jobs which could be lost if the plan is adopted. Farmers across Wales, and some in England, have held tractor convoys and protest meetings over the past few weeks. We look at what's led farmers to take action now.The whole idea of a green tractor standard should be dropped according to the levy body the AHDB and the National Farmers Union. They say they want 'a more transparent approach which works for farmers'. This is an ongoing dispute about the farm assurance scheme Red Tractor which had designed a voluntary green tractor element, called the greener farms commitment. This would have seen farmers share environmental information with retailers, for a premium, and so help those retailers meet sustainability targets. Farmers said it was developed without proper consultation and their discontent forced two reviews of Red Tractor: one on governance, which was published last month; and a wider review of the scheme, which is expected to take much longer. We speak to the AHDB.We've been talking about lambing all week - from the exhaustion of nights in the lambing shed to the highs, and lows, of this time of year. We've mainly been on farms talking to farmers but members of the public are learning to lamb at St Fagan's near Cardiff. The National Museum of History runs a working farm and an annual lambing course aimed at non farmers. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Thousands of discontented farmers gathered outside the seat of the Welsh Government, the Senedd, in Cardiff Bay, this week in what was probably the biggest farmer protest seen in the UK in recent years. They’re unhappy about various aspects of agricultural policy including the new Welsh Sustainable Farming Scheme, which is heading into its final week of consultation. The scheme is to replace the system of subsidies that operated under the EU’s common agricultural policy, and to claim it farmers need 10% of their land under tree cover and a further 10% used for wildlife habitat. Farmers say it's unworkable, but conservationists say it'll protect farming as well as nature. We also look at the state of British Rivers. It coincides with the publication of the Rivers Trust's annual report, which shows that no single stretch of river in England or Northern Ireland is in good overall health. We hear about projects by charities and farmers that are aiming to improve the situation. Presented by Caz Graham

The government's spring budget is getting a lukewarm response from many in rural communities - with more discussion of what wasn't in it, than what was. The NFU said it didn't go far enough to offer stability for agricultural businesses, growth in food production and decarbonising the sector. Friends of the Earth described it as: 'yet another missed opportunity to properly invest in building a strong, clean and prosperous future.' The Tenant Farmers Association said it was 'bitterly disappointed' that inheritance tax relief on farms hadn't been restricted only to those renting land out on a long term basis. While the Country Land and Business Association welcomed the extension of tax relief to land in environmental schemes, it said changes on taxing short term lets risked squeezing and stifling rural businesses. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said it was all about long term growth and encouraging people back to work. We speak to Green Bank, Action on Communities in Rural England and a fruit grower to find out what they thought.We've been looking at lambing this week, and for those of us not involved it's a lovely time of spring, new life and hope. The reality on farms, particularly ones which rely on family labour is that lambing season is a test of endurance. We visit a sheep farmer near Exeter, who's nearly made it through the season.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Government has promised that hedgerows will continue to be protected, even though there’s been a gap in regulations after EU rules lapsed at the end of last year. DEFRA has confirmed that legislation will include plans to maintain cutting bans on hedges and 2 metre protective buffer strips. But farmers will also be allowed to apply for an exemption to cut or trim hedges in August, if they are sowing oilseed rape or temporary grass. Conservation groups have welcomed the protections but some, including the Wildlife Trusts say the government could have gone further.The Labour Party is considering stopping the emergency use of harmful neonicotinoid chemicals, if it wins the next election. The chemicals protect crops from pests which spread disease, but are dangerous for pollinators. Their use is generally banned but the Government granted emergency authorisation for farmers to use them on sugar beet this year, for the fourth time in a row.And we visit Wood Farm, near Carlisle, in Cumbria, for lambing! Tom Wilson has 1250 Suffolk Cross Texels to look after, but his family also runs a 200 strong dairy herd so the family employ a live-in lambing assistant.Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

In between the rain, farmers have planted crops many of which are now battling for growth in saturated ground. Waterlogged soil is a poor growing medium, and it also means farmers can’t bring machinery onto their land to give the plants fertilisers or pesticides to help them grow. Some are now turning to drones to deliver preparations instead, so at least the soil is not disturbed. But, if the ground is still draining, does that mean more danger of pollution from nutrient rich water running off the fields?A new project’s been launched by farmers and scientists, to uncover special traits found in heritage wheats, which could boost productivity in modern commercial varieties. Scientists at the John Innes Centre have been working with the Watkins Collection of heritage wheats gathered in the 1930s from 32 countries. Unlike modern wheat, some of these ancient varieties can interact with bacteria in the soil to allow them access to more nutrients. And, it's lambing time - we visit a smallholding in North Yorkshire where all the ewes are pregnant with either triplets or quads!Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Wiltshire, Dorset and Cornwall are among the latest local authorities which have voted to buy from local farmers when procuring meat, dairy, fruit and veg for council-organised events. Both the government and the Labour Party are aiming for 50% of spending on public sector food to go on local and sustainable produce. We ask Professor Tom MacMillan from the Royal Agricultural University, how significant that could be for farmers. Farms with expensive machinery, miles from their nearest police station, can be easy targets for thieves. The National Farmers Union say that, nationally, rural crime rose by more than a fifth between 2021 and 2022 - costing an estimated £50 million. Thames Valley Police have been taking part in a week of action to try and prevent rural crime.It’s lambing time, a full-on time of year for sheep farmers. Last year 15 and a half million lambs were born into the UK flock by June, although that was down six per cent on the year before. We’re going to take an in depth look at lambing this week, the highs, the lows, and the measures farmers go to to ensure a good healthy crop of lambs. We start off by talking to Dr Joe Henry, president of the Sheep Veterinary SocietyPresenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A new 15 year, £30 million partnership between Reading University, the Met Office and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts is going to be harnessing AI to produce more accurate forecasts that could predict the weather for up to six weeks in advance. As climate change brings longer droughts and more flooding, what benefits could better forecasting have for farmers? We speak to the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading. The cleaner the river, the better it is for the fish that live in it. Bibury Trout Farm was founded more than 120 years ago on what were former watercress beds on the River Coln near Cirencester. The river is at the heart of what is still a working fish farm and tourist attraction. As part of our week looking into rivers in the landscape, we visit the farm and find out why the river is so vitally important to this business.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Thousands of Welsh farmers have protested outside the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, in Cardiff. They are angry at plans for a new Welsh system of subsidies: The Sustainable Farming Scheme. They say proposals to use 10% of their land for growing trees and a further 10% for wildlife habitats are unworkable. The Welsh Government insists it is listening to their concerns and the scheme is under consultation. Many farmers say the scheme would jeopardise their businesses and feel the government isn’t listening. Forty new Natural Flood Management projects across England are to share £25 million of government funding to help alleviate flooding. Tree planting, creating wetlands and reconnecting rivers with their floodplains all help ‘slow the flow’. Farmers can apply for grants to help manage river catchments as part of agri-environment schemes. The Ribble Rivers Trust in Lancashire has been allocated more than a million pounds for four new projects. We visit one of them, which uses a series of dams to hold water upstream longer.Campaigners in rural Buckinghamshire have called plans to build one of the largest battery storage facilities in Europe on their doorstep 'outrageous'. The proposals would see nearly 900 storage containers built on 26 acres of land in the village of Granborough near Aylesbury. The company Statera says the battery farm is needed to support the rapid growth in renewable energy. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Pollack fishermen are selling their boats after quotas for pollack were cut to zero. Defra says it's to safeguard fish stocks and have announced a £6 million scheme to help. However fishermen and the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation say the government announcements won't make any difference to fishing families who are losing their livelihoods.All this week we’re talking about rivers. The River Wye has been badly polluted over the years. In 2020 phosphorous pollution from large-scale chicken farms along the Wye was blamed for algal blooms that appeared on the higher reaches of the river. So what’s the situation on the River Wye today? We speak to a campaigner who's striving to protect the waterway and a poultry farmer who's changed the way she farms to help keep the river clean.Farmers have been protesting, on the Continent and in the UK, at changes to the way they are being encouraged to farm. However one academic is calling for the industry to focus on the positives, and work together to achieve both increased food production and environmental protection. We speak to Jack Bobo, Director of the Food Systems Institute at the University of Nottingham who believes more should be done to encourage farmers to take up the challenge of farming more sustainably - in a way that benefits their business and nature.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The BBC has been told that farmers in Wales who support overhauling their subsidies to help the environment feel "intimidated" and afraid to speak out.  It comes as some farmers are staging protests across Wales over plans for a greener post-Brexit funding scheme for agriculture, which farming unions say is unworkable.  But the Nature Friendly Farming Network, representing around 500 farmers in Wales, told BBC Wales that sticking to "business as usual" would not help the industry succeed in the long term.  It's been very wet and, as we've been reporting, lots of farmland is or has been underwater. That means crops destroyed and new crops not being planted. We've heard from farmers while the rain is clearly the problem, they say the Environment Agency is sometimes not helping. The Chair of the Environment Agency, Alan Lovell, spoke at last week's National Farmers Union conference, and unsurprisingly flooding was top of the agenda. He explained the EA’s flood strategy in rural areas.The Rivers Trust have released their latest State of Our Rivers report which shows the extent of farm pollution in rivers. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

As farmer protests continue in Wales the Rural Affairs Minister tells us she is listening.We've spent all week talking about farming's next generation and as with most family businesses, many farmers hope at least one of their children will want to take over. But if you’ve got three kids who all want to stay, it might prove hard for all of them to make a living.Anna Hill meets Minette Batters who stood down this week as President of the National Farmers' Union. Having been the most influential woman in British farming for the last six years, she's going back to the family farm in Wiltshire.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Politicians have been setting out their stall to farmers at the NFU Conference in Birmingham. With a general election on the horizon, we hear from all three main political parties: Conservative farming minister Mark Spencer; shadow environment minister Daniel Zeichner; and Liberal Democrat spokesperson on environment, Tim Farron. We also speak to the NFU's new president - Tom Bradshaw.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

1500 farmers from across England and Wales have gathered in Birmingham for the National Farmers' Union annual conference. President Minette Batters is standing down after six years at the helm, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told farmers "I've got your back". He arrived with a raft of announcements including an annual national food security index, measuring the amount of food grown in the UK, a review of transparency in the poultry supply chain, an annual "farm to fork" summit in Downing Street, and increasing payments for managing environmental agreements.Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The First Minister of Wales says it shouldn't be up to farmers to decide how subsidy money is spent. Mark Drakeford was responding to the ongoing farmer protests in Wales over the Sustainable Farm Scheme. It will see direct subsidy payments phased out and farmers will have to plant 10% of their land with trees while putting a further 10% into wildlife habitats to qualify. We also speak to English farmers protesting at Dover. The government is giving a £220 million funding package to English farmers. The Prime Minister is to make the official announcement at the National Farmers Union Conference. The money will be targeted at grants for technology and productivity schemes. He will also highlight fairness in the supply chain, with new rules for the dairy, pig and egg sectors and the announcement of a review of the poultry sector. Also the 'Farm to Fork Summit' is to become an annual event. The Liberal Democrat's have dismissed the move as a 'cynical pre election giveaway' which won't win back farmers. An independent review into the Red Tractor scheme says that while it is sound and has not breached its own rules, there has been a failure of communication. This is the first of two reviews of the scheme and looks at the organisation's governance. A further report into Red Tractor's future will be published later. We speak to Red Tractor chair Christine Tacon.Farming's next generation is something we're looking at all this week, from the challenges they face to their hopes for the future. The Duncan family run three successful farms close to Loch Lomond. Three of the family's four children now work in the farm operation, and plan to make it their home and livelihood long-term.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside.

The return of the Northern Ireland Assembly means there's a new man in charge at the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, or DAERA. We speak to Andrew Muir about his priorities.After leaving the EU, the four nations of the UK have decided on different payment systems for farmers. In England the Environmental Land Management Scheme, or ELMS, has several parts to it. The Sustainable Farming Incentive or SFI is part of that. It pays farmers for doing environmental work, like planting hedges or improving soils. Some English farmers felt there was little ‘incentive’ to join it, because payments were too low. However in January that changed. 50 new things farmers could do to attract money were added to the scheme and some payments were increased. We discuss what those were with the Farming Minister Mark Spencer.All week we've been looking at the business side of running a farm. Farmers have long argued that they deal with far too much paperwork. One company set up to help them with form filling says it’s been inundated with requests and believes many farmers feel burdened and isolated by the sheer amount of red tape. Diversification is often key to a successful farm business. According to DEFRA, 69% of farm businesses were engaged in some kind of diversification in 2022-23. We visit a small upland farm in the Lake District to find out how diversification has worked for them.In the Scottish Highlands vast tracts of land and whole estates are being bought as ‘green investments’. Tree planting and rewilding are used to offset carbon. A report for the Scottish Government has tried to quantify the impact of this on rural communities. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Another small abattoir has announced it’s to close its doors for good. McIntyre Meats in Bainbridge in the Yorkshire Dales has been working with local farmers for the last 23 years and is just the latest small abattoir to decide to call it a day. Between 2018 and 2022 the number of small abattoirs processing red meat dropped by a quarter according to DEFRA. Right now in the Cotswolds, a group of farmers are trying to raise three million pounds to save Long Compton Abattoir from closure by buying it themselves. Why does it matter? Well, if you like to buy your meat local, direct from the farm or from a farmers market, the livestock your beef or sausages comes from will most likely have been slaughtered and possibly butchered at a small abattoir. Graham Bottley produces Mutton from his flock of Swaledale sheep in the Yorkshire Dales, and until now, has been using McIntyre Meats regularly We are looking into the business side of farming this week, now for most non-farming companies or organisations, training, appraisal and continuing professional development is the norm. But if you’re a small family farm business, already dealing with rising costs, increasing paperwork, as well as the unpredictability of markets and weather, training courses can come a long way down the priority list. Ernie Richards is a shepherd from Hay on Wye and he argues that taking time out for training courses off the farm is an important investment. Mariclare Carey-Jones has been to meet him.

In the Scottish Highlands, rewilding and planting trees for carbon capture are increasingly attractive for big new landowners, but what impacts do these activities, taking over vast tracts of the countryside, have on the communities around them? A report for the Scottish Government tries to quantify those impacts and not all are positive. We visit affected communities and speak to the author of a new report.All week we've been looking at the business side of farming. According to DEFRA, 69% of farm businesses were engaged in some kind of diversified enterprise in 2022-23. Having an extra income strand can make the difference between a viable farm and one that can’t pay its way, so nowadays the business of farming often means looking at what other businesses a farm can grow. Branching out can give both farm and farmers a whole new lease of life as we find out on a small upland farm in Cumbria.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

As more farmers take up payments to farm in a more environmentally-friendly way, will that mean growing less food? After leaving the EU, the four nations of the UK have decided on different payment systems for farmers. In England, the Environmental Land Management Scheme, or ELMS, has several parts to it - the simplest being the Sustainable Farming Incentive or SFI. Some farmers said there was little incentive to sign up, because payments to do environmental work were too low. However, in January that changed and some payments were increased. We unpick the details of the scheme and find out who the winners and losers are. We also talk to the Defra farming minister, Mark Spencer.Some farmers in Northern Ireland fear a new scheme designed to reduce emissions from livestock will put slower-growing breeds of cattle at a disadvantage. They are concerned it will make rearing grass-fed or native breed cattle less viable.Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Rebecca Rooney

After two years without a government, Northern Ireland's got a minister for agriculture and the environment again. We speak to Andrew Muir, who's just started his new job at DAERA - the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. His in-tray is bulging with a raft of issues: farming subsidy changes, environmental concerns and bovine TB, among other things. Anna Hill speaks to the Ulster Farmers' Union about what they want from the new minister, and also to Northern Ireland Environment Link - a coalition of conservation groups.All week we’re looking at the business of farming. Paperwork is a big part of the job and one firm which was set up to assist farmers with their form-filling says it’s been inundated with requests for help. The Herefordshire-based company says many farmers feel burdened and isolated by the sheer amount of red tape involved in the modern farming industry. Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Rebecca Rooney

Today Biodiversity Net Gain becomes the law in England. It means that any developer building ten or more homes must not just replace the biodiversity they've destroyed, but have to show a 10% net gain over what was there before. The net gain can be on the housing estate, or builders can buy a biodiversity unit from a landowner. If that's not possible they can get a (more expensive) biodiversity credit from the Government, which will then invest in habitat projects across the nation. Wherever it is, it must be managed for nature for 30 years. But the wildlife trusts say the BNG ambition is too low, and there should be a 20% net gain for nature. Farming is going through a tough time; prices, the supermarkets, massive changes in public subsidy systems, endless rain, or drought. The word many use a lot is 'challenging' and this week we're going to look at the challenge of running a farming business. We start with an overview from Martin Hanson, Head of Agriculture at HSBC UK.A rescue plan for nature is being drawn up in The Ashdown Forest in Sussex. The project could see rare plants and animals including nightingales, turtle doves, pine martens and beavers being restored to the landscape. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farming leaders in Wales have warned of "huge unrest" over planned Welsh government reforms to farm support payments, claiming mass protests are now "more or less inevitable". The Welsh government has urged farmers to participate in a consultation on their plans - which would require farms to have 10% tree cover and manage a further 10% of their land as wildlife habitat in order to access funding in future.  Scotland's farmers will continue receiving most of their existing subsidies for growing food. The Scottish First Minister Humuza Yousaf has announced that 70% of future support in Scotland will be direct payments. This is the Scottish post-Brexit system which will replace the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and is in marked contrast to the new systems being introduced in England and Wales where the vast majority of public money will be paid only for environmental work, and direct payments are phased out. It's 20 years since the Morecambe Bay cockling disaster. 23 people lost their lives after getting cut off by the Bay’s notoriously fast flowing tide while gathering cockles. Those who drowned were Chinese Migrants, illegally smuggled into the country and were working as forced labour for criminal gangmasters. The tragedy paved the way for the creation of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority in 2005 and to this day, anyone supplying workers into the shellfish sector, and into agriculture and horticulture, requires a licence with what is now the GLAA.We visit Glynhynod Farm, which means "Remarkable Valley" in Welsh - a family business making Caerphilly and Gouda and distilling Welsh whisky. Also, what makes a champion sheepdog? We find out from a handler who's worked with dogs all his life.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farmers in Scotland want to see cuts to the Holyrood agriculture budget reversed and an extra billion pounds worth of funding to farmers across the country from the UK Government. Both issues were raised yesterday at the NFU Scotland conference that’s taking place just now in Glasgow. National Farmers Union Scotland members are expecting to be joined by First Minister Humza Yousaf this morning. He’ll be joined by Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Mairi Gougeon, for what may well be a rather heated question-and-answer session. Conservationists say more should be done to preserve and restore Britain’s temperate rainforests. These ancient woodlands have a mild and damp climate and support species like mosses and lichens. They may once have covered about a fifth of Britain but now just fragments of the forest remain. In December the Government pledged £750,000 for research but campaigners say more needs to be done.These days it's rare to get eggs delivered. But if you live in the village of Sibford Ferris near Banbury you could get your eggs delivered by goat. All this week we’re hearing about working animals. Sue Sabin has been running an egg round for the last fourteen years with Alan, her pack-goat. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

This week marks 20 years since the Morecambe Bay cockling disaster. 23 Chinese migrants lost their lives after getting cut off by the Bay’s notoriously fast flowing tide while gathering cockles. Those who drowned were found to have been illegally smuggled into the country and were working as forced labour for criminal gangmasters. The tragedy paved the way for the creation of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority in 2005 and to this day, anyone supplying workers into the shellfish sector, and into agriculture and horticulture, requires a licence with what is now the GLAA, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority.The Northern Ireland Assembly has been meeting at Stormont this week for the first time in two years. There’s a whole new executive, finding their desks and their feet, including a new minister for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. It’s Andrew Muir, an Alliance party member, who's been visiting Lough Neagh.From sheepdogs to birds of prey, we’re hearing about working animals on the programme this week. The shire horse was the original workhorse, essential for heavy farm work like ploughing before the tractor took over. Today the breed is considered endangered but there are still a few working shires left, like the ones at Hook Norton Brewery in Oxfordshireshire, where they’re used for delivering beer.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Protests by European farmers have sparked a wider debate across the UK, about whether farmers here might be tempted away from growing food, by payments for environmental work. We hear from farmers concerned about how environmental policies are affecting food security. We also speak to Professor Tim Benton, Research Director of the Environment and Society Centre at Chatham House who says a clear strategy for food, environment and trade is the key to enabling sustainability in the food chain, and how a 'just transition' from the previous system to the new ones should pull all those areas together.The pheasant shooting season in the UK has just come to a close.  So before it ended, we thought we’d take a look what gundogs do in a shoot, as part of our week-long focus on working animals.  We meet a trainer who's been working with gundogs for more than 20 years for the first drive in a day’s shooting organised by Blannicombe Sporting Club in Devon.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

One in three women, and one in five men in the UK are affected by domestic abuse according to a recent National Rural Crime Network report - it also found that rural victims of domestic abuse tend to suffer for 25% longer than those in urban areas because of geographical isolation and barriers to accessing help and support. We hear from one woman in rural North Wales where she was the victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her ex-partner, who is now in prison. The presence of microplastics in farmland soil increased by 350% between 1997 and 2005 according to figures in a study by the University of Lancaster. That six-fold increase was largely due to the plastic coatings around fertiliser granules. The study was based on soil sample archives. Another study by the same researchers found the use of plastic to cover crops early in their growing season has also had an impact. We speak to the lead author of the reports.All week we're looking at working animals. Birds such as starlings and feral pigeons can be a real pest for farmers - eating animal feed, seeds and young crops. An increasing number of farmers are turning away from noisy bird-scarers to a different type of pest control and employing falconers to help them deal with the problem. Hawks are trained to be a deterrent for the unwanted visitors without actually doing them any harm. We visit a farm in Shropshire where they’ve been trying out the idea.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A forester from Moray in North East Scotland says he may have to destroy millions of trees after the Scottish Government slashed the budget for new tree planting. Ronald Christie from Fochabers says unless ministers change their mind, ten million young trees will have to be burnt followed by a similar number next year. The Small Robot Company were hailed as the future of small-scale automation for UK farmers. But in May last year their major investor withdrew its funding. They did find another and launched a crowdfunding campaign, but couldn’t raise the amount needed in time, and now the company has gone into liquidation. One of the founders tells us there's a crisis in UK agtech funding. All this week we're going to be hearing about working animals, and today it's sheepdogs, Vernon Harwood meets a champion sheepdog handler who has been working with dogs since he was nine years-old.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

All week across Europe farmers have been protesting. In France convoys of tractors blocked roads into Paris, in Brussels campaigners blockaded the streets, threw eggs and started fires. The European Commission and national governments have made some concessions to try and address the farmers' concerns over environmental rules, competition from cheaper imports and taxes on agricultural fuel.. We speak to the President of Copa, one half of Copa Cogeca, which represents millions of farmers and farming coops across the EU and find out from the BBC's Paris correspondent, what's happening there. Also we look at what UK farmers make of the protests and whether they are planning their own direct action. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

All this week across Europe farmers have been protesting. They are angry about environmental rules, competition from cheaper imports and taxes on agricultural fuel. But here in the UK, no big protests - yet? We've been looking at trade and today it's fish. We import 80% of the fish we eat, but we also export 80% of the fish we catch. It seems we’re not very interested in eating our own domestic species. So how is trade going for the smaller fishing boats around the UK coast, which are trying to sell to the UK population?Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Welsh farmers fear their government is moving to reduce the number of cattle and sheep in the country - it's because of an impact assessment that the government carried out on its new Sustainable Farming Scheme. This is the Welsh replacement for the old EU CAP, it's currently out for consultation and is due to come in next year. The impact assessment research, by ADAS, The SRUC and the University of Dublin, showed a reduction in farm income as a result of the new policy which will phase out direct subsidy payments of £199 million. It estimates 5,500 jobs will go, along with 122,000 cattle and sheep. It's 10 years since the first Big Farmland Bird Count - a farmer-led survey run by the Game and Wildlife Conservation trust. Many birds that would have traditionally relied on farming landscapes, like yellow hammers, corn buntings and lapwings are in decline and red-listed according to the RSPB. We visit a farm on Salisbury Plain where one farmer's put in a range of measures to encourage birds, including boosting hedgerows, keeping plots back for plant mixes that provide seeds in the winter, and spreading bird seed every week. New rules on imports from the EU came in this week but the meat industry here warns that there are still problems which need ironing out. Post-Brexit checks on imported meat, fruit and veg have finally been introduced after much delay. From April more checks come in and, alongside concerns that the UK border control post won't be ready, the British Meat Processors Association warns that EU exporters won't have access to enough vets to sign documentation. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

As politicians look set to return to Stormont in Northern Ireland, we look at what that means for food and farming. For farmers a full-time working government could mean more clarity on the way forward for post-Brexit farm subsidies. Could it mean the end of customs checks on goods from Great Britain which remain in Northern Ireland and do not cross the border into the Republic and the EU's Single Market? We speak to BBC Northern Ireland's agriculture and environment correspondent to help unpick what impact this is likely to have on agriculture and trade.The new biosecurity regulations on imported goods from the EU have just come into force. More stringent checks are being carried out including on many food consignments. A report just published by the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee of MPs says it's concerned about cuts in funding for spot checks on animal products and the fact that the location for these is 22 miles away from the Port of Dover. All week we're looking at trade and how British importers and exporters are faring with post-Brexit changes. Coombe Castle in Wiltshire exports dairy products around the world. They say friction at the border with Europe and the ending of the trade deal with Canada last year, is going to hit them hard, because Canada accounted for a third of their cheese exports.Upland hill farmers have accused the government of failing to support them. Despite recent increases in subsidy payments, announced by DEFRA earlier this month, hill farmers say many of the new schemes still don’t work for them. The payments are part of the post-Brexit Environmental Land Management Schemes brought in to replace payments under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Thousands of French farmers have been protesting, blocking major routes across the country, and causing chaos on the roads around Paris. The tractor blockades follow similar action in Germany and Holland. The French protesters are calling for better returns after facing rising production costs, and for a change to environmental regulations which farmers say are putting them out of business.All this week we're looking at trade. New post-Brexit import checks are coming in on 30th April - that means goods classed as "medium risk" under the Border Target Operating Model, will require new more stringent checks. The government's confirmed those rules won't come in for fruit and veg before October this year, but growers are worried the additional checks will add further friction to trade, and increased costs. We visit a grower and importer of salads in the Lea Valley and speak to the Fresh Produce Consortium who estimate that the changes could add £200 million to the cost of imports for their members. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

New border controls are being phased in - these are the checks on imports introduced post Brexit, which have been delayed five times. There have been warnings that the extra costs imposed will be passed onto consumers and could add hundreds of millions of pounds to the nation's food bill. All this week we will be looking at trade: from these new rules to trade deals and their impact on British farmers. Today we speak to the International Chamber of Commerce There are growing calls for the government to support fishermen affected by the sudden ban on catching pollock. The zero quota came into force at the beginning of the year after concerns over fish stocks, but rod and line fishermen in Torquay say the decision could put them out of business.More farmland in England has been sold to investors and lifestyle buyers than farmers for the first time - figures for last year from the agents Strutt and Parker show that less than half of buyers last year were farmers - that's in comparison with 50 to 60 % in previous years. Private investors were involved in 28% of transactions; institutional investors in 13% a rise of 10% on 2022; and lifestyle buyers in 16%.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

This week, MPs debated giving hedges legal protection in England. Rules that had stopped farmers from cutting them back during the nesting season and from farming within 2m of the centre of a hedge came to an end on the 31st of December; before that those actions were restricted as part of what’s called cross-compliance, the rules farmers had to follow to get direct payments. Now the RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust are calling for immediate action to restore what they argue are vital protections.After the get Fair About Farming campaign more than 100,000 people signed an e-petition urging retailers and their suppliers to treat British farmers more fairly. That triggered a parliamentary debate which took place in Westminster Hall this week. A fisherman who underwent gastric sleeve surgery to pass newly introduced medical requirements, says he's incredulous to hear the rules may now be changed.We often describe a farmer by the number of generations their family has been on the land. It's not unusual to speak to a fourth, fifth or even sixth generation; farming has long been a family business. That brings advantages and disadvantages. All week we've been talking about the family farm.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Co-op is launching a new scheme to encourage its beef producers to cut emissions. The Beef Sustainability Pilot, which will run for two years, will pay farmers who reduce the carbon footprint of the beef they rear. It'll initially cover up to10% of the beef supplied and could mean an extra payment to farmers of between 6 and 12p per kilo. The supermarket says the data will form part of its plans to be net zero by 2040.Since we left the EU, different agricultural policies are being developed and introduced at different speeds in all four nations of the UK. They are all, in their own ways, shifting towards rewarding farmers for benefiting the environment, rather than the old EU system which largely paid farmers based on the amount of land they farmed. We speak to four farmers from around the UK who are all part of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, a group "working to mainstream nature-friendly farming as the most sustainable way of producing food" to hear their views on the current policy landscape, and whether they're able to have an influence on the new schemes. All week we've been talking about family farms - the joys and the challenges of running a business with your closest relatives. For the younger generation taking over the business can be tricky, doubly so when it happens suddenly and unexpectedly, which is what happened to the Pollock family who farm in Fife. Claire Pollock now runs the farm while her mum and sister run the on site farm shop. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Billions of farm animals are transported around the world every year, both within the borders of individual countries and between them. An assessment of the welfare regulations surrounding animal transportation in different countries has found that livestock is not adequately protected while in transit. The research looked at policy relating to animal transport in the USA and Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the EU and the UK. Campaigners say urgent action is needed to give hedgerows legal protection. EU rules that governed all UK farmers in BPS or Basic Payment Schemes, were phased out at the end of 2023 and new ones to replace them aren't ready. Defra consulted with farmers last summer, but haven't published their plans yet. The Woodland Trust say they're concerned that in the meantime, habitats and wildlife could suffer if there aren't any limits on how and when hedges are cut back.We’re talking about family farms all this week, the highs, the lows and the whole culture of a family running a farming business together. The Laytons have been working their traditional family farm in Herefordshire for more than 60 years. But sadly that tradition looks about to end after farmer Richard Layton took his own life in spring last year. He was 53. Neither of his two children are expected to take over the farm. We speak to Richard’s family about their plans for the future.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

After a Westminster debate, prompted by an online petition with more than 110 thousand signatures, the farming minister has said the government's due to publish its new regulations on fairness in the dairy supply chain before Easter. The debate called for a fairer power balance between farmers and supermarkets and a change to the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.The National Farmers Union and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board have agreed to commission an independent review of farming assurance schemes - they say 'to ensure the schemes are fit for purpose'. The two groups acknowledge that the Red Tractor Scheme will be part of the review, and say that 25 years after its creation it is now time to re-assess it. Neonicotinoid pesticides were approved last week for emergency use, that's an exemption to a ban that's been in place in the UK and the EU since 2013. The chemicals are coated onto sugar beet seeds to make them resistant to a crop virus spread by aphids, called virus yellows. Environmental campaigners say they harm plants and insects and shouldn't be allowed. Now, scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich are using techniques similar to the Covid vaccines, to kill the sugar beet yellow virus directly in the plant, without interfering with the aphids that spread it, or having an impact on the wider environment. They've managed to create an anti-viral which binds itself to the RNA in the cell, which cleans out the disease.All week we're looking at family farms. Today we visit County Londonderry in Northern Ireland where hairdresser Kerry Glass stepped up to help run the farm after her father-in-law lost his sight.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

More than 100 thousand people have signed an online petition and triggered an MPs' debate about the way supermarkets deal with the farmers and producers who supply them. The campaign is calling for the Grocery Supply Code of Practice and the role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, the GCA, to be reformed.A group of poultry farmers have won a High Court case against the government's Animal & Plant Health Agency, over compensation for farmers whose flocks were affected by avian flu. The court ruled that the APHA had 'wrongly interpreted' the law under the avian influenza compensation scheme. The case was brought by the National Farmers Union who argued that the time taken between reporting an outbreak and the arrival of government staff to assess compensation, meant that many birds died before the APHA could get there, and so were not counted as part of the compensation.A fisherman who underwent gastric sleeve surgery to pass newly introduced medical requirements, says he's incredulous to hear the rules may now be changed. Brian Tapper from Plymouth says a high Body Mass Index put his career at sea in doubt, when the new health checks came into force in November. He spent £12,000 to have an operation so he could meet the weight requirements. Some of his colleagues have sold their boats. However, now the government has announced it is going hold a consultation on the requirements, without forcing small-scale fishers ashore. All this week on Farming Today we’re talking about family farms. But what happens when the next generation decides they don’t want to carry on the family tradition of farming? We visit a a farm in Llandeilo in Wales where they faced that problem, and find out how they solved it.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Government is doing too little, too slowly, to meet its own environmental ambitions and statutory commitments, according to a report published by the Office for Environmental Protection.Neonicotinoid pesticides have been approved for emergency use for the fourth year in a row. That's an exemption to a ban that's been in place in the UK and the EU since 2013. The seed treatment for sugar beet seed makes them resistant to a crop virus spread by aphids called virus yellows. Environmentalists say the pesticide poisons the soil and water courses, and affect plants and the bees that feed on them. Farmers say the regulations around them are stricter in the UK than in Europe but the way forward is to develop breeds of plant that are resistant to the aphids.Farmers warn that cuts to, and changes in, inspections at the Port of Dover raise the risk of animal disease being brought into the UK. The Government wants to cut the budget for spot checks for illegal meat in cars and coaches by 70%, and later this year plans to move the new post-Brexit inspections of commercial traffic from Dover to an inland site. The LAMMA Show took place in Birmingham this week with 600 exhibitors show casing the very latest in farm machinery and innovation, everything from specialist soil-aeration machinery to farm solar energy systems, and of course, enormous tractors.Drone tech is often touted as the next big thing in agriculture. But how useful is it? Plymouth University is working on a project to map biodiversity on farm using artificial intelligence.Kaleb Cooper, the star of the TV series "Clarkson's Farm" has recorded a rap to raise money for RABI - the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farmers warn that cuts to, and changes in, inspections at the Port of Dover raise the risk of animal disease being brought into the UK. The Government wants to cut the budget for spot checks for illegal meat in cars and coaches by 70%, and later this year plans to move the new inspections of commercial traffic from Dover to an inland site. These are the border controls which are being brought in post Brexit; they've been postponed five times but are due to start in April. Drone tech is often touted as the next big thing in agriculture. But how useful is it?What happens if we leave nature alone? That's the starting point for the first edition of a new programme here on BBC Radio 4 which starts later today: Rare Earth.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Government is doing too little, too slowly, to meet its own environmental ambitions and statutory commitments, according to a report published today. We hear from the Office for Environmental Protection. The LAMMA Show, taking place in Birmingham today, has 600 exhibitors showcasing the very latest in farm machinery and innovation, everything from specialist soil-aeration machinery to farm solar energy systems, and of course, enormous tractors. Birdwatchers from across the UK have been flocking to a Derbyshire beauty spot to catch a glimpse of an exotic visitor. There have been near record sightings of the colourful waxwing this winter. They’ve been seen in one spot in the Peak District in their largest numbers since way back in 1970.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

A member of the Welsh Senedd Mike Hedges suggests that subsidies for farmers could be used elsewhere. We hear reaction from farmers. The Scottish Government's admitted it won't be able to plant enough trees to meet its climate and nature targets, following cuts of £32 million to grants for planting new woodlands. This week, as farmers gather in Birmingham for the machinery show LAMMA, we're talking about the latest developments in field hardware. Methane is a particularly potent greenhouse gas, and is produced by cows burping and farting, but it's also produced by slurry. Using diesel-guzzling machinery in the field contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, so how about using methane from farm slurry to fuel tractors instead? Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The floodwater may have receded from much of the countryside - but now farmers are counting the cost. Over the past few months its been wet - and farmers across the country have been telling us what that means for their businesses One major supermarket, Tesco, has said it will be temporarily accepting smaller vegetables from farmers affected by flooding. It's relaxing its size requirements on cabbages, cauliflowers, leeks and sprouts. We spoke to a grower, and the British Growers Association for reaction. Farmers in Norfolk are meeting to discuss Bluetongue. There are now 50 cases of the disease in Kent and Norfolk, where control zones have been set up to try to limit the spread. Its a virus which is spread by biting midges - because of the warm Winter they've been active until quite recently - and it affects cattle, sheep, goats and deer. So far all the cases have been in animals which haven't showed any symptoms but have been picked up in blood tests. Phil Stocker, the Chief Executive of the National Sheep Association explains why farmers are meeting. It's LAMMA the massive farm machinery show which started in a field in Lincolnshire but now fills halls at the NEC in Birmingham. we'll be there later this week to see what new, and what's selling, and all week we're going look at farm machinery. to me that mainly means tractors and combines but Steven Howarth Agricultural Economist at the Agricultural Engineers Association points out, there is more to it than that.

Farmers in Germany have been protesting about plans to cut subsidies on diesel. The cuts were introduced to fix a budget row after the German's government's budget was ruled illegal. The proposal has now been watered down so the subsidy on agricultural fuel will be gradually phased out but that's done little to reassure farmers.The long running row over wild camping on Dartmoor continues. One of the landowners has won the right to appeal to the Supreme Court over a ruling, from the High Court, that wild camping is allowed on Dartmoor. He argued that camping shouldn't be allowed because it isn't 'open air recreation' - which is permitted under the Dartmoor Commons Act. Increasing the supply of green energy is one of the major targets for the UK to reach its climate commitments. Wind and solar farms both contribute to that but getting the power to where its needed means more pylons and underground cabling being built, often through rural areas and that's causing concern. All week on Farming Today we've been looking at animal feed. Soya has become a staple in feed - it's high protein and relatively cheap, but it's imported and can come from areas of deforestation so farmers are looking for alternatives. We visit a feed-manufacturer in Aberdeenshire producing a soy-free animal feed, using oil seed rape as a source of protein. Insects are another possible source of protein. Farmers in the EU can now use them in animal feed, but it's not yet allowed here in the UK. We've been to the labs of FERA Science in York to meet scientists researching the use of insects in animal feed.Robots and AI technology at the heart of a vertical farm in Lincolnshire growing British strawberries mid winter.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Walkers in England and Wales are being blocked or obstructed in nearly 32,000 places - and face what access campaigners call 'a shocking and growing abuse and neglect of footpaths'. A BBC investigation found that councils which have responsibility for footpaths had 4,000 more access issues last year than the year before. Councils say 'funding constraints' limit what they can do and the government says funding for local government has increased by 6.5% year on year and that local authorities are best placed to decide how that money is spent. The Ramblers say they're shocked at the number of obstructions and The Open Spaces Society says pleading austerity isn't good enough.All this week we've been looking at animal feed. Soya is a high protein and relatively cheap ingredient in many feeds but it can come from areas where forests have been cut down to make room to grow it. We visit a feed supplier in Aberdeen which produces an alternative using oil seed rape, and we speak to an academic who's been working on a project to improve the traceability of soya.Anna Hill meets three women from three different generations, working together to produce organic beef on a small farm in Suffolk. She hears how two of them are first-time farmers, brought into agriculture by circumstance. The farm manger, a single mother, used to work in a concrete factory, but took a job on the farm to make ends meet when she was out of work. She later recruited her niece. Meanwhile the farm owner, now in her 80s, still does the paperwork, pays the bills and runs the business. It's a tale of co-operation, compassionate animal welfare, and faith in the strength of women to get the job done.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Behind the scenes at the Food and Environment Research Agency or FERA where scientists are researching ways of using insects as an alternative source of protein in animal feed. We find out what the current regulations are and how they might change. What scientists plan to do with the waste from insects farmed for feed, and what are the challenge facing the scientists carrying out trials at the government's big laboratories outside York.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

As farmers contemplate thousands of hectares under water, the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology reports that Autumn rainfall, between September and November for the UK last year was 22% above average, followed by a December which saw 70% above average rainfall for central & northern England and eastern Scotland.  The government's announced help is available for flooded businesses and properties but farmers cannot insure against flooded crops and some have said they'll stop growing food on land that's repeatedly flooded. We speak to an expert about how farmers and government can better deal with flooding in the future.All week we're exploring the topic of animal feed. Today we hear from a farmer who's invested £30,000 in cages to protect his cattle feed from starlings. Giant flocks of the birds have been eating the grain Bryn Jones near Oswestry feeds his dairy herd. He estimates it's already saving him tens of thousands of pounds in lost feed and is helping protect his herd from disease - and improving the milk yield of his cows.We often hear that people want their food to be welfare friendly, sustainably produced and farmers to be paid fairly for it. Last year the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, or FFCC, launched a citizens' panel made up of a representative cross-section of the public, to hear what they want from government policy, to make healthy food available to all. We speak to Guy Singh-Watson, founder of the organic veg food box company Riverford, and Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive of FFCC, which carried out the survey. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside

From the Oxford Farming Conference, we hear from the Environment Secretary and his Labour shadow on food and farming in England. And from the Oxford Real Farming Conference, how big ag influences food and farming policy.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

On the first day of the Oxford Farming Conference and the Oxford Real Farming Conference, we talk about problems in the food supply chain and diversity in farming.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Rebecca Rooney.

The Oxford Real Farming Conference and the Oxford Farming Conference take place this week. They attract hundreds of people, connected to farming, conservation and rural policy-making. This year, the Oxford Farming Conference's theme is diversity and all week we'll be exploring how agriculture is bringing more diversity into the industry. Today we speak to Mike Duxbury who set up Inclusive Farm in Bedfordshire. It's thought to be unique in the UK, as the only one being run by a blind farmer.As the latest storm sweeps across the UK, farmers are counting the cost of months of wet weather. In Yorkshire some winter crops are already rotting, while many with livestock have seen grazing land turned to mud. We hear from a sheep farmer who's worried about the health of his flock - and the impact the weather could have on pregnant ewes.New rules have come in governing the packaging of English sparkling wine, meaning bottles will no longer have to have a mushroom-shaped cork with wire and foil closures, if the wine is semi-sparkling. However some manufacturers say they will stick with tradition, because customers still want to hear that pop. This year will see farmers receiving between 50 and 75 per cent less of their direct payments from government, as the transition from the pre-Brexit payment system switches to the new payments under the Environmental Land Management schemes. Even though farmers can apply for payments under the new scheme, many are still falling short. We hear from two farming families in the uplands who've diversified to help them overcome that.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Labour shortages have long been a problem for agricultural businesses, but there may be some light at the end of the tunnel - with an unexpected rise in the number of teenage girls opting for farming as a career choice. Rural colleges in Scotland are reporting that around half of all agricultural students are now girls. We meet some of the latest intake.Farmers and food processors are under increasing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint, in the face of climate change. Pilgrims, which produces nearly 30 percent of all UK pork on more than 300 farms, says it's made significant cuts to greenhouse gas emissions in its processing factories, while increasing sustainability on its farms. Anna Hill talks to the company's head of sustainability to find out what they've been doing to decarbonise the operation.A Lake District tweed is being made using wool from the flock of sheep at the RSPB’s Wild Haweswater site. The design was inspired by a ‘re-wiggled’ river.Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Emma Campbell

The art of ploughing the land and keeping a straight furrow has been a way of life in the British Isles for thousands of years, so much so that ploughing terms have become embedded in our language and culture; from pub names and church hymns to popular songs and the humble ploughman's lunch. While phrases such as ‘ploughing on’ and someone ‘ploughing a lonely furrow’ are second nature. Vernon Harwood visits the British National Ploughing Championships near Taunton to meet the people with a passion for ploughs and ploughing to discover why the task of turning the soil holds such a fascination. Along the way he meets the man who cares for a priceless collection of Victorian ploughs in Berkshire, a famous cheese-maker with a prized Gloucestershire Long Plough, a celebrated folk singer keeping forgotten plough songs alive and comes nose-to-muzzle with Sam and Tilly, the last working plough horses in Somerset. Archive material used in this programme: Speed The Plough: Moreton in Marsh Ploughing Competitions; BBC National Programme 30/09/1938 Gloucestershire Long Plough; Country Matters, BBC Radio Gloucestershire 30/03/2014Contributors: Dr Ollie Douglas, Sue Frith, Martin Horler, Jim Huntley, Trevor Johnstone, Alan Jones, John Kirkpatrick, Charles Martell, Deb Puxty, Simon Witty and Michael Wyman.Produced and presented by Vernon Harwood.

Deer specialist John Fletcher and his wife Nichola reflect on a life spent trying to educate the public on the merits of venison. Now working with a breeding herd of rare white-coloured red deer, they discuss the joys and challenges facing the sector.Produced and presented by Ruth Sanderson

Charlotte and Charlie Bennett are on a mission. Over the last four years they’ve been converting their ancient estate in Northumberland to how it would have been farmed in 1805. It’s all thanks to a long forgotten map from that year, which Charlie discovered in the Lit and Phil, a famous independent library in Newcastle. Drawn up when the land was owned by the Greenwich hospital in London, it revealed a landscape of pastures with ancient field names, and hedgerows and woodland that had long disappeared. Inspired also by the work of the engraver Thomas Bewick, who was illustrating wildlife in the same period, they decided they would recreate that landscape, taking the land out of arable and back to grass, putting all the ancient hedgerows back in and creating habitats for the species that would have been prevalent at the time. It’s a project which has seen astonishing results for wildlife, with species not seen for generations reappearing. Produced and presented by Jo Lonsdale

The Welsh Grand National is one of the biggest dates in the racing calendar and a favourite with those in rural communities. Many of its winners have gone on to success in the Aintree Grand National and The Gold Cup at Cheltenham, so today’s winner will be hoping for the same.Mariclare Carey-Jones presents this special episode of Farming Today from Chepstow Racecourse, home of the Welsh Grand National. She hears from the jockey who won last year’s race, and the trainer who is hoping to win for the first time this year.Produced and presented by Mariclare Carey-Jones

Saving the rainforest is great in principle - but what if to do it, you face driving a 10-mile road through the very forest you're trying to save? That was the dilemma facing conservationists at Loch Arkaig in the West Highlands, who wanted to extract non-native trees planted 70 years ago. However, with a bit of thinking outside the box and some canny engineering skills they built a very special barge to ship out the lumber and leave the forest undisturbed. Richard Baynes took a trip on it to find out more. Produced and presented by Richard Baynes

This year about eight million real Christmas trees have been sold in the UK. It’s impossible to imagine the festive season without the sight of a handsome Nordmann Fir or Norway Spruce covered in shiny baubles and twinkling lights. In this Christmas Day edition of Farming Today, Vernon Harwood visits the Yattendon Estate in Berkshire, following the journey of Christmas trees from planting to purchase.

Rural affairs budgets for next year are being cut by both the Scottish and Welsh governments. In Wales spending will fall by around 10% in comparison with this year's budget, while in Scotland agriculture faces an 8% cut. Both governments say the money is being "repurposed" to other areas like the NHS. The farming unions say it's disappointing,A damning report this week described NHS dentistry as being in 'perilous decline' across England, with a particular issue for people living in rural and coastal areas.We hear about The Archers' Christmas comedy night, called Gagriculture, mistletoe and the swede harvest, and the west country hip-hop singer who's championing farming.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Rural affairs budgets for next year are being cut by both the Scottish and Welsh governments. In Wales spending will fall by around 10% in comparison with this year's budget, while in Scotland agriculture faces an 8% cut. Both governments say the money is being "repurposed" to other areas like the NHS. Both also stress that BPS, the basic payment scheme which pays farmers directly based on the amount of land they farm, has been protected. While BPS is already being phased out in England with farmers now getting about half what they got in 2020, Scottish and Welsh farmers won't start that transition to new schemes until 2025. The turtle dove is always associated with Christmas because of the song, 'The 12 Days of Christmas'. In fact it's a summer visitor to the UK and has been on the RSPB's red list since 1996, meaning it's in decline and at risk of global extinction. Operation Turtle Dove was launched in 2012 and the RSPB has just reported that a record number of farmers are joining in, creating habitats for the birds.We hear about The Archers' Christmas comedy night, called Gagriculture! Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Nuffield Trust has published a damning report saying that NHS dentistry was in 'perilous decline' across England, particularly in rural and coastal areas, with many people struggling to enrol with NHS dentists. It's the last big push for farmers to get veg into the shops before Christmas, but it's been an incredibly difficult year for many root vegetable growers - with near drought followed by deluge. We catch up on the swede harvest in action.All this week, we’re looking at our farmers' contribution to Christmas trimmings, and today we hear about mistletoe and holly. Mistletoe grows naturally in the countryside, mainly in the South and West Midlands, and for more than 160 years it has been auctioned off in an annual sale in the town of Tenbury Wells on the Shropshire / Worcestershire border. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Marie Lennon.

Come the new year, it'll be an offence for farmers in Wales to kill or take a magpie. The change in the rules has been introduced after the bird moved onto the amber list of endangered birds, meaning the population has moderately declined and they're in an unfavourable conservation status. Natural Resources Wales says farmers who need to control magpies can apply for a specific licence. But the Countryside Alliance has criticised the decision saying NRW has bowed to campaigners' pressure and it will inevitably mean damage to crops and livestock.We’ve all heard stories of grotty grottoes and rotten reindeer, when Christmas experiences on wintry farms go wrong. So how do you avoid those pitfalls? One Scottish farm has turned a potential disaster into a successful Santa experience.Another government review of the supply chain has been announced, this time into fresh produce. It follows the review of the dairy sector and joins ongoing reviews into egg and pork supply chains. This follows concerns from farmers about the fairness of contracts and the prices they're paid for what they produce. The Secretary of State for the Environment, Steve Barclay, says it delivers on commitments made back in May at the Prime Minister's Farm to Fork Summit and that it's only fair that producers should be paid a fair price. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

An independent review has told Natural England it needs to completely change the way it engages with farmers on Dartmoor. It also says more cattle are needed for "conservation grazing" to help tackle the spread of purple moor grass and sheep farmers have been warned they'll need to demonstrate they can control their flocks and not let them overgraze areas of heather and dwarf shrubs. A Scottish nature reserve is training members of the local community to stalk deer at Creag Meagaidh in the Highlands. NatureScot says community models of deer management are common in many European countries, but this is the first time it has been tried on publicly owned land in Scotland.Applications are now open for a new £4 million Smaller Abattoir Fund. The fund is to enable abattoirs in England to improve productivity, enhance animal health and welfare, and will allow farmers to add value to their meat and encourage innovation. Abattoirs will be able to apply for funding of up to £60,000. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust welcomed that announcement - they said the network of of small abattoirs had been in sustained serious decline, and the fund offered a lifeline. All this week we've been looking at the future for rare breeds, among them North Ronaldsay sheep from the Orkney Islands and the endangered Welsh Pig.The forestry industry is using drones to drop microscopic worms or nematodes onto trees, to control pests. Foresters say it helps them reach areas that machinery can't.A virtual world is being used to get children interested in conservation. The Crown Estate has teamed up with Microsoft to create a version of the very popular world-building game Minecraft, based on Windsor Great Park. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Government launches its plan to protect 30% of land in England for the environment by 2030, but the NFU is concerned about the impact on farmers.A community deer-stalking scheme in Scotland could become a template for more initiatives. We’re looking at rare breeds all this week, and today we hear how the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme is proposing to encourage and support people interested in farming with rare breeds. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The government's published an independent review into the management of protected sites on Dartmoor. Earlier this year, there was an almost complete breakdown in the relationship between farmers and commoners on Dartmoor and Natural England, the body that advises the government on the natural environment. Dartmoor National Park, around two thirds the size of Greater London, is classified as a European Special Area of Conservation and 62 percent of the area falls within Sites of Special Scientific Interest, but much land on those sites is in poor condition. We speak to a Dartmoor farmer and the Natural England's director for the south west.We're all starting to think about our Christmas dinner vegetables, but there are warnings that prices could be higher in the shops this year. Storms and heavy rain have contributed to reported record low-yields of cauliflowers and broccolli in some areas. Meanwhile potatoes could be in shorter supply come the Spring. We report from a Cornish potato farm.The government has announced applications are now open for a new£4 million pound Smaller Abattoir Fund. The fund is to enable abattoirs in England to improve productivity, enhance animal health and welfare, and will allow farmers to add value to their meat and encourage innovation. Abattoirs will be able to apply for funding of up to £60,000.We’ve talking about rare native breeds all this week. Glyn Canol Old Farm near Welshpool in Powys is something of a rare farm because all its animals are rare breeds - from the goats and sheep to the chickens and cows. We find out why the farmers there have chosen rare breeds over commercial stock and whether rare breeds can be commercially viable.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Anna Hill

For the first time, agriculture and its impact on climate change, was on the official agenda at the COP28 Summit in Dubai, which has just ended. While much of the debate about the final statement from the event has centred around reductions in the use of fossil fuels, progress was made on the role of agriculture. More than 120 countries signed a pledge to include agriculture in their national climate change equations, and ensure changes in agricultural practices are part of their plans for reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the impacts of global warming.A new study covering thousands of species has analysed how many plants and insects are now out of kilter with the seasons. The University of Oxford and the Chinese Academy of Sciences has looked at data covering the last 34 years across Europe, much of it gathered by citizen scientists. We speak to one of the authors about how particular crops are affected when nature is out of sync.All week we're talking about rare breed farm animals. The Suffolk Punch is the oldest breed of heavy horse and according to the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, all modern Suffolks are descended from just one horse which was born in 1768. There are currently 200 breeding mares today, but back in 1966 there were just nine Suffolk foals registered. Presenter = Anna Hill Producers = Rebecca Rooney & Marie Lennon

Next year could see drones being used for the first time to drop microscopic worms on trees, to protect them from harmful insects. The worms, or nematodes, are natural predators of damaging insects and the forest industry is developing ways of controlling pests as pesticides it currently relies on are phased out.Another outbreak of Bluetongue has been recorded in Norfolk making a total of 11 cases in England. Stock on six different premises, in Kent and Norfolk have been affected. There are restrictions on moving animals in the protection zones and farmers say its difficult to find abattoirs to process their animals within those zones. We speak to a beef farmer who remembers a big outbreak which affected farms across Europe in 2007.All week we're looking at rare breeds. The North Ronaldsay are one of the UK’s oldest and rarest breeds of sheep. They're shaggy and small and can often be found grazing on seaweed along the coast of the northernmost of the Orkney Islands, which they’re named after. But more recently farmers on the UK mainland have taken to keeping the breed which is listed as a priority by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer =Rebecca Rooney

British Sugar says it may put negotiations over the price it'll pay farmers next year into arbitration. The NFU says the costs of that would outstrip the cost of the issues they can't agree on. There has been a long running row over prices for sugar beet next year. Talks broke down in the autumn and then British Sugar wrote directly to growers with an offer that hadn't been agreed by the NFU. The main issue causing the problem at the moment, is the futures price - while most sugar beet is sold on fixed price annual contracts, a small amount is sold on a futures contract and the two side can't agree on the details How do you get youngsters interested in conservation?  The property owner the Crown Estate, thinks one way is video games.  It has teamed up with Microsoft to make a version of Minecraft - a game of virtual worlds - based on Windsor Great Park.  All week we're looking at rare breeds. It's 50 years since the Rare Breeds Survival Trust was set up, when traditional breeds of farm animal were being ousted by European or new commercial breeds. Things are looking much brighter for native varieties, but while their popularity has grown, there are concerns about the availability of local abattoirs and hopes that native breeds will attract payments in England's Environmental Land Management Schemes, and their counterparts being developed in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Food security is a public good and the Government should use England's post Brexit environmental payment system to incentivise it; so say MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee in a report out this week. This year food and farming has been on the official COP agenda for the first time. It's taken 28 years but tomorrow will see a full day of the COP dedicated to food and farming, a 'game changer' according to the hosts in Dubai. It's been a difficult week for many farmers, with torrential rain and heavy snowfalls, especially in Cumbria. Andrea Meanwell farms in the Howgills and has a herd of Belted Galloway cattle. She went out to find them when the snow came down, and had to go on foot when the diesel in her all terrain vehicle froze.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Food Security is a public good and the government should use England's post-Brexit environmental payment system to incentivise it - so say MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee in a new report. Food was excluded when the new system of public money for public goods was introduced - the argument being that the market rewards farmers for growing food and public money should be used to reward them for other services, like improving soil or planting trees. This report though, says the Environmental Land Management Schemes or ELMs, should be used to encourage a shift 'towards a resilient food system while also balancing environmental change'. The MP who chairs the committee says the government shouldn't take food security for granted.Fishermen in the south west of England have been catching and selling bluefin tuna as part of a new pilot fishery. Seven licences have been issued in Cornwall, two in Devon and one in Scotland. The fish weigh around 250 kilograms and can sell for several thousand pounds. The trial has been extended until the end of the year because of bad weather, but some conservationists are concerned. COP28 has for the first time this year, had more emphasis on food and farming - and so more farmers are there to put forward their views. From US ranchers to European farmers and smallholders from Milawi. We've been speaking to two young famers from the World Farmers' Organisation who have been at COP to put forward the youth voice in agriculture - an organic apple grower from Italy and a poultry farmer from Zimbabwe.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

$50 million of new investment to 'accelerate agriculture and food innovations' has been announced at COP28. This is part of AIM, the Agriculture Innovation Mission for climate, a global coalition set up at COP26 and led by the USA and the UAE. It aims to get more money into climate smart ag and new technologies to adapt to and mitigate climate change. The AIM for Climate Innovation Sprint launched in Africa earlier this year has been expanded and we speak to the special envoy for global food security at the US State Department.North East Kent is under restrictions after cases of bluetongue have been confirmed. The last outbreak in the UK was in 2007, but a temporary control zone which was introduced at the end of last month, has now been extended after more cases were found. Bluetongue is a notifiable disease which is spread by biting midges - it affects cattle, sheep and goats - and while their milk and meat is safe for humans to eat, the disease can have a significant impact on the animals. A community in Pembrokeshire is rallying round to buy a farm. Locals are being invited to buy shares in Clynfyw Care Farm which helps people with learning disabilities and mental health issues. Its goal is to become a community asset and sell shares to locals, but five hundred and fifty thousand pounds is needed to secure its future.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer - Rebecca Rooney

All week we're taking the temperature of the COP 28 climate summit in Dubai. While there's been criticism of attendance by oil, coal and gas industries, for the first time food production and distribution have also been on the agenda.  Farmers around the world have experienced the impact of extreme weather on their production - it's just one of the reasons why food prices across the globe have risen. A report by the think-tank The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, shows climate change, coupled with the energy crisis, has pushed up the UK's food bill by £17 billion since 2021.  We report from a farm in Surrey where a change in climate has made food production more costly and speak to a professor of agriculture and food systems at the University of Edinburgh who's just back from the COP28 summitPolice in the Thames Valley have bought off-road motorbikes to help them chase criminals across fields and green lanes, and other places where cars can't go. The force has invested £120,000 in three bikes and other equipment that can be used in hard-to-reach hotspots.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

All week we're discussing the issues raised around food production at the COP28 summit in Dubai. It's the first time farming and food production have been included in the summit's remit. The food system as a whole, including agriculture, accounts for nearly 30% of greenhouse gases globally. We speak to The Global Alliance for the Future of Food - a group of philanthropic institutions which has been campaigning to bring food production into the debate on climate change, for many years.We also visit a vertical farm which says it can increase food production while limiting the impact on the environment. Fischer Farms grows layers of crops indoors under LED lighting at its £37 million plant in Norfolk. They say that on a four-acre footprint, they can produce the same quantity of rocket, watercress and basil as on 1000 acres out in the field. The Home Secretary has announced the salary needed to qualify for a skilled worker visa is being raised by a third, to £38,700. The decision will affect manager level agriculture-related jobs. There will be a review of 'shortage lists' - that's the list of jobs where there is a shortage of workers, which includes vets. The Migration Advisory Committee has been asked to review the occupations on the shortage list and a new immigration salary list will be created with a reduced number of occupations. The changes do not affect seasonal workers.Farmers and rural communities have been rallying round to help people stuck in snow in the Lake District. We speak to one farmer who's helped to clear roads and move fallen trees and another who walked for hours to check on her cattle after diesel froze in her all-terrain vehicle.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farming and food is on the official COP agenda for the first time. It's taken 28 years but there is now a declaration from COP on the future of food, the Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action. All this week we'll be looking at what that means for agriculture and at some of the action being taken on farms here in the UK to reduce farming's environmental and climate impact. The COP declaration was signed by 134 world leaders and means they have promised to consider greenhouse gas emissions from food and agriculture in their national plans to combat climate change. There are no targets and no mention of how countries will tackle the emissions related to food production. Christmas may be just around the corner but there's little seasonal cheer in the fishing community. It seems likely that the government will very soon announce a complete ban on fishing for pollock, one of the key species on which fishing livelihoods in the South West of England are based. In a very strongly-worded letter to the Fishing Minister, the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation says the move would be catastrophic and swiftly lead to people going out of business. 'The worst year we have ever known', that’s what many farmers are saying about 2023, and while this year is drawing to a close the impact of failed or ruined crop will of course have an impact of next year.  Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Acute and overlooked - that's how the rural charity, the CPRE, describes the shortage of affordable housing in the English countryside in a report out this week. It says rural homelessness has risen by 40% in the last five years, driven by record house prices, long waiting lists for social housing and a proliferation of second and holiday homes. 34 new Landscape Recovery projects have been announced this week. This is part of the Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) which are replacing the EU's Common Agriculture Policy in England. Landscape Recovery, as the name suggests, is work on a grand scale, giving farmers and land managers the opportunity to co-design a plan to provide environmental and climate benefits across a whole landscape. These latest projects will involve more than 700 farmers and landowners working over 200,000 hectares and have been given £25 million between them. This is the second round of projects - 22 pilot projects were given the go-ahead to develop plans last year. We visit three of them to find out how they're coming along.And we speak to 2 of the UK's Food and Drink Attaches. A job selling British food and drink round the world sounds rather glamourous - in fact its more about tackling trade barriers than wining and dining. The UK's has 11 Agri-Food Attaches based in embassies and consulates around the world - 5 more will be added next year. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Baked beans on our toast could soon be British-grown, following a UK initiative between scientists and farmers. Although they've long been a family favourite, until now the beans in baked beans can't be grown in this country, so they've been imported from North America, China and Ethiopia. Following years of research, new varieties of haricot beans have been developed to suit the UK climate, reducing our reliance on importing them. Farmers here can use them as a break crop in a cereal rotation, because they fix nitrogen in the soil. All week we've been travelling around England to see some of the 22 pilot schemes for Landscape Recovery. These are the most ambitious environmental projects in the Government's post-Brexit farm policy – different schemes are being designed in the other home nations. This week, the Government announced a further 34 projects, and say that together the schemes involve more than 700 farmers and landowners across 200,000 hectares. One of the projects, the North East Cotswolds Farmer Cluster, is based around the catchment of the River Evenlode in West Oxfordshire, and aims to reduce flooding by changing the way the land is managed across three and half thousand hectares.What does an American oil man do in retirement? The answer isn’t always cruises, Florida and golf. Phil Close has turned to the hard graft of raising beef cattle on the hills above the South Ayrshire coast. Phil and his daughter Heather are doing it differently: raising smaller, all-grass-fed animals that stay in the fields all winter, even as storms howl in off the Irish sea. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Climate Scientists, politicians, big business, food companies and agriculture leaders have all gathered for the COP28 climate summit in Dubai. Discussions will be deep and meaningful, so we were rather surprised to be sent a colourful poster, published by an online casino site. It has a timeline showing what the effects would be if everyone in the UK cut out meat, for just one day a week. The poster shows the progression through the decades, from an increase in eating plant based foods, to fewer emissions from less livestock. How was this work done? The whole thing was generated by the AI tool, ChatGPT. We ask emeritus professor of food policy at City University in London, Tim Lang, what he thought of it.All week we're travelling around England to see some of the 22 pilot schemes for landscape recovery. They’re part of the Government’s post-Brexit farm policy; different schemes are being designed in the other home nations. Today, we're in Dorset in Poole Harbour which focuses on improving water quality to benefit birds, wildlife, farmland and people.Farmers are facing very different ways to fund what they do, especially when providing environmental goods, whether that be under government schemes or providing carbon offsetting for private companies. To achieve that backing, farmers have to prove they are making a difference and that means they must measure what they are doing. Anna Hill went to a Agri-TechE gathering, an organisation that connects farmers, growers, technologists and entrepreneurs. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Government is due to announce new funding for National Parks in England along with plans to identify an area for a new National Park. This follows news that new community forests will be created in Derbyshire and the Tees Valley...with a competition also held for a new National Forest as well. So will more community forests and a woodland competition help meet - or at least get nearer reaching - tree planting targets? The Woodland Trust says that while it will draw attention, what's really needed are long term commitments. The Landscape Recovery programme in England is billed by DEFRA as taking 'a radical and large scale approach to environment and climate goods'. We visit the border between Devon and Dorset where just over thirty farmers are signed up for a project which aims to keep agriculture productive whilst lessening its impact on the River Axe.And the Welsh Government is facing calls to prove its commitment to farmers and maintain the rural affairs budget next year. It follows cuts to that budget this year and the ending of the Glastir scheme in a month's time. Glastir pays farmers for environmental work and will be replaced by the Habitat Wales scheme. The Welsh Government says that will cover more farms. But some farmers say the payments under Habitat Wales will be much lower than what they got under Glastir.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Swine flu has been diagnosed in pigs on 33 farms in the UK so far this year. But now, it's been diagnosed in a human. The person, in North Yorkshire, is now fully recovered after what's described as a 'mild illness', but the UK Health Security Agency is investigating. We ask what this means for pig farmers, and the rest of us.The CPRE, the Countryside Charity, describes the shortage of affordable housing in the English countryside as "acute and overlooked" in a report out today. It says rural homelessness has risen by 40% in the last five years, driven by record house prices, long waiting lists for social housing and a proliferation of second and holiday homes. And we visit the Brecklands in East Anglia. It's an unusual landscape covering 400 square miles across Norfolk and Suffolk which, despite having poor soil, is an growing veg, pigs, sheep and free range poultry - along side being home to 12,000 wild plants and rare birds like the nightjar and the stone curlew. Now, a group of more than 50 Breckland farmers have joined together to take part in a Government funded Landscape Recovery Scheme, to try and improve the habitats there.Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The UK has planted 13,000 hectares of trees this year - that's less than half of the annual target of 30,000 hectares, and 7,000 down on last year. The figures come in the latest annual 'UK Forest Market report' from Tilhill and Goldcrest - two companies which plant and manage woodlands. They say that for the first time in almost a decade the value of commercial forestry has dropped - by between 10 and 20% - and that while people value things made from wood they don't value commercial forestry. We visit a Landscape Recovery Scheme in the Lake District. Landscape Recovery is part of the Environmental Land Management Schemes which are replacing the EU's Common Agriculture Policy in England. Other schemes are being designed by the devolved Governments. Landscape Recovery is work on a grand scale, giving farmers and land managers the opportunity to co-design a plan to provide environmental and climate benefits across a whole landscape. And we hear from two of the UK's Food and Drink Attaches. A job selling British food and drink round the world might sound rather glamourous - in fact it's more about tackling trade barriers than wining and dining. The UK's has 11 agri-food attaches based in Embassies and Consulates around the world - 5 more will be added next year. These jobs were created after criticism of the UK's lack of emphasis on food exports. Other countries have had such roles for many years. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Regenerative agriculture is seen by some as the future of farming; we discuss the hope and the hype. Joining the discussion are regen Shropshire farmer Michael Kavanaugh, part of the Green Farm Collective which recently won the Farming for the Future category at the BBC Food and Farming Awards; Helen Browning, an organic farmer in Wiltshire and Chief Executive of the Soil Association which champions organic farming; and Professor Mario Caccamo, CEO and Director of NIAB, the National Institute of Agricultural Botany, which describes itself as the UK’s fastest growing crop science organisation. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Roughly two thirds of ponds in England and Wales have been lost since the late 19th century, mainly because they’ve been filled in or drained so the land can be farmed, and unlike in the 19th century, they’re not needed to water working horses any more. Now, scientists at University College London - along with the Norfolk Ponds Project and the Freshwater Habitats Trust - have produced a new guide to help farmers and landowners restore and maintain ponds. Kelvin Fletcher won Strictly Come Dancing in 2019, but before that he spent 20 years playing fictional farmer Andy Sugden in the ITV farming soap Emmerdale. He grew up in Oldham and, along with his wife Liz, who’s also an actor, was a self-confessed townie. Until, in 2020, they bought a 120 acre farm on the edge of the Peak District. Caz Graham visits the farm to meet the family, along with their rare breed pigs. And one big attraction of regenerative farming is that it can save farmers money. It focuses on improving soil health, and means using fewer artificial inputs. Spend less on fertiliser and manufactured feed, and production costs go down. Some are now starting to find ways to market their produce at a premium. Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

After the Chancellor's Autumn Statement, Caz Graham hears from a range of experts about what it contains for farm businesses and the countryside. For many people a sticking point in regenerative farming is the herbicide glyphosate. It’s used to kill weeds and cover crops before planting new seeds, so removing the need to plough. But there are concerns about the impact of glyphosate on both human and soil health. We ask which is worse or better - ploughing or glyphosate? Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Soft fruit growers say they are scaling back future investment plans because retailers are not paying enough for their produce. That's according to British Berry Growers - the industry body representing the majority of British berry farmers. It's just recently held meetings with supermarkets after a survey of members found 80% of those who took part felt they 'no longer have a partnership with UK supermarkets.' It seems Hollywood has become enamoured with the idea of regen-ag, with a slew actors and activists declaring that it is the answer to tackling climate change. We hear from former actor, Ian Somerhalder, whose the Executive Producer of "Common Ground" and "Kiss the Ground". And are you familiar with Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or AONB's? Apparently not that many people are. Now, the AONB's across England and Wales are all coming under the simpler banner of National Landscapes. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The shipworm is a bi-valve mollusc - like an oyster or a mussel - which is known as a marine pest because it eats through sea-water submersed wood. Now, scientists at Cambridge and Plymouth Universities have developed a system for farming them, in a highly controlled environment using waste wood for feed. To make them a more appealing meal, they're re-branding the shipworm as a Naked Clam! Rothamsted Research is renowned for its Broad Baulk field crop experiment which is celebrating its 180th anniversary this year. Now, a new long term field trial is being developed, looking at Regenerative Farming. There is no agreed definition, but generally speaking regenerative agriculture focuses on improving soil health by reducing or removing cultivation, growing cover crops and using fewer chemical inputs. It can also involve re-integrating livestock into an arable system. And the Welsh government has commissioned Natural Resources Wales to evaluate the case for a fourth national park, in the North East. Three Parks already exist - Eryri, The Pembrokeshire Coast, and Bannau Brycheiniog. We hear from people living and working in the proposed new park area about what it could mean for them. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol

Known as 'black gold', cuttlefish is one of the most valuable species for fishing fleets in the South West of England. The Government is proposing new rules to safeguard numbers of the species but fishermen claim they could see 40% of their catch, and millions of pounds, lost without any real benefit to cuttlefish stocks. The proposal is to set a minimum landing size of 23 cm so any cuttlefish smaller than that would get thrown back. But cuttlefish don’t live very long if they’re out of water and so by the time they are measured and thrown back they’d most likely be dead. Regenerative agriculture has become a real buzz phrase in farming over the last decade. Very broadly speaking it’s farming in a way that improves the soil, by removing or reducing ploughing and artificial fertiliser, using fewer resources for the benefit of the environment. It has farmers flocking to events like Groundswell, Carbon Calling in Cumbria and the Oxford Real Farming Conference to exchange ideas. Global food and farming businesses like Nestle, McDonalds and Unilever say they’re doing it too. All this week we’re going to be looking into regenerative farming: what is it, who is doing it and why. A fungus that’s extremely rare in the UK has been found in Kent. Artomyces pyxidatus, also known as candelabra coral, was discovered by enthusiasts who weren’t sure what it was. Kent Wildlife Trust says it was thought to have become extinct, with no record of it in the entire 20th Century. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The widespread use of fake evidence in planning applications from livestock farms may have led to increased water pollution in Northern Ireland, including the toxic blue-green algae we reported on this summer in Lough Neagh. That’s according to the Belfast based investigative journalism network, The Detail. Since 2015 farmers in Northern Ireland wanting to build new sheds to house livestock like pigs and poultry have had to submit soil samples to show their land will be able to absorb the extra animal waste, or slurry, without it running off into rivers and causing pollution. The Detail’s investigation says that the Northern Ireland Environment Agency found that between 2015 and 2022, 87 percent of those samples - that’s more than a hundred - were fabricated or doctored to get around planning regulations. After weeks of heavy rainfall, we join one farmer trying to harvest sprouts in a quagmire. And presenter, Caz, braves the cold water to meet a group of swimmers as they travel from "source to sea" along the River Eden in Cumbria. Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Farmers who continually have bovine TB outbreaks on their farms should ‘find another business’. That was what Labour Welsh Senedd member Joyce Watson suggested on the floor of the Senedd earlier this week. Ms Watson was responding to a statement from the Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths about bovine TB. The Welsh Government published a new 5 year eradication plan for bovine TB earlier this year and the Minister was updating members on progress, announcing increased testing responsibilities from February next year. This Sunday sees the first screening of a short film about a long distance swim from ‘source to sea’ along Cumbria’s River Eden. It’s part of the session on outdoor swimming at the Kendal Mountain Festival and was undertaken by a familiar voice on this programme, common land and uplands expert, Julia Aglionby. Her aim was not just to enjoy the swim but assess the health of the river. All this week we're talking about brassicas. Mustard is a specialist crop, mainly grown in the east of England for the company Colman’s. The majority of mustard seed that’s used in Europe is brown seed, grown in Canada and last year drought there caused a shortage. The mustard grown in England tends to be a white seed, but now work is underway to enable English farmers to grow a new overwintered brown seed so the mustard market can be less reliant on Canada. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The widespread use of fake evidence in planning applications from livestock farms may have led to increased water pollution in Northern Ireland, including the toxic blue-green algae we reported on this summer in Lough Neagh. That’s according to the Belfast based investigative journalism network, The Detail. Since 2015 farmers in Northern Ireland wanting to build new sheds to house livestock like pigs and poultry have had to submit soil samples to show their land will be able to absorb the extra animal waste, or slurry, without it running off into rivers and causing pollution. A planning expert tells us there are systemic failures in environmental protection in Northern Ireland. Heavy rainfall in recent weeks has turned many fields into quagmires, making the harvesting of vegetables a particular challenge and that includes brassicas which we’re talking about all this week on the programme. T.H. Clements is one of the country's largest suppliers of brassicas, with 11,000 acres in Lincolnshire and another 1,000 in Cornwall. Our reporter Bob Walker's been seeing how workers are currently braving the mud to bring in the sprout harvest. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farmers in Northern Ireland have been left wondering what's next after a proposal to cull badgers to prevent the spread of bovine TB was quashed by a court last month, which found the consultation behind the cull was flawed. At the time, the Ulster Farmers’ Union described the decision as "a major blow for livestock farmers"...saying it could now "take years before the issue of the TB reservoir in wildlife is addressed." The Northern Ireland Badger Group - which brought the legal challenge alongside Wild Justice - said "a farmer-led cull would inflict immense suffering on great numbers of healthy badgers." Farmers in England are being warned that even if they take up multiple options to 'stack' Government payments for environmental work under the new post-Brexit support scheme, they will not receive the same amount of funding they used to get, under the EU's Basic Payments Scheme. That's according to new research by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, which found taking up multiple payments can bring stability to farm incomes, but that farmers have to judge how much it might cost them to take up the work, before committing to it. And brassica crops like cabbages or cauliflowers face many challenges in the field. Pests, diseases and the weather can all reduce yields and affect their quality, which can cause farmers to lose income. We hear from scientists at the University of Warwick, who have been working to develop new varieties which can be more resistant to difficult weather conditions, disease and pests. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has new boss - former Health Secretary, Steve Barclay. The appointment comes after Therese Coffey stepped down during the Prime Minister's reshuffle. We get the low down on the new Secretary of State, and consider what he will bring to the Department. Simon Naylor produces white, red and pink cabbages in South Lincolnshire, which are sold whole in supermarkets, but also go into a huge range of pre-prepared lines, including coleslaw, stir-fry mixes and salads. But as much as 35 percent of each white cabbage is wasted, with tonnes of outer leaves thrown away every year. So, he's developed a plan to use the waste and transform it into new food ingredients. And Wildlife Trusts on both sides of the Wales-England border are working together in a new project which aims to restore habitats for wildlife and tackle the consequences of climate change. The Trusts say the "Wilder Marches" project can also support farmers to carry out environmental actions to increase biodiversity on their land. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Campaigners have launched a legal challenge to the Government over the rules about fertilising farmland with sludge from sewage works. The group alleges it’s abandoned its pledge to protect farmland from harmful chemicals. All week we're talking about brassicas; and today it's cauliflowers. Phil Collins grows veg across 150 acres, just north of Devizes in Wiltshire, with 20 acres of brassicas. One of the biggest ever dam removals has been completed in Aberdeenshire. The Garlogie dam was built as part of a now defunct local hydro electric scheme in the 1920s. Its demolition opens up part of the River Dee to Atlantic salmon for the first time in more than 100 years. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Government has intervened in an increasingly furious row between British Sugar and the National Farmers' Union over the price farmers will be paid for sugar beet next year. The future for fruit and veg growers is bleak, according to a report from the House of Lords Horticulture Committee. It calls on the Government to 'safeguard the sector.' and warns that British growers are being squeezed out by cheaper imports and that horticulture, worth £5 billion a year to the British economy, is underappreciated by policymakers. Agriculture's greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon-dioxide-versus-methane debate. All week we've been looking at the impact of bird flu. It continues to spread across the world, killing both wild birds and farmed poultry. It's been reported in more than 80 countries now. Bio-security on farms is tight, we visit a free-range egg producer to see the lengths poultry keepers are going to, to protect their birds from the virus. It's been a challenging few weeks for farmers with Storm Babet and Storm Ciarán bringing exceptional amounts of rainfall to different parts of the UK. The flooding has washed away newly sown crops, and the soil they were in. Farmers are having to decide whether to replant or not. With volatile weather events happening more regularly, do we need to think differently about how land is managed in flood-prone areas? Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

We look at agriculture's greenhouse gas emissions, and the carbon-dioxide-versus-methane debate. Some farmers argue that cattle numbers don't have to come down in order to reduce agriculture's emissions because the methane cattle produce lasts only for about a decade in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide on the other hand, lasts for thousands of years and so, the argument goes, it's more important to produce less of that, leaving cattle on pasture which itself can sequester CO2. We bring together two academics - Professor Myles Allen and Professor Sir Charles Godfray - who are both quoted to support the arguments on either side of the debate. Now the two Oxford professors have agreed a way forward, which involves reducing methane levels and reducing global temperatures. The risk of avian influenza in wild birds has been officially reduced from high to medium after a reduction in the number of cases - in kept poultry the risk remains low. We're looking at the impact of avian flu all week. For farmers it can be devastating and it is changing the way they produce poultry. Conservationists want more research into wild bird populations, where tens of thousands of birds have died. We visit a nature reserve in Scotland and speak to the RPSB's senior policy officer on avian flu. A new £1 million pound dairy export programme's been launched by the government. It was promised by the Prime Minister at the farm-to-fork Summit in May. Currently the UK exports about £2 billion of dairy products every year, to 135 countries. A new dairy export task force, with farmers, processors and government is looking at reducing 'barriers to trade' and opening up more markets. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Government has intervened in an increasingly furious row between British Sugar and the National Farmers' Union over the price farmers will be paid for sugar beet next year. Some turkey farmers are bringing forward their Christmas plans in an effort to beat bird flu. As we reported, this time last year many were dealing with outbreaks on their farms and though this year (so far) there have been fewer cases, turkey farmers are taking extra measures to protect flocks. We hear a warning of the impact of the Government's decision to ban the export of live animals for slaughter. This was proposed but then dropped by the Government back in May. It's now been revived and appeared in the King's speech earlier this week. The Farmers' Union of Wales says it is not good news for farmers. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

It's been a challenging few weeks for farmers with Storm Babet and Storm Ciarán bringing exceptional amounts of rainfall to different parts of the UK. The flooding has washed away newly sown crops, and the soil they were in. Farmers are having to decide whether to replant or not. With volatile weather events happening more regularly, do we need to think differently about how land is managed in flood-prone areas? All week we're looking at bird flu. We still have outbreaks occurring, although much less frequently than this time last year. But the devastation for farmers whose flocks died, still hurts. Nancy Nicolson has been to speak to Donald MacSween, a crofter on the Isle of Lewis who, for the past decade, has run a commercial flock of hens supplying eggs to shops across the island. But this summer his remaining birds fell victim to the disease. There is growing evidence that getting out into nature can play an important role in improving mental and physical health - according to NHS England. Green social prescribing activities are being offered as an alternative form of treatment as part of a cross government programme, lead by Natural England. One project at Blenheim Estate, is being supported by research from Oxford University. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Wildlife police officers are sometimes choosing not to investigate suspected bird of prey crimes because of a fear of complaints and online abuse. That's according to Chief Inspector Kevin Kell, head of the UK's National Wildlife Crime Unit. The issue of tackling crimes against birds of prey can get tied up with the debate around legal game shooting, and Chief Inspector Kelly says the animosity surrounding the debate, puts some officers off getting involved. All week we're taking stock of avian flu. Since 2021 the disease has hit wild and farmed birds very hard and it's still at large. The situation so far this year is better than last year, and research carried out by a consortium of British universities and the Animal and Plant Health Agency under the FluMap Project, revealed that the virus doesn't spread between poultry farms in the air, and that spread from farm to farm has been very rare. We ask Professor Ian Brown, Scientific Services Director at the APHA, what the group is looking at next. Scientists are developing peas which will be at least ten times higher in iron, so vegetarian and vegan consumers can increase the iron in their diets, without eating meat. The research was started more than 30 years ago, but with the sequencing of the pea genome in 2019 and the arrival of gene editing, scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have been able to find out how to make peas more iron-rich without damaging the plant itself. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The future for fruit and veg growers is bleak, according to a report out today. It comes from the House of Lords Horticulture Committee and calls on the Government to 'safeguard the sector.' The report warns that British growers are being squeezed out by cheaper imports and that horticulture, which is worth £5 billion a year to the British economy, is underappreciated by policymakers. Its recommendations include reviving the Government's horticulture strategy for England and more urgently reviewing fairness in the supply chain. This week we're looking at the impact of avian influenza or bird flu as it's more commonly known. It continues to spread across the world, killing both wild birds and farmed poultry. It's been reported in more than 80 countries now. Here the RSPB says 77 wild bird species have been affected and tens of thousands of birds have died. For farmers too it has been devastating, with whole flocks of birds dying or being culled. But so far this winter there have been fewer outbreaks and housing orders, where all poultry has to be kept inside, haven't been introduced. That doesn't mean everyone can relax; Victoria Elwess runs a free range unit in Lincolnshire. Her plans to expand have been put on hold because of rising costs and fears around bird flu. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Government is reviewing what can be fed to livestock in the UK. Farmed insects are a potentially source of protein for pigs and poultry, which could replace imported feeds like soya that are linked to deforestation. But processed insect feed is currently banned for livestock in the UK. The concern here, is that insects can be disease vectors, particularly if reared on waste, and that using insect proteins could lead to outbreaks of diseases like BSE. But British insect farmers want the law changed and more flexibility allowed on what insects bred for fodder can eat. The Government is launching a review into fairness in the egg supply chain. Last Spring egg producers warned that retailers weren't paying enough for their eggs and that was forcing producers to cut back the number of laying hens or give up altogether. That - combined with the pressure of avian flu - led to shortages on supermarket shelves and an increase in imports from places like Italy and Poland. Since then, prices farmers are getting for their eggs have risen by as much as fifty percent, and many are now achieving a profit, but farmers say contracts need to be fairer to prevent future shortages. And why is Lynx Africa a vital bit of kit for sheep farmers? We hear from one shepherdess about it's use in calming down rowdy rams! Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

More farmers are waking up to floods this morning. After Storm Babet there was more heavy rain and flooding and now Storm Ciarán has swollen rivers to encompass fields. It's brought disruption across the country, from Scotland down to the Channel Islands. We hear from Mark Humphrey, a dairy farmer near Taunton on the edge of the Somerset levels, whose farm is underwater. All this week, we've been talking to farmers preparing their farms for winter. For sheep farmers though this is a time for planning next year's spring lambs. It's tupping season when they put the rams, or tups, out with the ewes. A Norfolk sheep farmer explains why Lynx body spray is apparently really useful for sheep farmers. Welsh farmers are facing multiple challenges but given the right government support can produce healthy food and tackle climate change; so says Aled Jones the President of NFU Cymru, speaking at the Union's annual conference this week. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Government is reviewing livestock feed in the UK as we're out of step with the EU, and that includes feed made from insects. Farmed insects are a potentially sustainable protein source for pigs and poultry, replacing feeds like soy that are linked to deforestation. Processed insect feed is currently banned for livestock in the UK, but not in the rest of Europe. The concern here, is that insects can be disease vectors, particularly if reared on waste, and that using insect proteins could lead to outbreaks of diseases like BSE. But British insect farmers want the law changed to be the same as in the EU, and also want more flexibility on what insects bred for fodder can eat. The Red Tractor food assurance scheme now says it won’t go ahead with its new green option until a National Farmers Union independent review of its governance has taken place. It also says further work on an environmental standard would “need to include more detailed dialogue with farmers and supply chains” and recognises it has been slow to fully understand the strength of feeling of its members on this issue. But consumers do increasingly want more information about the carbon footprint of food and retailers are keen to show they’re working with farmers who are doing their bit for the environment. It does feel like winter’s just around the corner, so all this week on Farming Today we are looking at how farms are getting ready for winter. We’re used to seeing bare fields of frosty stubble once the temperatures drop, but farmers are being encouraged to help their soil over the colder, wetter months by planting fields with cover crops. We visit a farm in Fife that's been cover cropping for the last 8 years. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

There's to be Government a review into fairness in the egg supply chain - something that was promised at the UK Farm to Fork Summit in Downing Street 5 months ago. Last Spring egg producers warned that retailers weren't paying enough for their eggs, and that was forcing producers to cut back the number of laying hens or give up altogether. That - combined with the pressure of avian flu - led to shortages on supermarket shelves and an increase in imports from places like Italy and Poland. Since then, prices farmers are getting for their eggs have risen by as much as fifty percent, but producers say contracts still need to be fairer. A flock of pedigree Suffolk sheep has been flown all the way to Georgia in Eastern Europe. Irene Fowlie from Aberdeenshire, who bred the animals, had to arrange the export directly with the Georgian Department of Agriculture, to allow the trade go ahead. The animals, 70 ewes and 3 rams travelled on three flights - from Stansted to Maastricht, then to Istanbul in Turkey and then on to Georgia. And we visit the Western Isles off the coast of Scotland, which are exposed to some of the worst winter weather. Keeping livestock of all kinds safe and healthy, is the priority for farmers and the local community. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Some meat factories in Northern Ireland say they may have to stop production as Government vets take five days of strike action. The Nipsa union, which represents the vets, described a government pay award as 'derisory'. In Scotland, field voles are a favourite meal for predators like pine martens, but when the tiny rodents' population drops, the pine martens will attack endangered capercaillie birds instead. Now, conservationists are developing what they call 'diversionary feeding' to get around the problem - leaving out deer carcasses for predators when vole numbers are low. And as more rain is forecast, we join some Yorkshire beef farmers as they bring their herd in for the winter. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

It's hunting season. Though hunting - chasing wild mammals with dogs - is illegal in England, Scotland and Wales, hunts will still meet up and down the country. They are trail or drag hunts - 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 it's been banned by some landowners, including the National Trust and suspended by others, like the Forestry Commission. We find out how it works. Farming needs to do more to attract people from diverse backgrounds into the industry - according to a Nuffield Farming report from cattle vet, Dr Navaratnam Patheeban. He says that while 17 per cent of the population are black or people of colour, they represent just 0.8 per cent of people in farming. And hedges were originally a way of marking boundaries, keeping stock safe and providing firewood. Now they're recognised for their benefits to wildlife and grants are available for farmers to plant new, and improve old, hedges. We visit the Barker family's farm in Suffolk, where they have invested heavily in researching the right hedge for the right place, creating wildlife corridors. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

As communities across the UK recover after widespread flooding brought by Storm Babet, the National Farmers Union is calling on the government to set up a comprehensive water strategy for England to improve flood resilience. They want more investment to stop crops on fertile farmland being washed away. Wildlife and conservation groups say the English government's approach to re-introducing native species is 'astonishing' after remarks made by the Environment secretary Thérèse Coffey earlier this week. She told MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee that management plans for species like beavers and eagles, were not a priority for Defra. Farmers and food producers been showing off their produce at "Taste Wales", a big trade fair in Newport. We caught up with Lesley Griffiths, the Minister for Rural Affairs. Farmers across the country say they're concerned by the withdrawal of a product used to control bracken. This year Asulox was not approved for use in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and allowed only under emergency authorisation in England. Government rules mean the herbicide would need additional health and safety testing work to be allowed for future use and the company that makes it has decided not to do that. We speak to an expert on bracken. We visit livestock marts - great and small. Hereford Market is the outskirts of the city and sales have quadrupled since the mart moved to a purpose-built facility 12 years ago. In the Western Isles of Scotland, we visit a livestock mart that only operates a few times a year, but it's a lifeline for crofters. The Green Farm Collective has been named winner of this year's BBC Food and Farming Awards Farming for the Future category. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farmers across the country say they're concerned by the withdrawal of a product used to control bracken. This year Asulox was not approved for use in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and allowed only under emergency authorisation in England. Government rules mean the herbicide would need additional health and safety testing work to be allowed for future use, and the company that makes it has decided not to do that. So what does the future hold? We hear from the Green Farm Collective - this year's winners of the Farming for the Future category of the BBC Food and Farming Awards. And Anna Hill visits a massive machinery sale in Cambridgeshire, joining collectors and enthusiasts ready to spend thousands on rural ephemera. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Exports of food and drink from Wales are growing. They were worth £797 million in 2022 - up 44% since 2020. That’s compared to a UK average growth of 16% in the same time. So what’s the secret? In this programme Charlotte Smith visits Taste Wales - an event run by the Welsh Government to help food and drink producers meet buyers from around the world. She speaks to both producers and buyers to find out how powerful 'Brand Wales' is, ask what part sustainability plays and discover where the growth markets are. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

As thousands of acres of farm land have been affected by flooding after Storm Babet, the NFU is calling on the government to set up a comprehensive water management strategy to improve flood resilience, and more investment so productive land does not get flooded, washing away crops. The nine and a half thousand acre Rothbury Estate is on the market for £35 million and that means uncertainty for the tenant farmers who farm nearly half the land. It's currently owned by the Duke of Northumberland's youngest son. Local campaigners are concerned, because although around half the land is in the Northumberland National Park and protected, they fear that elsewhere land use could change, and public access could be restricted. All this week we're looking at auction marts and the central role they play in farming communities. Most major centres hold regular sales - often several times a week -  but in the Western Isles it's very different.  Here, livestock production tends to be small-scale and sales of sheep and cattle only take place on a few days in autumn when stock is ready for market. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside.

Nearly half the seasonal workers on farms inspected by the Home Office complained about their treatment... that's one of the findings of an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism which is published this morning. The Bureau was granted access to reports from 19 farm inspections made between 2021 and 22 after a Freedom of Information battle with the Government - it says 44 % of the 845 workers interviewed by Home Office inspectors raised problems - from racism to being denied medical care and not being paid for all the hours worked. Many livestock marts have moved from city centre sites to the edge of town - and for one of the largest marts in the country in Hereford its been a good move. It's seen sales quadruple since it relocated in 2011 to a purpose built, seven million pound facility on the outskirts of the city. Native oysters used to be plentiful in the Solent, but numbers have declined to almost nothing. Now, environmentalists are trying to encourage re-generation with a five year project. We join local school children as they take part, releasing a thousand young oysters off West Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Some major new research into bird flu was published this week. The headlines are that this year has so far been better than last year, that the virus doesn't spread between poultry farms in the air and that spread from farm to farm has been very rare. We hear from the Animal and Plant Health Agency on the details. Farmers are warning that cuts to the rural affairs budget in Wales are a significant blow, which put environmental targets at risk. The Farmers Union of Wales and NFU Cymru have both criticised the Welsh Government, which in an emergency budget this week announced cuts across departments. A parliamentary committee is looking into land based education, so all week we've been doing the same. We asked the Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Sir Robert Goodwill, why they launched the inquiry now. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Scientists have published some major new research into bird flu. A consortium of British universities and the Animal and Health Protection Agency has been working on "the flu map project" which is now going to extended. For farmers, the situation so far this year is better than last year and scientists say the virus doesn't spread between poultry farms in the air and that spread from farm to farm has been very rare. They did find some immunity to the infection in some wild birds - particularly gannets and shags - but game birds were found to be very susceptible, along with chickens, turkeys and ducks. All this week we're looking at education in agriculture and to make higher education more accessible the University of Cumbria is offering three short part-time courses for farmers, land managers and farming advisors. The modules are equivalent to the first year of a degree course and have been tailored to help equip farmers for the current rapid changes in farming policy. Dorset Police have launched a new rural neighbourhood watch - on horseback. The force is recruiting volunteer horse riders who will be visible and provide the police with information while they are out and about in the countryside. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farmers are warning that cuts to the rural affairs budget in Wales are a significant blow which puts environmental targets at risk. The Farmers Union of Wales and NFU Cymru have both criticised the Welsh Government, which in an emergency budget announced cuts across departments. About 8% of the rural affairs budget, will go, that is around £37 and a half million. Farmers in Scotland are bracing themselves for more bad weather. The Met office is forecasting 'unprecedented levels of rain'. This follows hard on the heels of heavy rain and flooding in Argyll, Aberdeenshire and Tayside when fields with crops were submerged for days. Drones are already being used for photography and surveying farms, and drones which spray aren't far behind. Harper Adams is the first university to offer a qualification in using drones for agriculture. We meet the people running the course and the people learning how to operate them. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Fishers in Shetland are warning lives will be lost unless authorities crack down on the alleged dangerous behaviour of some foreign vessels in the area. All week we're looking at agricultural education; while some students choose to go down the traditional route, others are opting to go high-tech - into what some might call "digital agriculture". We hear how Syrian refugee, Wejdan Ghazal, has been growing her own fruit and veg, with the help of a community vegetable project, near Strangford in County Down. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

MPs launch an inquiry to find out if young people are failing to get the skills needed to work in rural jobs. All week we're looking at training and education in land-based careers. Rural Skills Scotland offers apprenticeships and qualifications to help get people who are unemployed or live in towns and cities back to work. We visit a training session in Fife. Can upland farms cut their environmental impacts and still stay in business? That’s what trials in the Scottish Highlands are aiming to find out. The Cairngorms National Park has backed a study to see how emissions can be cut, and biodiversity boosted, while farms still stay in the black. We visit one farm taking part in the study. Coracle fishing may be in danger of dying out, because of river pollution, according to South West Wales fishers. It’s a tradition that dates back centuries, using a small, rounded, lightweight boat, but fishermen say it's at risk because of a lack of fish. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The SNP is meeting in Aberdeen - throughout the party conference season we've been catching up with the rural affairs spokespeople. Today we talk to the Secretary for Rural Affairs in the Scottish Government, the SNP's Mairi Gougeon. A project offering fishermen free dental checks and treatment on the harbourside has got underway in Newlyn in Cornwall. Smiles at Sea will be visiting eight fishing ports in Devon and Cornwall between now and December. The demands of being at sea means it can be hard to visit a dentist. The scheme is also helping children in coastal communities be seen by a dentist. All week we're taking a look at land-based education. A parliamentary committee launched an inquiry into it last month. The EFRA committee is looking at education from primary to universities to see how effectively its making students aware of the opportunities in agriculture and equipping them with the right skills. We speak to Landex who represents 39 colleges and universities in the sector. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Red Tractor logo goes green: are farmers being asked to enhance retailers' green credentials for free? As a solar farm in Yorkshire is turned down, we discuss producing food versus producing energy. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

How do energy companies decide where to put renewables? After a Yorkshire couple, successfully challenged plans to build a solar installation on their tenant farm, we speak to the company that wanted to create a solar farm there, and find out how they select land for renewable projects. Conservationists say the government's new agri-environment scheme, the Sustainable Farming Incentive, doesn’t reward farmers adequately for the human, social and cultural value of the land they manage. Friends of the Lake District has published research to establish the ‘true’ value of an upland common. We visit Little Asby Common in the Westmorland Dales to see why the charity thinks the 450 hectare site has a potential value of £61 million. All week we're celebrating autumn fruits. It's been a good year for grapes, with vineyards enjoying a bumper harvest. One producer in Shropshire has enlisted a small army of volunteers to help pick the crop. Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Jon Wiltshire

A couple has won their battle to stop a solar farm being developed on the land they farm. The application was turned down by North Yorkshire Council. The Tenant Farmers Association, who backed Rob and Emma Sturdy, says renewables should not go on good arable land which is being used for food production. Coastal communities living close to wind turbines off the east coast are to be offered cheaper electricity. The scheme, which runs from Grimsby down to Skegness, aims to promote the use of green energy. All week we're talking about autumn fruits. A brewery in Cornwall is using foraged blackberries to create a beer, with a little help from the community. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Scientists in Edinburgh have used gene editing techniques in chickens which they say could eventually limit the spread of bird flu. A heated debate on social media has been sparked amongst farmers after the Red Tractor assurance body unveiled proposals for a new environmental label to its scheme. Some pear growers in Wales are trialling using a willow mulch around their trees to help tackle fungal disease. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farmers in Scotland are assessing the damage caused by record-breaking rainfall which has flooded hundreds of acres of farmland. As much of England was basking in sunshine, Scotland experienced a deluge. The floodwater, which is unusual for this time of year, has ruined high-value crops that were still waiting to be harvested. We talk to the farm manager whose mental health campaign Walk With Me has gone global. It encourages a more open approach to mental health in agriculture across the world, as part of World Mental Health Day. All week we're gathering up autumn fruits, and hearing how farmers are taking advantage of the season's natural abundance. On King Charles's Sandringham Estate a new pilot project has started to grow fruit and nut trees in strips, among arable crops. Agro-forestry, as it's known, is gaining recognition by commercial farms as a system which can enhance soil health, while creating invertebrate habitats in fields which sometimes have little space for biodiversity.  Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The impact of a major wildfire in the Scottish Highlands is still being felt, months after the emergency response to tackle the flames.  The large blaze near Cannich in May scorched a massive area of land, including half of the RSPB's Corrimony Nature Reserve, severely impacting wildlife.  The Labour party would ensure that the public sector bought more British food and would consult farmers on the right to roam should it win the next election. The new shadow environment secretary Steve Reed also says government should do more to protect the environment. During the party conference season we're speaking to all of the four main parties, this week it's Labour. The Clyde Valley was once famous as the fruit bowl of Scotland, and many Scots will remember spending summers there picking fruit, but a combination of factors including rail closures and EU membership led to a steep decline. Now a team of volunteers and orchard owners is fighting to keep the area's fruit-growing tradition alive. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

At the Conservative Party Conference this week the death knell was sounded for the northern route of HS2, and the transport minister Mark Harper made it clear that people whose land and businesses have been affected by the line, and now its cancellation, will not be getting any compensation for the disruption. So what happens next? We hear from farmers along what was to be the HS2 line. Former minister Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he wans to see Australian hormone-treated beef being allowed into the UK and accused the National Farmers Union of being 'protectionist'. NFU president, Minette Batters, tells us she's livid. The nights are drawing in and there's a nip of autumn in the air so what better time to talk about root veg; the carrots, parsnips, swedes and onions that warming stews are made of. But with many UK veg growers warning that the cost of growing is increasing way faster than the prices they're paid, we ask what's the future for these staple crops. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Migration Advisory Committee has rejected a bid from the National Farmers Union to include eight agricultural jobs on the government's "shortage occupation list" - the list of jobs where employers who face a shortage of labour are given some special dispensations within immigration rules to make it easier to employ migrant labour to fill vacancies. Now the NFU is warning that food production could be affected if farmers can't get the people they need. Celebrations have been taking place in Caithness to mark one hundred years since the formation of Scotland’s first ever Young Farmer’s Club. All week we’ve been hearing about root vegetables, a comfort food for the winter, but perhaps not a food that you often associate with fine dining. One small organic farm in Cambridgeshire is trying to change that perception. Flourish Produce grows 750 vegetable varieties and sells direct to high-end restaurants in London. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

As the HS2 railway line's cancelled in the north, we talk to farmers whose lives and businesses have been turned upside down by the scheme. Dairy farmers are warning that what they're being paid for milk no longer covers the costs of producing it. An NFU survey showed that nine per cent of dairy farmers plan to quit this year, with 30% saying they're 'uncertain' about the future. All week we're talking about root veg. Soil health is particularly important for these crops. Compaction and water logging can mean dramatic drops in yield before they've surfaced above ground.  We speak to a farmer in Scotland who's growing six hectares of parsnips. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

NFU President demands an apology from a politician who told a fringe meeting at the Conservative Party Conference that he wanted to see hormone-treated beef allowed into the UK - something which is banned at the moment. MP Jacob Rees-Mogg then went on to accuse the National Farmers Union and its leader Minette Batters of being 'protectionist'. The government's system of a 'shortage occupations list' is not working and should be abolished, according to a review by the Migration Advisory Committee - the independent body that advises the government on migration issues. The S.O.L. is used to decide which jobs immigrants can apply for, because of the need for labour. All week we are digging into root veg, today it's carrots. The UK crunches its way through 10 billion carrots every year, nearly all of them grown here. Right now, the main crop is being harvested, and we visit one farmer in Yorkshire who grows 1,000 acres of carrots. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

It's party conference season, and Farming Today is following what each one is pledging on rural affairs. This week, the Conservatives are gathering in Manchester, and we speak to Thérèse Coffey, the Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Affairs. As the Scottish Agriculture Bill goes before the Scottish Parliament, Scotland's farming leaders are calling on the UK government to commit an extra one billion pounds to the sector across the four nations as farmers face additional demands to deliver on both food security and the environment.  All week we're looking at root veg. One grower in Norfolk has spent seven years developing his own variety of potato and branding it as a local speciality. The Norfolk Peer is a small salad potato which is sold fresh, in season, but it is also stored and sold all year round, as the Norfolk Keeper. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Wild beavers are to be returned to the Scottish Highlands in what will be a series of firsts for the Cairngorms National Park Authority. A licence application to NatureScot is to be made shortly for the release. It'll be the first time they've been reintroduced to the Highlands, and the first re-introduction completely outside the animals' existing range, in the Spey valley, confirming the Scottish Government policy of getting wild beavers to spread across all of Scotland. However, will those farm along the Spey going to be happy? The nights are drawing in, there is a nip of autumn in the air so what better time to devote a week to talking about root veg - the carrots, parsnips, swedes and onions that warming stews are made of. But with many UK veg growers warning that the cost of growing is increasing way faster than the prices they're paid, what's the future for these staple crops? Farmers in North Yorkshire are running new trials on a traditional but under used type of grass that could last longer and save costs while capturing more carbon and improving river quality.  It's called Cocksfoot, because the splayed-out seed heads look the bird's foot, and it's been thought of as a coarse grass, so not popular commercially. Now new varieties are more palatable for grazing animals and the grass is thought to be better for the environment than traditional grazing swards like rye grass.    Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farming needs to change to help reverse the ongoing decline in the UK's nature - that's the message in the new State of Nature report published this week by more than 50 research and conservation organisations, from the RSPB to the wildlife trusts and statutory bodies like Natural England. The report warns that 1 in 6 species of British wildlife are under threat of extinction and highlights nature friendly farming as part of the solution. But which approach works better for nature - sharing productive farmland with biodiversity, or farming more intensively so some land can be spared entirely for nature? Young people in rural areas are missing out on "critical" services due to a "postcode lottery", charities have warned. BBC analysis shows that of the seventy million pounds in grants for youth clubs awarded in August, most of it went to venues around big cities. Experts describe children in villages and small towns as ‘the forgotten youths’. And sales of books about nature have been steadily rising over the past few years - we're said to be living in a golden age for nature writing. We hear from writers about what motivates them, and what impact they feel they can have. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Trade between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will change on Sunday as the new Windsor Framework comes into operation.The framework is the revised post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.  It was agreed by the EU and UK in February. The government is being taken to court over fishing. The Blue Marine Foundation, a conservation charity, says ministers have set fishing quotas higher than scientific advice allows. The UK negotiates with neighbouring countries, like Norway and the EU over fishing quotas and those discussions are informed by scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (Ices), which outlines how many fish can be taken from the ocean, without their numbers falling to dangerously low levels, but campaigners claim the government is ignoring that advice. Harvest time has featured in poetry and songs for centuries, reflecting both the beauty and difficulty of farming at this important time of year. All week we've been celebrating nature writing. Today we hear from poet Sean Borodale who's been visiting farms and collecting stories to write his own poem, reflecting what harvest looks like nowadays. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farming needs to change to help reverse the ongoing decline in the UK's nature - so says the State of Nature report from 50 research and conservation organisations. This is an update of the 2019 report and highlights continuing declines in things like: the populations of pollinating insects, down 18% since 1970; mammals like voles and hares down 30% in the same time frame; and plants, where 50% of species have declined. The report points out that not only do we now know the problem, but we also understand the solutions, which when it comes to farming, include more nature friendly farming. All week we're looking at nature writing. It plays a big part in the work of Literature Wales, the national company for the development of literature. They see writing about nature as an important way to connect with the Welsh landscape and language. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Three of the UK's four agri-tech centres which support farm technology and innovation are merging. They are CIEL - the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock; CHAP - Crop Health and Protection; and Agri-Epi, the Agricultural Engineering Precision Innovation Centre. The fourth, Agrimetrics, which covers data will go its own way as an independent company. We speak to the science minister at the World Agri-Tech Innovation summit in London about why the government's changing them. All week we're looking at nature writing. The Wainwright prize is awarded annually to the books which most successfully inspire readers to explore the outdoors and nurture respect for the natural world. This year's prize for conservation writing went to Guy Shrubsole for his book, The Lost Rainforests of Britain. Presenter - Charlotte Smith Producer - Rebecca Rooney

How have farmers and tanker drivers been affected by the collapse of a haulage company which collects fresh milk from farmers? We speak to a dairy analyst. The north Norfolk coast and its wildlife has been the subject of one of the country's largest and most detailed biodiversity audits. The North Norfolk Coastal Group of landowners and local authorities worked with scientists at the University of East Anglia to monitor all life, from algae to eagles and produce a plan and work with farmers to protect and increase the area's special habitats. All this week we're talking about nature writing, and author Richard Mabey could be seen as a pioneer in the genre, with books stretching back over 50 years. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Financial Conduct Authority has published its initial review into 'de-banking' this week - finding that some businesses, including shooting and the gun trade, feel 'unfairly affected' by some banks' decisions not to provide accounts for them.' Part of the evidence the FCA considered was a survey of members by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, BASC. It showed that 41 percent of the 325 who answered, had found difficulty with their banking, and that just over half of those people had been told by the bank "off the record", that their connection with shooting and firearms was the reason why their banking had been stopped or restricted. BASC says its members have connections with shooting and firearms through legal, legitimate and viable businesses. A working group is being put together to work out how to combat the toxic blue green algae on Northern Ireland's biggest freshwater lake, Lough Neagh. It bloomed over the summer, has been linked with the deaths of dogs and birds and has closed some businesses on the lough. Pollution from farming - along with the weather and invasive species - have been blamed for the problem. A survey commissioned by the organic veg box group Riverford has revealed that nearly half the fruit and veg growers who took part, fear they could close within a year, with the majority citing supermarket behaviour as the main reason. And how to tell your manure from your slurry? We as a farmer. Presenter by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Fewer trees will be planted in Wales over the next few months than planned says the forestry industry - and they are blaming the Welsh Government for delays to woodland planning and woodland creation grants. Confor, the Confederation of Forest Industries, says it comes just before the planting season and will have a huge impact this winter and beyond. The British Poultry Council warns that it's only a matter of time before another outbreak of bird flu. Last year it had a devastating effect on some poultry farms and wild bird populations have been badly affected by the illness. Defra, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, says the risk among wild species remains high and poultry farmers are being urged to take extra care to guard their flocks from infection. We hear from one North Yorkshire poultry farming family keeping vigilant, as they prepare their Christmas flock. Rural councils should have more power over buses - to end the 'spiral of decline' in services. The idea comes from the Local Government Association which wants more councils to have the same powers as mayors so they could then decide fares, routes and the frequency of buses. We’ve been talking about growing booze all this week, and there is an obvious relationship between growing barley and beer. We speak to a brewer who's making beer from barley grown just three miles from his pub in Cumbria. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Campaigners say a toxic blue green algae which has covered Northern Ireland's biggest freshwater lake, Lough Neagh, is killing the wildlife and fish, and could be harmful to people. The algae's rapid growth this summer has been blamed on pollution from farms, as well as the weather, sewage and the impact of invasive species. So, to what extent are farmers the problem and what should be done? Sainsbury's launches a premium range of beef which promises a carbon footprint 25% lower than the industry standard. The supermarket says it's taken a decade to develop. We speak to their director of agriculture to find out what that means for consumers and farmers. The UK wine business has grown a lot in the past few years; all week we've been talking about growing booze. What's involved in creating a new vineyard from scratch? We visit a farmer in Hertfordshire who's diversified into viticulture. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Beatrice Fenton & Rebecca Rooney

The Financial Conduct Authority has published its initial review into 'de-banking' - that's when banks decide to terminate certain accounts. The issues surrounding 'de-banking' were raised when politician Nigel Farage revealed he had been refused banking facilities. Among the evidence the FCA has considered, is a report from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation. They surveyed their members and said 41 percent of the 325 who answered, had found difficulty with their banking, and that just over half of those people had been told by the bank, off the record, that their connection with shooting and firearms was the reason why their banking had been stopped or restricted. As the war in Ukraine continues, the longer term consequences are being assessed, including the impact on farmland soil, which has been contaminated by heavy metals like mercury and arsenic. Staff from a Ukrainian university have spent a week at in the UK at the Royal Agricultural University, learning how to heal their soil back home. All this week we’re looking at British booze, today it's beer. Malt is a key ingredient and it usually comes from barley, grown specifically for brewing. Malting barley production across the UK got back to pre-pandemic levels last year, at nearly 2 million tonnes, but the price of malting barley has risen dramatically since 2019, pushing up the price of a pint. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer - Rebecca Rooney

A survey commissioned by the organic veg box group Riverford says nearly half the fruit and veg growers who took part, fear they could close within a year. The report shows three quarters of the responders who felt they didn't have a long term future, point to supermarket behaviour as the main reason. Some of the accusations against supermarkets include cancelled orders for crops which have already been grown to order and failure to pay farmers within 30 days of delivery. Riverford is now launching a campaign calling for supermarkets to act, and for government to back that action. A farmer who lost nearly three quarters of his oil seed rape because of flea beetle, re-seeds his fields by drone - the farm in Yorkshire is one of the first in the UK to use a drone rather than a tractor to sow a crop.    All week we're lifting a glass to British booze, from beer, to cider and wine. Earlier this year the British Growers Association reported costs for cider producers had risen by nearly a quarter, forcing some to question if they have a future in the industry. One cider maker in Herefordshire has decided to tackle the crisis head on, investing in a state of the art restaurant on his farm to help make it more viable. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Every police force in the UK should have a dedicated rural crime team - the call comes from the National Rural Crime Network which comprises rural and farming groups and Crimestoppers. As we reported last month, the cost of rural crime went up by 22% last year, that's according to the insurers NFU Mutual. They put the cost of thefts and damage of things like tractors, GPS systems and power tools at nearly £50 million in 2022, up from £40 million in 2021. It's harvest time for British hop growers - but they say that it's not a great time to be in the business. With the popularity of craft beer, you might think that hop growers would have a good market, but they say work force costs, fuel inflation and brewers holding stockpiles of hops since the pandemic mean the industry is struggling to survive.  The world sheep dog trials have been taking place in Northern Ireland - 240 dogs and their handlers were competing in the hopes of becoming World Champion at Gill Hall country estate in Dromore. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Many small local abattoirs have been shutting down in the last decade, It's hard to pin down a precise number, but the government has announced it is setting up a £4 million small abattoir fund to ensure more don’t go out of business. These small local abattoirs play a vital link in the supply chain for farmers who want to slaughter their livestock locally and sell the meat themselves either from the farm or at farmers markets. We hear from the Royal Countryside Fund which has campaigned to save them, and also an abattoir owner who welcomes the money, but says it won't be enough to stop more from closing. Sheep used to be a common sight on Hampstead Heath in London before grazing was phased out in the 1940s and 1950s. Now, the City of London Corporation has teamed up with community groups to bring them back, as part of a week-long trial. A small flock of five rare breed ‘Norfolk Horn’ and ‘Oxford Down’ ewes are grazing an area in the north-west of the heath. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

This year the warm and still weather has led to a surge in flea beetles, which can destroy oil seed rape, while it's still in the early stages of growth in the fields. Farmers used to rely on neonicotinoid chemicals to protect the plants and kill flea beetle larvae, but they have been banned. We speak to a farmer who's been spraying his crop at night to try and tackle the pest, but now he's having to re-sow much of his crop, some of it by drone. This year's sugar beet harvest, known as a 'campaign', has just started. The harvest last year was poor and the cost of processing sugar-beet rose dramatically. Farmers and businesses which want to use British sugar in their products are hoping for a better season this year. Picking apples has always been labour-intensive, but things are changing with the development of new machinery to aid - or even replace - pickers. One such machine is called the REVO and it’s being used this year by a major grower in Kent. Adrian Scripps has 250 hectares and produces up to 200 million apples a year from its orchards near Tonbridge, it's invested in a fleet of harvesting platforms. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Two cases of avian flu have been confirmed on game farms in Cheshire and Staffordshire, where pheasant and partridge are produced for shooting. Every year more than 40 million partridge and pheasant are released into the wild from game farms, to populate land for shooting. In May the RSPB called for more restrictions on releasing game birds into the countryside, to reduce the risk of new strains of avian flu, but the British Association for Shooting and Conservation says a ban on releases of game birds is not the answer. Sir Ian Wilmut who led the research team that produced Dolly the cloned sheep at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, has died at the age of 79. The team used a cell from the mammary gland of a dead adult sheep to create a living animal that was genetically identical to the donor. The work laid the foundations for stem cell research, a technology which aims to cure many of the diseases of ageing by enabling the body to regenerate damaged tissue. All week we're picking out the stories from top-fruit farming - that's apples, pears, plums and cherries. One fruit grower in Kent says he is giving away all his crop to charity, because he says he can’t make any money selling it. The Canary Islands have banned imports of UK seed and eating potatoes to their Islands after Colorado beetles were found in potatoes in Kent and Hampshire in July. Each year, the UK exports 50 thousand tonnes of potatoes to Spain, and the Canary Islands are the fourth largest export market for seed potatoes from Scotland. The government's Animal and Plant Health Agency says the Spanish National Plant Protection Organisation has agreed to import potatoes again under new criteria and the APHA is discussing this with the sector. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Top fruit farmers say they're not being paid enough by retailers for their crop, and lose money on fruit which doesn't reach the top specifications. Scottish farmers press for food production to be higher up the government's agenda when it comes to the First Minister's 'programme for government'. And why a rare pine martin was spotted in Yorkshire, miles from where it would usually be spotted. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Following Government reviews into the dairy and pig sectors, there will now be a new inquiry into the fruit and veg supply chain later this autumn. It follows salad shortages on supermarket shelves and complaints from growers that the price they're paid doesn't always cover the cost of production. Agricultural research may be a little bit easier after the Government's announcement this week that the UK is to re-join the EU's flagship scientific research scheme, Horizon. We've been excluded from the scheme for the last 3 years because of disagreements with the EU over the Northern Ireland protocol. For the agricultural research institute, Rothamsted Research, that's meant a 20% a drop in EU funding, so the latest news brings fresh hope. And how do you keep a pig cool in this hot weather? The answer is - give it a bath. Presented by Charlotte Smith Producer for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The government says it wants fairness in supply chains and will launch its inquiry into the fruit and veg supply chain later this autumn. Natural England releases details of the controversial licences for badgers to be culled across 19 counties in England. Scientists look at how to develop specific chickpea varieties which can be grown in the UK. And the Scottish nursery that went from having 70 herb species to more than 400. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

How science is shaping British and global farming for the future. Assessors for Unesco have been visiting peatlands in the Flow Country in Scotland to see if it qualifies for World Heritage Status. All this week we're looking at herbs and how they're grown in the UK. Today we're heading inside a huge glasshouse. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

How can trees be integrated into all types of farming? The UK's first agroforestry show is trying to find out. We hear from a Norfolk farmer working hard to keep his 72,000 free range pigs cool. As part of our week looking at UK grown herbs, today we focus on native herbs like sweet woodruff, musk mallow and rock samphire. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Thousands of invasive species around the world are a major part of biodiversity loss; a new report says the evidence is being ignored. This week we're exploring farming herbs in the UK. Today Anna Hill visits a farm growing chives out in the field, and hears how basil can been produced indoors all year round in a vertical farm. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Last week, the government announced new plans to scrap water pollution restrictions for housing developments in order to build new homes - some farmers warn that the government is undercutting its own environmental schemes. The Government consultation on proposals to allow the conversion of barns and disused shops into houses without the need for planning permission ends later this month - it is considering extending these changes into the National Parks, which have had long held protections against such developments. And all this week we look at growing herbs in the UK. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Farmers on a newly designated protected site say they're being forced to sell up. Natural England has designated 3,000 hectares of the Lands End peninsula in Cornwall as a Site of Special Scientific Interest -or SSSI - that brings in more protection for the area, and stricter rules on what farmers can and can't do. Some who work the land affected - West Penwith Moor and Downs - say the impact on their businesses is so bad that they're leaving. After multiple delays, this week the government announced it will be bringing in full post-Brexit border checks for some goods imported from the EU from January next year. British farmers have had their produce checked as it goes across to the continent since we left the EU in 2021. leading to higher costs, and delays for exporters. From January some animal products, plants, food and feed will need certification before entering the UK to make sure they're safe. The news has been welcomed by safety groups and farmers, who said the fact that imported food wasn't being checked was putting animal disease protection at risk. It's harvest time, and arable farmers have been in a race against time to get the crops in during brief dry periods. But it's not just wheat and barley that are being harvested. We also visit farms where blackcurrants are being harvested for a well-known fruit cordial, and report on an experimental harvest of flax in Scotland. And Sarah Swadling heads to a farm in Dorset where they're trialling artificial intelligence as a way of measuring the amount of wildlife on the site. The equipment can distinguish between different species of bee, for example, and the scientists say it could help in our bid to tackle the nature crisis. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner

Farmers in West Penwith, Cornwall say Natural England's designation of 3,000 hectares as a site of special scientific interest in the county will put them out of business. Steam weeding - an alternative form of weed control - is being trialled on an agricultural scale in Scotland. And how the past year's changeable weather has affected the blackcurrant harvest. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Nearly 4,000 farmers who farm common land in England face delays to being able to apply for - and therefore receive payments from - the Sustainable Farming Incentive, the most basic element of the Environmental Land Management Scheme which is to replace the EU's Common Agricultural Policy. A farm worker in Wiltshire shares his recent experience of what happened when he confronted hare coursers. And why there's growing interest in using flax for sustainable fashion. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

After multiple delays, the UK government announces it will be bringing in new border controls for imported goods from the EU from 31st October 2023. How new innovations and technology are helping the growth and storage of potatoes. And as we continue to look at harvest this week, we take a look at the challenges farmers face when taking their tractors off the fields and on to public roads. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

After the hottest June on record and weeks of wet weather afterwards, we ask how good will this year’s harvest be. It’s been like playing cat and mouse dodging the showers, and trying to get into the fields whenever the sun’s out long enough to dry the crop. Last year’s harvest was very good, 90% of it was in by now, and yields and prices were up too. This year is a different story. Whereas wine growers across the south of England are expecting a bumper harvest this autumn. Expectations are high and some smaller producers may even need volunteers to help pick the grapes. More than 80% of the UK’s peatlands are in poor condition. In England the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs has just given £16million worth of funding to 12 new landscape scale peatland restoration projects. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

As farmers share how their crops have been destroyed by dogs and walkers, and livestock have been scared by joggers, just how can the Countryside Code be better followed, publicised and communicated? A consignment of British sheep embryos was shipped to the US this week - it’s the first time embryos have been allowed to be exported to the States, following the lifting of a 33-year-long embargo on lamb and embryos from countries where livestock has been affected by BSE. We explore the world of growing salad, from vertical farming baby leaf salad in a giant warehouse to growing microgreens in a home office. And an endangered bird species returns to Northern Ireland for the first time in years. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Which is better - roots deep in the earth or in a nutrient cocktail on a vertical farm? We hear about the biology of how salad crops are grown without using soil. As part of our week focusing on salad, we visit a micro-farm growing micro-greens. It's harvest time for broad beans, but one grower calls them “the forgotten vegetable”. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The first ever shipment of UK sheep embryos has just arrived in the United States. We ask how significant the trade could be and hear from one of the farmers exporting his flock’s genetics. This week we're talking about salad. The University of Warwick has been awarded £1.4million by the Government to carry out research into the use of robotics in horticulture. Scientists and engineers are working with a large salad grower experimenting with new technology. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farmers share their experiences of having their crops damaged, their livestock scared, and signs on footpaths being discarded by the general public accessing their land. What should be done to ensure the Countryside Code is followed? A sugar shortage in the UK sees supplies imported from Central and South America. And how a warehouse in Kent is growing salad crops, vertically. Presented by Steffan Messenger and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

A water company in the east of England is to build a pipe "longer than the M1" to bring water from the Humber to counties further south, in an attempt to tackle water shortages and meet future water demand. Why some salad producers are switching from growing cucumbers to aubergines. And building Cornish hedges has been put on a red list of endangered skills. Presented by Steffan Messenger and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Water shortages in Suffolk have lead one water company to refuse connecting up new businesses who use a lot of water, or allowing more use of water of expanding business who also use a lot of water. Two lapwing breeding pairs and chicks have been found on a farm in Northern Ireland; it is the first time the endangered birds have been seen in the area for several years. And an expert in crop and environmental science shares his thoughts on the state of salad production in the UK this year. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

The price of petrol in rural areas: supermarkets charge up to 15p more per litre if you live in the countryside. The Climate Change Committee has called for a 40% increase in hedgerows in the UK by 2050 to help tackle global heating. Defra says it wants to create or restore 45 thousand miles of hedges in England by 2050, and is asking farmers how it can support them to achieve that goal. It’s a far cry from the post-war farming policies that led to hundreds of thousands of miles of hedges being ripped out. And can the River Wye look forward to a cleaner future? Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

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

Petrol prices have hit their highest in the past six months, but why does it cost more to fill your car in rural areas compared with urban ones? A countryside charity releases its latest report into the use and future of green belt land in England. How hedges can be used for shelter on farms. And the Farming Today finalists for the BBC Food and Farming Awards are revealed. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

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

The largest poultry processor in the Wye catchment area has announced litter from its supply chain will no longer be available for sale, as fertiliser, within the Wye catchment, as a way to help better manage their supply chain, in relation to the health of the River Wye. A conservation group responds to the news. NFU MIdlands members are asked for their thoughts on the government's hedgerow consultation. And a fifth generation farmer in Kendal shares why hedgerows are not just important for farming, but local history and culture, too. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

A hedge to the uninformed eye might just look like a line of bushes, trees and weeds marking out a field, but there’s much more to them than that. So much so that the independent body which advises all of the UK governments on climate change, the Climate Change Committee, has called for a 40% increase in hedgerows in the UK by 2050 to help tackle global heating. DEFRA says it wants 45000 miles of hedges in England by 2050, and ministers are currently consulting on how to make that happen. It’s a far cry from the post war farming policies that led to hundreds of thousands of miles of hedges being ripped out. All this week we’re looking into hedges, starting with their ability to sequester carbon. King Edward, Maris Piper, and Shetland Black; just some of the varieties of spuds that were on display last week at the UK potato industry's biggest field-based event, Potatoes in Practice, which takes place annually in Scotland. Interest in UK farm holidays has doubled over the last decade according to the farm holiday co-operative, Farmstay, which has just clocked up 40 years of supporting and advising farmers who welcome holiday makers onto their farms. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

A look back on some of the best bits from Farming Today over the past five days. The government is consulting on whether landowners and farmers in English national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty should be allowed to convert barns into housing without planning permission. Scientists research how much crops can be deprived of water without affecting their growth. And the shooting season for red grouse gets underway. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

The guns will be out on the moors for the Glorious Twelfth tomorrow, the first day of the grouse shooting season. We ask what’s the appeal and as more landowners ban grouse shooting, what kind of a future does it have. Flavian Obiero moved to the UK from Kenya as a teenager, and was bitten by the farming bug after a stint of work experience on a farm near Basingstoke. Charlotte Smith visits Tynefield farm to find out how the new venture is going. All this week we’ve been speaking to people about their visions for 2050 when, if the Government hits its target, the UK will have reached net zero emissions of the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Today we hear from a young farmer who you may have seen on TV because she makes video diaries about her farming life for the BBC’s Countryfile programme. Emily McGowan is gradually taking responsibility for the family farm just west of Strangford Loch in County Down, Northern Ireland. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farmers in Scotland have criticised what they say is the government's 'lack of joined up policy' after it emerged that over the past 23 years nearly 16 million trees have been felled to make way for wind farms. The Scottish government says that there is a planning presumption to protect woodland and that developers would be expected to plant trees elsewhere to make up for the loss. All this week we’re looking ahead to 2050 when, if the government hits its target, the UK will have reached net zero emissions of the greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. So what should and could farming and the food system look like? It's a question we've put to a range of people over the week, farmers, conservationists and today an architect turned writer who has given a lot of thought to food and its place in our lives. Carolyn Steel is the author of Hungry City: How Food Shapes Our Lives and Sitopia: How Food Can Save the World. She argues that food is a powerful force and we don't give it the value it deserves. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The government has launched a consultation on whether farmers in English National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty should be allowed to convert barns into housing without planning permission. A conservation scientist shares his vision for 2050 in trying to reach net zero carbon emissions. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Scientists experiment with how much crops can be deprived of water without affecting their growth. A farmer in Gloucestershire shares her weather woes as she tries to cut hay. And a young environmental activist and ornithologist gives her vision for 2050 when it comes to reaching net zero carbon emissions. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Imports of eggs are up 276%; the latest figures from the government show that just under 7 million dozens of eggs were brought into the UK in May. The cost of rural crime in the UK increased by 22 per cent last year, with high-items such as tractors, GPS systems and power tools being the most sought after things to steal. Farmers share how they are trying to deal with the damp and inconsistent weather as they try to harvest. And wild camping is allowed back on Dartmoor. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Farmers react to post-Brexit checks being delayed again on EU food coming to the UK. Fishermen describe the "catastrophic" decline in salmon stocks in UK rivers over the last 30 years. And the difference mobile libraries can make to remote rural communities. Presented by Steffan Messenger and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Last month was the sixth wettest July on record according to the Met Office. But just how has the weather impacted farmers trying to harvest? Plus, the challenges of recruiting and retaining GPs in rural communities, and the company looking to turn chicken manure into biochar to prevent river pollution. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

The Court of Appeal allows wild camping to come back to Dartmoor. How community shops can take place of village shops. And Anna discovers what a spornado is at a tech tent at the Norfolk Show. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Imports of eggs are up 276%. The latest figures from the Government show that just under 7 million dozens of eggs were brought into the UK in May, giving that massive year-on-year increase. British egg producers say they're not surprised; facing increases in the price of feed and restrictions because of avian flu, they warned last year that retailers weren't paying enough and that was forcing people to either cut the number of laying hens they kept or give up altogether. That led to shortages on supermarket shelves and the appearance of Italian eggs instead of British ones. This week here on Farming Today we're going to be looking at rural services. From GPs and buses to shops and pubs, getting and keeping basic services in the countryside can be problematic. We'll find out why that's still the case and what communities are doing to get round the barriers. In England 13 rural organisations have come together to form the Rural Coalition, calling for a rural strategy, fairer funding and investment in infrastructure, so people in the countryside are not, as they put it,' unfairly disadvantaged'. The sea off England's north east coast is getting hotter, and that's bad news for wildlife. It causes huge problems for birds, fish and plant life. Scientists and wildlife experts say they are seriously worried. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Anna Hill hosts a special panel debate on the subject of land use in Wales, in front of an audience at the Royal Welsh Show. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Forestry industry leaders say a workforce "crisis" threatens the UK's ambitious tree-planting targets. Young people with a passion for the environment are being urged to train as foresters and told they're pretty much "guaranteed a job". Welsh food and drink exports are up to a new record high according to the Welsh Government latest figures, which show £797 million pounds worth of goods were sold abroad between 2021 and 22, an increase of more than 24%. And a team of enthusiasts has taken over 100 acres of prime farmland to the West of Edinburgh and are now learning how best Lauriston Farm can be used to feed local people, and feed the need for nature and outside space. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton

Berry growers are warning that what they say is a lack of support from retailers will mean fewer British strawberries, raspberries and blueberries next year. Growers say that while prices for consumers have risen they're being paid the same, despite increases in the cost of production. They warn some will chose not to grow in the future. In many agricultural communities in Wales the first language is Welsh, in fact more than double the number of people in farming speak Welsh compared to the population as a whole. We visit Carmarthen livestock market to hear about the importance of the Welsh language for rural communities. The UK's last ammonia plant is to close permanently; CF Industries says it 'will not be cost competitive for the long term'. The company plans to continue to import ammonia to make fertiliser at Billingham but 38 jobs are at risk. Ammonia is a key ingredient in nitrate fertilisers; in 2021 the National Farmers Union says British farmers used just over 3.5 million tonnes of fertiliser. It's described the closure as 'concerning' and called on the Government to look at how relying on imported ammonia could impact food security. In recent years Whitby has become a major fishing port for lobster, putting pressure on numbers. Now the Whitby Lobster Hatchery aims to release hundreds of thousands of juvenile lobsters back into the seas, to restore the ecological balance. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

There are 7,000 livestock entries at this year's Royal Welsh Show - from rare breed sheep to huge commercial beef cattle. Anna Hill meets the farmers with a passion for showing their animals including a sister and brother pair who've picked up rosettes for their Welsh Black Cattle. We also hear from a scientist who grows duckweed on slurry with the aim of producing a new source of protein for animal feed, and quiz Wales' Shadow Rural Affairs Minister over water pollution, bovine TB and funding for farming. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons and Beatrice Fenton

250,000 people are expected to attend this year's Royal Welsh Show. After several years of disruption because of the pandemic, the show is well and truly back. Anna Hill visits Builth Wells, to speak to farmers and politicians. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons and Beatrice Fenton

Farmers say too many applications for environmental payments in England are being turned down. How listening instead of digging for earthworms could help farmers. As the Royal Welsh Show gets underway, Farming Today takes a look at farming issues in Wales. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Defra has dropped its plans add animal welfare to food labels. Farming and food industry figures say it’s just too complex to do, but others disagree. Good news for short snouted seahorses, the endangered wart biter cricket and the elusive twite. They’re three of the species which will benefit from £7.4 million pounds worth of funding for six new landscape scale Nature Recovery projects. This week we’ve been looking at the role of co-operatives in UK farming. The idea of a co-op is that farmers work together to share risk, cut costs, increase resilience and gain more control over their supply chain. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Defra drops its plans to consult on putting information about animal welfare on food labels. How daffodil bulbs grown in Scotland as part of a co-operative are sold globally. And what it's like to supply major British retailers with around a quarter of a billion tomatoes a year. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

With temperatures reaching the 40s in some European countries, crop yields and quality look likely to suffer. Natural England and the government announce six new nature recovery projects. And what it's like to be part of a small-scale farming co-operative. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

Increased profits for companies supplying fertiliser in the UK. The government releases the third National Adaptation Plan for England, And what's it like to be part of a national co-operative for the grain market and arable inputs? Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

The government announces details of its Fisheries Management Plans. A North Yorkshire farmer who's also an A&E consultant shares his unique perspective on farming safety. What it's like to play a role in a multinational dairy co-operative. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

All week we're looking at co-operatives. They're a big part of farming networks on the continent, so are English and Welsh farmers missing out a trick? The rise and rise of English and Welsh wine. New figures from land agents show an increase in number of vineyards and the amount people are paying for their produce. Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Rebecca Rooney

Great Yorkshire Show: we ask the Defra Secretary what the new rules on pollution mean for farmers. Why MPs are calling for a rethink on beavers. And dairy farmers welcome new government measures to protect them from unfair contracts with milk companies. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farmers are warned they will pay the price if they exploit their workers from overseas as recruiters give evidence to the Horticulture Sector Committee about seasonal workers. How fruit and vegetable growers in Scotland are managing water supplies after two hot, dry summers have increased pressure on rivers and reservoirs. And why the National Food Crime Unit wants greater powers to tackle serious, organised and complex cases of crime relating to food. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

A special programme for the Great Yorkshire Show. Over four days, 200 acres of show ground in Harrogate will welcome around 140,000 visitors. We speak to the Defra Secretary who's unveiled tougher new plans for water polluters - what will that mean for farmers? We meet a delegation of overseas buyers interested in exports of red meat. In the new tech innovation zone, we look at a machine that enriches manure by replicating lightning and Caz sits in a methane-powered tractor. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Dairy farmers welcome changes to milk contracts, to make them more transparent The Environment Food and Rural Affairs committee recommends a review into the reintroduction of beavers. How a farm in Essex is putting in place a 'whole farm reservoir'. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

A new report into the conditions for migrant seasonal workers in the English horticulture industry says they are vulnerable to exploitation, and calls on the government to amend the seasonal worker visa scheme. Why scientists are genetically editing the genes of grass peas to reduce their toxicity. A dairy farmer in Cornwall shares how they're trying to cope with a drought that's lasted nearly a year. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Rhiannon Fitz-Gerald.

As we take a look at water security in farming this week, the NFU's water specialist gives us an overview of the issues farmers are facing at the moment. New research looks at why bees are emerging earlier in the year and how this might impact crops. Scientists from the University of East Anglia and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory have installed sensors that can 'sniff' for a gas which could, one day, help mitigate the impact of global warming. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

All week on Farming Today we've been looking at egg production. We've had unique access to a hatchery in Peterborough, which provides chicks which will grow up to be the hens which lay our eggs. One of the processes used in hatcheries, is to remove the tips of the chicks’ beaks with an infra-red laser. It’s known as beak trimming and it’s a means of stopping the mature birds from hurting each other by pecking at each others feathers - a behaviour which is common in chickens when they’re commercially farmed in big flocks. However there's been debate for years about whether the practice should be banned. We speak to campaigners who'd like it to be phased out. We visit a free-range egg producer who is still keeping his birds indoors because even though he's allowed to let them out, he says the risk of bird flu is too great. He says a vaccine is the answer. We ask the chief vet how close farmers are to having a commercial vaccine to protect their flocks against influenza. Also we visit an egg producer in Shropshire who’s breaking 20 tonnes of eggs a day - on purpose! He's an egg farmer who specialises in producing liquid eggs. And a trip to RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival where flower farmers are promoting home-grown blooms to shoppers and florists. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

As part of our week focussing on the egg industry we visit one of just two hatcheries in England. We ask how close are we to banning the trimming of chicks’ beaks. Caz Graham visits award winning cheese producers near Wigton in Cumbria. Two men have been given community service orders and fined by Swindon Magistrates Court for hunting offences. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Chief Vet says vaccination is still not an option for tackling bird flu in free range hens, but that progress is being made. We visit a Shropshire egg producer who’s breaking 20 tonnes of eggs a day, on purpose! Flower farming in the UK is on the up and florists, and the public, are being urged to buy British blooms to support it. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

All week we're discussing egg production. The industry's been hit very hard by a combination of rising costs for feed and fuel and bird flu. The disease is still prevalent and some free range producers are keeping their birds inside because they're too worried to let them out. We speak to one family about the toll bird flu's taken on both birds and farmer. They're calling for a vaccine. It's ten years since the government gave the go-ahead to a cull of badgers, to try and control the spread of bovine tuberculosis in cattle. The cull that started in a small corner of Gloucestershire has now spread to much of England. More than 210,000 badgers have been culled since 2013, and more than 330,000 cattle put down because of the disease too. It's been a area of fierce debate between farmers and conservationists. Now the government says it now wants to move towards a vaccination programme instead. This June has been the warmest on record, according to the Met Office, but high temperatures can cause problems for plants and growers. We speak to meteorologist and Gardeners' Question Time host Peter Gibbs about changing weather patterns and their impact. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

New project to breed sheep with a naturally low carbon-footprint. Sheep farmers and scientists are taking part in a £3 million Defra project to measure the methane emitted by sheep, monitoring around 13,000 animals across 45 different flocks. All week we're looking at eggs. According to the industry body British Lion Eggs, we ate 5.9 billion of them in the UK last year. Nearly three quarters of the eggs we eat in the UK are free range , so to begin our week we're speaking to the British Free Range Egg Producers Association. A conservation project to reintroduce the UK's rarest reptile on heathland in Devon. Numbers of smooth snakes have dwindled as their habitats have disappeared. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The long awaited publication of a government independent review Into labour shortages in the food supply chain is about to be published. We find out what farmers would like to see in the review, and what they need when it comes to labour. The Scottish government has scrapped plans which would have meant the creation of Highly Protected Marine Areas in 10% of Scotland's seas. The proposals would have restricted fishing and other human activities in some coastal areas, in an attempt to protect the environment. Members of the fishing industry and some island communities raised concerns about the plans. We’ve been discussing bacon all this week- today we visit a butchers to find out how it's cured. We also speak to food safety expert Professor Chris Elliott form Queen's University in Belfast, who is campaigning to have the use of nitrates in pork processing banned. Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Rebecca Rooney

It’s a landmark week for farming in Wales. Members of the Senedd, the Welsh parliament, have voted through the first ever ‘made in Wales’ Agriculture Bill. It’s the first of the devolved nations to vote through its own home-grown agriculture bill since the UK withdrew from the European Union and the CAP, or Common Agricultural Policy. The bill sets out the framework for future food and farming policy in Wales, including how farmers will be supported for the work they do as the old EU system of subsidies, based on the amount of land farmed, is phased out. All this week on Farming Today we’re talking bacon, specifically the bacon butty and how the bacon in our butties gets from the pig to plate. We visit a meat processing plant in the South West to see how pigs are slaughtered The Silver Lapwing Award is one of the most prestigious and long standing accolades for farmers who are committed to making space for nature while running a working farm business. We meet last year's winner and the Welsh beef farmer who's been given the award this year. Presenter - Caz Graham Producer - Rebecca Rooney

The Climate Change Committee has published its annual report. The independent body, set up to scrutinise government progress towards net zero, says that it's less confident that the government will meet its goals, than it was a year ago. MPs on the Environment Food and Rural Affairs committee have been drilling down into Baroness Rock's report into tenant farming which was published last October. It's estimated that 64% of farmland in England is rented. Baroness Rock told the committee that there's an unbalanced power dynamic between tenant farmers and their landlords and that plans for an independent commissioner to help tenant farmers are still some way off. All week we're taking a closer look at the breakfast bacon buttie - and finding out about how that bacon gets on our plates. We've heard about breeding and rearing pigs for bacon, today we speak to buyers at a pig market in Somerset. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

It'll take one billion pounds over five years to rescue England's ancient woodland, according to the Woodland Trust. It's published a report titled "Trees and Woods at the Heart of Nature Recovery" which claims that saving woodland and trees should be the starting point for national nature recovery. The plan proposes extra funding on top of government money set aside for tree-planting - including £150 million for temperate rainforest restoration, £250 million for restoring ancient woodland and £350 million for landscape-scale woodland projects. Crofters in the Scottish Isles say the crisis in ferry services is having a devastating impact on businesses and threatens their way of life. There've been protests about the lack of services to South Uist, after sailings were stopped this month - there aren't enough boats because many need repairing. Now an inquiry has concluded that root and branch reform is needed. A report by the Scottish Parliament's Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee says rapid turnover of transport ministers has made things worse. It's calling for a longer contract for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service, and it says the Scottish Government should consider whether the infrastructure should be taken under state control. All week we're charting how the bacon in a bacon buttie gets to our plates. We've spoken to a pig farmer about what they're getting paid, next we look at what traits farmers look for in their bacon-producing herd. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh - with everything from: robots that will weed fields and crop scientists who may breed plants that are easier for robots to work with.; Pampering sheep for show time; Food and drink producers and what they'd want to see in a food strategy for strategy; and the politicians who work with farmers to deliver that. Presenter = Rebecca Rooney Producer = Charlotte Smith

A special programme from the opening day of The Royal Highland show in Edinburgh. Over four days, it'll play host to some 200,000 visitors and around 8,000 animals. We'll speak to the organisers, visit the big working horses - the Clydesdales, and pre-view the international sheep shearing competition "The Golden Shears" which is being held at the show this year. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Government has today published details of how farmers in England can make their industry more environmentally friendly, and claim taxpayers money for doing so. On leaving the European Union, a new payment system for farmers was set up called the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMs), it aims to reward farmers for providing "public goods", such as improved soil health, and more wildlife habitats, rather than just for the amount of land they farm. One of the threads of this new system is the Sustainable Farming Incentive; it's the lowest rung of the environmental schemes and the one the government wants the majority of farmers to join. Today after much piloting and preparation the detail is being published in full- with a 150 page handbook being made available to farmers to guide them through their choices. Farm Minister Mark Spencer goes through the details with Anna Hill. All this week we're looking into sheep production - today we visit Scotland's Agricultural College to look at a new system for measuring how much methane sheep produce, and find out how that information can be used by farmers and breeders. Presented by Anna Hill Produced in Bristol by Natalie Donovan

Over the last fortnight fire crews across the UK have been tackling wildfires as dry weather and high temperatures combine. Experts says they're going to become more frequent. We ask how land can be managed to help avoid them in future. Rural communities often lack a decent broadband connection. Under the government's levelling up agenda there is a commitment to connect parts of rural Britain to ultra fast broadband, through Project Gigabit. As part of the scheme, homes and businesses can apply for up to £4,500 to help to cover installation costs. The money is applied for on behalf of the customer by a broadband supplier, often a smaller, independent network provider but many of them are under financial pressure. People living in West Wales are now calling for urgent action because the company that was supposed to connect them, went into administration. All week we're looking at sheep. Farmers in Scotland having been taking part in a trial where sheep are used to control giant hogweed - an invasive alien plant which can overwhelm native plants by its vigorous growth. Its sap is also toxic to human skin, leaving blisters and long term sensitivity to UV. Sheep however love nibbling it and are being used to stop it spreading. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A new report calls on UK farmers to grow more protein crops for livestock to reduce the amount of imported soya, and says that for that to happen, we all need to eat significantly less pork and chicken. The Landworkers' Alliance, Sustain, Pasture for Life and Hodmedods say there is an urgent need to reduce our reliance on soy, which they say is linked with deforestation and is expensive, putting pig and poultry farmers under pressure. They say to feed livestock on home-grown proteins would mean reducing our poultry intake by 86 per cent and pork by 82 per cent. Shearing season is underway. Wool prices have been depressed in recent times, most sheep farmers send their ‘clip’ to British Wool, a marketing organisation that’s owned by the farmers themselves. What they’re paid depends partly on the quality of the wool. We find out how it’s graded at British Wool’s busy West of England depot. All week we're talking about sheep, and there is a lot to discuss, from wool prices to trade deals and the environmental impact sheep can have. There are about 30 million sheep in the national flock, and the National Sheep Association reckons sheep are worth 290 million pounds a year to the British economy, supporting 150,000 jobs. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

18 people have died on UK farms so far this year, nearly double the number at this time last year. After years of campaigning, why are more people dying? Some farmers are asking if one of the problems is the design of agricultural machinery and the cost of buying and fitting safety measures to it. England has missed the government's tree planting targets - again. The goal is for 7,500 hectares of woodland to be planted every year - but the new figures show that in the past year 3,100 hectares have been planted. The government says this puts tree planting at a record levels - and is a 40 per cent increase year-on-year - others, like The Woodland Trust, are less impressed. All week we've been looking at how a Norfolk estate juggles farming with conservation and tourism. Even for smaller farms, diversifying into venues, camping or bed and breakfast, can be an important part of bringing in new income. On the estate we've been visiting, they employ more than three hundred people, and welcome nearly a million visitors to the house, the grounds, and the beach. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

England has missed the government's tree planting targets for every year of this parliament, and is expected to miss them again when figures are published later today. The government aims to plant 7,500 hectares a year which is 90 to 120 million trees. However a report from the National Audit office last year pointed out tree-planting rates have not reached Defra’s 7,500 hectare per year target in the past 50 years and rates have only been above 6,000 hectares a year for three of the past 50 years. The Woodland Trust describes progress as 'glacial at best' but Sir William Worsley Chair of the Forestry Commission says things are improving. Farmers should be able to make a profit from public money when they're providing public goods - so says the former Environment Secretary George Eustice. He argues that increasing the payments for things like planting hedgerows would be more effective than compensating farmers for revenue they've lost. The Farming Minister says payment rates are being set at a level to encourage widespread participation. All week we've been exploring the different aspects of running a large agricultural estate, juggling farming with conservation and tourism. Today we speak to the head gamekeeper. The estate in Norfolk has five gamekeepers and runs a number of shoots, most are private but some are commercial and they fund the work that the gamekeepers do. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Pig farmers across the UK have reduced their use of antibiotics in their herds by 75% over the last eight years. That's according to figures released by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. A 30% reduction target in total antibiotic had been set by a Targets Task Force (TTF) between 2020 and 2024, so this has now been passed. We asked the Pig Veterinary Society, whether the reduction was large, because farmers had been using too much antibiotic in the past. Wales is famous for its lamb, which has protected geographical status and is exported across the world. The same can’t be said for its wool however, in fact the fleece from a typical Welsh mountain sheep can fetch less than thirty pence, it costs far more than that to shear the animal. Work has now started to breed a variety of sheep that's good for its lamb and its wool. All week we've been visiting a big country estate, where farming, tourism and conservation have to work hand in hand. The Holkham National Nature Reserve is managed by Natural England and the estate itself. It's an internationally recognised site for breeding birds, but it's also part of the estate's grazing area for their 800 beef cattle. Getting the balance right, on sensitive marshland just behind the dunes on the coast, is crucial. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farmers are hoping for an announcement soon on more help for small abattoirs, which have been in decline for many years. This means farmers have fewer options when they sent animals for slaughter, and the animals themselves have to make longer journeys. Farming Minister Mark Spencer promised to do something about it in his speech at the National Farmers Union Conference back in February. Since then, no specific announcements have been made, although the recent Rural Action Plan launched by DEFRA mentions consultation. We speak to Marisa Heath who set up a cross-party Parliamentary inquiry into small abattoirs. Hundreds of farmers are gathering at the Cereals event in Nottinghamshire and after one of the most volatile years arable farmers can remember there'll be a lot to discuss. Some figures calculate that UK arable farmers are facing more than a 50% drop in profits from harvest 2023. All week we're taking a look at what it takes to run a big estate and how they juggle farming with tourism and conservation. Today we speak to the accountants in the office who manage all the money for the farm business. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The shooting organisation BASC says itis taking legal action against the government over gamebird licences in England. Following a legal challenge by campaigners Wild Justice, since 2021 the release of birds like pheasants has been licensed by Natural England. Because of concerns about avian flu, this year the licence doesn't cover protected areas. Anyone wanting to release red legged partridge or pheasants within 500 m of a Special Protection Area, which protects rare, vulnerable and migratory birds, must get permission from Natural England. BASC says there has been no consultation on the change and it was announced too late to give shoots time to adapt. We start our theme for this week: agricultural estates. They are complicated businesses, with farming often at the heart but diversifications from holiday homes to shoots and micro-breweries helping to pay the bills. This week we're going to take a tour round the Holkham Estate in North Norfolk, owned by the Earl of Leicester. The estate covers 3500 hectares, growing salad potatoes, malting barley for beer, wheat and sugar beet, and maize for a biodigester. It includes forestry, a national nature reserve on the coast, grazes 900 beef cattle and 600 breeding ewes. It's also a tourist attraction. And a Leicestershire beekeeper says he has noticed a forty percent increase in honey production from hives near a solar farm. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The breaching of a major dam on the Dneipro river in southern Ukraine is unfolding as a human, environmental and economic tragedy for thousands of people who live downstream. But there are global implications too. Ukraine is one of the world’s biggest wheat producers. A group of farmers have driven from John O’ Groats to Land’s End in a large green combine harvester to raise awareness of suicide and mental health. The National Farmers Union has this week published a survey showing that the soaring costs of energy, fuel and fertiliser along with increased market volatility over the last year have all had a negative impact on farmers’ mental health. The government launched a rural action plan this week. The initiatives include: improving rural broadband; relaxing planning rules around developing farm buildings; new strategies for rural transport; a fund for smaller abattoirs; and higher penalties for fly tipping. Some campaigners say the plans need to be underpinned by fairer funding for rural areas. All week on Farming Today we looked at gene editing. The government in England has changed the law to allow the development and marketing of gene edited crops. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the law hasn't changed. Gene Editing is not the same as genetic modification - GE allows researchers to make a specific edit to a plant's DNA, no new genes are added as they would be in GM plants. A government inquiry has been told the reduction in the number and variety of insects in the UK and around the world is a risk to food security. Scientists have given evidence to MPs are examining the reasons for the decline and the impact on food security and the environment. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A reduction in the number and variety of insects in the UK and around the world is a risk to food security, a committee of MPs heard yesterday from some of the leading scientists in the field. A government inquiry is examining the latest evidence for insect decline in the UK, as well as the key drivers of insect loss, and the potential impacts on food security and the environment. A group of farmers are driving from John O’ Groats to Land’s End in a large green combine harvester to raise awareness of suicide and mental health. The National Farmers Union has this week published a survey showing that the soaring costs of energy, fuel and fertiliser along with increased market volatility over the last year have all had a negative impact on farmers’ mental health, so it’s a timely roadtrip. All this week we're looking at gene editing and the implications of the UK Government's new Genetic Technology Act. A change in the law, which only applies in England, means the development and marketing of gene edited crops is now legal. Earlier in the week we heard from GM Freeze who told us the safeguards surrounding gene edited crops aren’t strong enough, and unforeseen consequences could arise if they’re introduced. In Scotland, the Holyrood Government has made it clear that its stance on genetic technology has not changed. So what does that mean for Scotland-based scientists who work on gene editing? Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

At the Future Countryside Conference in Hertfordshire policy makers and farmers, land owners, conservationists and campaigners have been discussing how to make the countryside inclusive and meaningful for everyone. How can it deliver food, cleaner rivers and air, store carbon and offer people a place to visit and enjoy? We hear how this vision relies on a combination of personal will and public policy-making All week we're discussing gene editing - also known as precision breeding. It’s been just over two months since The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act passed into law in England (but not in Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland). The government says it's a major step in innovation and will help ensure food security in the face of climate change. The change in the law comes just as the results of Europe’s first-ever field trial of a gene-edited wheat, are published. We report from the trial site at Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire where scientists are developing a variety that will produce less harmful acyrilamide Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The government has launched a Rural Action Plan, which it says will help grow the rural economy and support people living in remoter communities. The initiatives include improving rural broadband, relaxing planning legislation on developing farm buildings, new strategies for rural transport, a fund for smaller abattoirs and higher penalties for fly tipping. However, some of the ideas are consultation processes, rather than action. Anna Hill asks the rural affairs minister Lord Benyon about the plans. This week we're discussing gene editing - the technique for breeding crops with specific traits by editing a plant's DNA. In England, legislation has been brought in to enable gene editing in crops, but this has not been introduced in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Scientists and many, but not all, farmers have welcomed the move. Campaigners at GM Freeze say the safeguards surrounding gene edited crops are not strong enough, and unforeseen consequences could arise from their introduction. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farmers are being asked to conserve water as it is currently 'scarce in most of Scotland' according to SEPA, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. It says 12 areas in the Northwest and Southern Central regions have been put on alert and businesses extracting water are being urged to put their water scarcity plans into action now to reduce pressure on the environment and preserve water resources.  When we left the EU, the government delayed introducing a new system for checking food imported from the EU, although UK exporters to the EU have faced checks since the beginning of 2021. The new UK system will be phased in from October meaning big changes for food inspection teams at our ports. More than double the amount of food and live animals are imported from the EU than the rest of the world. A 100-strong team works at Felixstowe port in Suffolk to keep the food on our plates safe to eat and we hear from some of the staff on the front line. All week we're looking at gene editing. It was promoted as a Brexit benefit and the government in England has changed the law to allow the development and marketing of gene edited crops. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the law hasn't changed. Gene Editing is not the same as genetic modification - GE allows researchers to make a specific edit to a plant's DNA, no new genes are added as they would be in GM plants. This week we'll hear what impact the change in the English regulations is having and discuss some of the concerns that are being raised. We start off by hearing from Jim Dunwell professor of plant bio-technology at Reading University. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

This week the first Trade Deals made since the UK left the EU came into force - with Australia and New Zealand. Some farmers are concerned the deals will lead to the UK being flooded with cheaper imported meat. We hear from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) which has been using modelling developed by Harper Adams and Exeter Universities to asses the potential impact on UK agriculture. For the first time the UK Government has given permission for commercial drones to be used for the aerial spraying of weeds with pesticides. At this stage it will only be used on railway bridges where working at height can be dangerous. But using drones in British Agriculture is gathering pace, as our reporter Sarah Falkingham has been finding out. And a question from a listener about the porcine products in her medicine leads the team to take a look at how products reared and grown on farms are used in the pharmaceutical industry. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced in Bristol for BBC Audio by Natalie Donovan

Nearly 200,000 cows could be culled to meet emissions targets in Ireland - farming has to reduce emissions by 25% by 2025 and Department of Agriculture plans say that means 65,000 cows need to be culled every year for the next three years, at a cost of two hundred million euros a year. This is a bit of an about turn as over the past few years Irish governments have encouraged the expansion of dairy farming - a decline in the beef herd means that target has already been met. The governments of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan will in effect recruit workers for UK farms. They've signed new Agreements with the UK's Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority to improve protections for seasonal workers coming to work here. There have been concerns that workers are vulnerable and some have said they were made to pay for a contract here - which isn't allowed and left them in debt. Between them Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan supplied 6,000 seasonal workers last year... but are expected to provide tens of thousands more over the next few years All week we're talking about farming pharma - the medicines we grow on farm either as by-products or as dedicated crops. We speak to a business which uses millions of eggs every week - but not for food. CSL Sequris, based in Liverpool, produces flu vaccines for use all over the world - using about 600,000 eggs a day. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

There's been a truce in the row over sheep on Dartmoor. Farmers were told they must radically reduce the number of sheep and other livestock on common land if they wanted to remain in government schemes. Natural England wrote to commons associations which cover much of Dartmoor, offering rollovers of existing Higher Level Stewardship Schemes, farmers said the new agreements would not allow winter grazing, and the number of animals on the land in the summer had to be reduced, on some commons by an average of 75 percent. Farmers said that wasn’t viable and protested, others called it re-wilding by the backdoor and the Farming Minister agreed to an Independent Review. Now, following a parliamentary debate and some meetings, Natural England is proposing a one-year extension to existing stewardship agreements with no reduction in livestock numbers in most areas and then further four year agreements which will take into account the results of the review. Farmers in the East of England have faced water shortages for some time, but now there's a pilot project to try and tackle shortages in the West. South West Water and the Westcountry Rivers Trust are looking at paying farmers to store water on their land to help reduce demand during droughts. All week we're looking at farming pharma - the pharmaceutical products which are produced on farm, some as by-products and others as a crop in their own right. Poppies were grown here for medicine until the UK's only processing plant was closed back in 2016. Now farmers need a licence to send poppies to be processed for medicine abroad. They say they've been asking the Home Office for one for years, but still can't grow their crops for the medicinal market. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The first of the UK’s post Brexit trade deals are coming into force from 1 June. Some farmers are concerned the deals with Australia and New Zealand will lead to the UK being flooded with cheap imported meat, but analysis say markets with Japan and China are far more important for Australian beef farmers and New Zealand isn't using up all its existing quotas for exporting lamb. We speak to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board which has been looking at the impact of these deals on UK agriculture. For the first time the Government has given permission for the aerial spraying of weeds with pesticides by commercial drones. It’s not on farms at this stage, only on railway bridges and it’s been sanctioned by the Health and Safety Executive. However using drones in British Agriculture is gathering pace. Our reporter has been to watch a practical demonstration at an international conference near York. All week we're looking at a niche sector of the agricultural world - farming crops and using animal products for medical purposes. Since 2018 it’s been legal to use cannabis under prescription in the UK, for certain conditions including epilepsy, and around 25,000 patients are thought to be using it. A few companies have been working through complex and demanding regulations to produce the drug for the UK market. We visit one of them - Hilltop Leaf in southern Scotland. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Aardman Animation's world famous animated sheep is being adopted by Natural England to teach children how to behave in the countryside, in a new campaign which aims to teach how to 'respect, protect and enjoy' it. The UK's first indoor salmon farm could be built in Cleethorpes. The company behind it says it's a safe and efficient way to produce fish and avoids the potential problems of sea lice, pollution and escapes faced by farms at sea or in lochs. Opponents say it's factory farming. All week we're looking at growing the ingredients for medicines. Today we hear about animal products in pharmaceuticals. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

All year long, Young Farmers' Clubs prepare for a big competition - the county rally. We join young farmers from across Wiltshire as they vie for the trophy. Activities range from practical skills, like fence erecting, cooking, tractor reversing and flower arranging, to the silly - like making cocktails in costume or hooking ducks with a mini digger. This year's theme is "a day at the races" and it coincides with the 90th anniversary of Malmesbury YFC who are hosting the rally at Aquetong Farm near Malmesbury. Produced and presented by Rebecca Rooney.

The Government has dropped the Kept Animals Bill. It would have banned the live export of animals from the UK, the bill would also have brought in new measures to tackle dogs worrying livestock and puppy farming. The Farming Minister Mark Spencer told the House of Commons the bill "risked being extended" beyond its original commitments and was being dropped. Compassion in World Farming has condemned the move. Some English farmers are celebrating a government u-turn on payments to hill farms. We find out what the changes are and what they could mean for farmers. Tenant farmers in England criticise the Government response to a review of the sector. Defra says it plans to get rid of EU regulations, a move which it claims will release £180 million into the the UK's wine industry. Plans would enable growers to import hybrid vines, adding new grape varieties into higher quality wines grown in England and Wales. The changes would also include new labelling to show where the grapes are from, and not where the wine was bottled. This week the World Farmers Organisation has been meeting in South Africa and Farming Today has been looking at some of the challenges facing farmers around the world. We report from the Netherlands, where there are radical proposals to reduce the number of farms. Also we speak to a farmer in Ukraine about farming in a war zone and hear from fruit growers in Ghana where there's a glut of watermelons. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The government has dropped the Kept Animals Bill. It would have banned the live export of animals from the UK . The commitment to banning the export of live animals for slaughter was made in the Conservative Party's election manifesto in 2019 and the bill would also have brought in new measures to tackle dogs worrying livestock and puppy farming. The Farming Minister Mark Spencer told the House of Commons the bill "risked being extended" beyond its original commitments and was being dropped. Compassion in World Farming has long campaigned against live exports and has condemned the move. Some English farmers are celebrating a government u-turn on payments to hill farms. Charlotte Smith finds out what the changes are and what they could mean for farmers. This week the World Farmers Organisation has been meeting in South Africa and so all this week Farming Today is looking at some of the challenges facing farmers around the world. Today we report from the Netherlands, where there are radical proposals to reduce the number of farms. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Tenant farming groups in England have criticised the Government response to a review of the sector. The review by Baroness Kate Rock was published last year and made 74 recommendations, including a tenancy forum, a tenant farming commissioner and improvements to tenancies, as well as making the new Environmental Land Management schemes more accessible to people who don't own the land they farm. The Government has responded by announcing a new Farm Tenancy Forum and will consult on a commissioner. Tenant Farmers Association's chief executive, George Dunn says “the last thing we need is a review of the review". The price UK farmers will be paid for wool this year is going down, and won't cover the cost of shearing. British Wool has annouced it'll pay around 30 pence a kilo, which means many farmers will get less than £1 per fleece. Shearing costs about £1.65 per sheep according to the National Association of Agricultural Contractors. This year's wool price is a drop from last year when farmers got around 36 pence a kilo, prices vary according to the type and quality of the wool. All this week as world farmers meet in South Africa we're looking at some of the challenges faced by farmers around the globe. Farming in a war zone is obviously difficult, both the day to day stresses but also the bigger picture as Ukrainian farmers struggle to export their produce. They have been big exporters of grain and oilseeds and as we've reported the war has impacted both availability and prices across the world. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Food companies and retailers have been in talks with the chancellor Jeremy Hunt about addressing issues with the food supply chain. An investigation has already been carried out by DEFRA into the pig supply chain and its report, back in April, said new regulation for written contracts would be brought in, to provide 'fairness and certainty'. One of the largest pig processing companies, Cranswick, has just announced a rise in profits, while at the same time another large pig processor Pilgrims has closed its plant at Ashton in Manchester. The government's launched a new Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code in England, which encourages people visiting coastal areas to respect marine mammals and birds. The guidelines include not approaching wildlife on beaches, including seals, and taking care when swimming or using craft such as jet skis. The Office for Environmental Protection is to investigate the Department for Agriculture in Northern Ireland - or DAERA - after concerns that it breached environmental law on ammonia guidance. Ammonia from cattle slurry can be damaging to the environment and air quality, and has been an issue in agriculture in Northern Ireland for some time. We often talk about food loss and waste in the UK market, and as part of our World Farming Focus week we are putting a spotlight on the excess production of fruit in Ghana. Every year the country’s farmers produce a glut of fruit like watermelon, mango and oranges, with no ready market, meaning it’s left to rot on farms and along roadsides. Research estimates that some 3.2 million tons of food is either lost or wasted along the supply chain in Ghana. Presenter - Anna Hill Producer - Rebecca Rooney

The government says it plans to get rid of EU regulations, a move which it claims will release £180 million into the the UK's wine industry. The plans mean growers would be able to import hybrid vines, adding new grape varieties into higher quality wines grown in England and Wales, which have PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) - a status which protects food products with a unique regional character. The changes would also include new labelling to show where the grapes are from, and not where the wine was bottled. Brazil has come under global pressure to stop deforestation, as the demand for beef rises. Deforestation has long been linked to agricultural activities, including cattle ranching. With the global demand for beef rising, the pressure on Brazil's forests has intensified. We find out what's being done to change the way farmers produce beef in Brazil and how that might reduce deforestation. There are sixteen agricultural universities in the UK which are members of the Agricultural Universities Council. They teach degrees in agriculture-related subjects but also carry out research into a wide range of rural and farming subjects. Now the council has decided to do more to join up the research the universities undertake, so that it has more relevance to farmers and answers the questions they are asking. Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Rebecca Rooney

Scotland has a new Food Security Unit - which the government says will 'monitor food system resilience'. The unit was reccomended by a food security and supply task force which the Scottish government set up with the food industry immediately after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Farmers from around the world are meeting in South Africa this week for the World Farmers Organisation General Assembly - they'll discuss international trade, farmer driven innovation and climate change - amongst other things. All week we'll take a look a some of the issues farmers in other countries are facing. As many keen gardeners and indeed farmers will tell you seeds grown locally are best suited to the local as they're used to the exact conditions. A group of growers in West wales are championing seeds with links to Wales - we visit the Wales Seed Hub. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

This week farmers and food producers were invited to Downing Street to discuss the whole food chain; from the high costs farmers are facing to produce food, to the shortage of labour for harvesting and processing, and from trade to supply chain transparency. We speak to the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, about his commitments to British food. Was it a photo op or a serious meeting? We hear reaction from those who were there, and from those who weren't invited. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farming communities are struggling with their mental health and urgent action's needed to help them cope with the trauma of dealing with the aftermath of things like avian flu which has involved mass culls of birds. A report from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee says farmers and vets are facing mental health trauma with little support. All week we're focusing on growing under glass. With sky-high energy costs, some salad growers have stopped planting crops. One farmer in Scotland is heating his glasshouse using renewable energy, harvesting methane from slurry. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust is marking its 50th birthday - we report from a special event in Penrith in Cumbria, where farmers, conservationists and chefs celebrate rare and native breed livestock. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A response to the Prime Minister's Farm to Fork summit from those who were missing. The chief executive of Sustain Vicki Hird tells Anna that she was disappointed at the omission. The last 18 months has been a fraught time for glasshouse growers, but a group of tomato farmers in East Anglia have managed to weather the storm. And many people across farming and the countryside have been paying tribute to Christopher Jones MBE, who has died and was a regular contributor to the programme. Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Alun Beach

Special programme from the Food Summit at Number 10 including an interview with the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is holding a 'farm to fork' summit at Downing Street with people from the farming and food industries. They'll be discussing the whole of the food chain, from the high costs farmers are facing to produce our food, to the shortage of labour for harvesting and processing. They'll be talking about transparency in the food chain - and how consumers facing the cost of living crisis can be supplied with UK-grown, affordable food. We find out what farmers want from it, and from the former food Tsar Henry Dimbleby who's hasn't got an invite, but tells us what he expects will be discussed. All week we're talking about growing under glass. It takes a lot of energy and a lot of people and the combination of war in Ukraine and Brexit, made both energy expensive and staff hard to get hold of. As a result, many farmers in Lea Valley, which covers more than 180 hectares of glasshouses run by 80 growers, decided to stop production altogether. We catch up with Lea Valley Growers to find out whether things have improved. A former golf course in Kent is being re-wilded under a scheme which raises money by selling carbon credits to companies wanting to improve their environmental credentials. Heather Corrie Vale is a 125-acre site near Sevenoaks and is one of the first to benefit from Kent Wildlife Trust's Wilder Carbon initiative. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Food is high on the political agenda this week, with the Prime Minister holding a food summit at Downing street tomorrow. With high food price inflation following egg and salad shortages on supermarket shelves its perhaps not surprising that there is a summit, and we will of course be there. All this week we're looking at growing under glass. This year growers struggled with higher energy and fertiliser bills and some simply didn't plant, but the Government is keen to grow the sector. We hear from Professor Richard Napier from the University of Warwick on the challenges and opportunities for the sector. Some of the best growing land in the country is drained lowland peatland. It's good for raising veg but bad for emissions as it releases both C02 and nitrous oxide. To cut emissions we could re-flood the drained land but that would have an impact on food production. To work out the pros and cons scientists are now measuring the emissions from drained peatlands, and Anna Hill has been to Cambridgeshire to meet Dr Ross Morrison, Bio-meterologist with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. The trail around the English coast will be, when it's complete, the longest managed coastal trail in the world. It's now called the King Charles the third coast path, and a new section has recently opened in East Yorkshire. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

With food price inflation at its highest since the 1970’s, a committee of MPs has launched an investigation into how the supply chain is working. The Environment Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee will look at how risk and profitability is shared between farmers, processors and retailers, and how government monitoring and regulation impacts it. DEFRA's IT systems are outdated and inefficient - with two thirds of transactions every year still needing paper forms. That's according to a report published by the Public Accounts Committee of MPs, which says a multi-million pound "complete overhaul" is needed. We hear what it means for farmers on the ground. And with The Small Robot Company fighting for survival after a major investor pulled out, we ask what it says about agri-tech investment in the UK. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Farmers' barns are full of stored wheat and barley which was produced at high cost last summer, but now can only be sold at a loss. We hear what that could mean for grain markets. All week we're hearing about rural tourism: a Northumberland tourist attraction and whisky distillery is using local farmers to supply the barley for the whisky. It's show time again, and one of the first of the season is the Balmoral Show in Northern Ireland. It's a highlight in the agricultural calendar, important for socialising and showing off the hard work farmers put in, but post-Brexit it's also become a focal point for trade in breeding stock. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The sun sets on the Government’s ‘sunset clause’ which would have meant thousands of laws inherited from the EU disappearing at the end of the year. The Wildlife Trusts welcome the news. Avian flu has had a devastating impact on seabird populations. Today though, some rare good news: the Noss National Nature Reserve just off the east coast of Shetland is reopening to the public after closing last year due to the virus. As part of our week looking at rural tourism, we visit a b&b in Devon which has been inspired by an Italian agriturismo, a farm where the food grown is part of the accommodation experience. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

DEFRA's IT systems are outdated and inefficient, with two thirds of transactions every year still needing paper forms. That's according to a report published by the Public Accounts Committee of MPs, which says a multi-million pound "complete overhaul" is needed, to ensure air quality, safe food and water supply. The Department and it's agencies, provide services ranging from permits to move animals, and monitoring air quality, to paying grants. We visit a pop-up campsite on a farm in Cornwall. Until the end of 2021, landowners and farmers, were granted temporary licences to run pop-up sites for 56 days, using facilities which could be dismantled at short notice. Last year those rules changed again, back to the standard 28 days. Operators are now waiting to hear the outcome of a consultation, which could allow temporary sites to operate for longer. And Spalding Flower Parade used to take place each year to celebrate the tulip growing industry in Lincolnshire. But as tulip growing decreased and more flowers were imported, the parade died out, and the last one was held in 2013. Now,10 years on, the parade is back - and more than a million tulips are being cut, to adorn the floats for the event. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

A British farm robot firm is fighting for survival after a major investor pulled out. The co-founder of the Small Robot company Sam Watson Jones tells Charlotte that they are now aiming to raise one and a half million pounds through crowdfunding. Dr Belinda Clarke the director of Agri TechE - an organisation which brings together farmers, scientists, and entrepreneurs - says it is a challenging sector in which to attract investment. And a look at agritourism - the farm based holiday experiences on offer up and down the country – today a luxury romantic "Hideaway" farm stay business near Dundee. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Alun Beach

As a new King is crowned, Vernon Harwood looks at the role Charles III has played in shaping and supporting farming in the UK. From his first major speech on the environment as a young Prince of Wales in 1970, to his unconventional and often criticised organic farming methods in the 1980s, he continues to be concerned about the future for upland farmers and the profitability of small family businesses. We hear insights from the King’s former Farm Manager in Gloucestershire, the Cumberland Bed-and-Breakfast owners who formed a lasting friendship with the monarch and the fifth-generation Exmoor farmer who sees first-hand the impact the Prince’s Countryside Fund has on isolated communities. For decades Charles was a passionate and sometimes forthright voice supporting everything from traditional country crafts to Britain’s native farm breeds. But with new responsibilities as sovereign, what now for the man dubbed ‘Britain’s most famous farmer’? Produced and Presented for BBC Audio in Bristol by Vernon Harwood Archive material used in this programme: Conservation Year Speech in Cardiff; BBC Radio 4 Wales, 19/02/1970 Rethinking Food & Farming – Farming Today; BBC Radio 4, 26/06/2020 Royal visit to Cumberland – Six O’Clock News; BBC Radio 4, 25/09/2001 Highgrove event – Country Matters; BBC Radio Gloucestershire, 26/07/2015

The Climate Change Committee, the independent body which advises all of the UK governments on climate change, says that to meet targets on lowering emissions, we need to eat and farm less beef. We hear how researchers and farmers have been working to reduce the carbon footprint of beef. There will not be a government horticulture strategy in England. One was promised last June as part of the Government Food Strategy, which committed to developing a 'world-leading horticulture strategy for England’.  But despite recent shortages of some vegetables in the supermarkets, this week the Farming Minister confirmed it would "not be developing a published strategy...as originally envisaged". Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Climate Change Committee - the independent body which advises all of the UK governments on climate change - says that to meet targets on lowering emissions we need to eat and farm less beef. The Committee Chair Lord Deben explains why, and Tom Bradshaw from the NFU tells Caz Graham that UK beef production could actually help reduce global beef emissions. Gloucester cattle have been categorised by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust as a 'priority breed'. Farming Today has been to visit a farm to hear how the Gloucester Cattle Society is helping maintain and improve the breed. Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Alun Beach

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside.

Anna has joined academics from Cambridge University and a group of farmers to see how they are hoping to tackle the dilemma of growing vegetables without drying out lowland peat lands, which can release carbon into the atmosphere. And staying on this theme, an agricultural university is experimenting with methods of raising beef with the lowest possible carbon footprint. Nick Allen the Chief Executive of the British Meat Processors Association gives his view on whether the resulting meat will be welcomed by supermarkets, or not. Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Alun Beach

The runways impacting rivers: people living in villages near the East Midlands Airport are concerned local water courses are being contaminated by de-iced aircraft. Thousands of native oysters are being reintroduced into the Solent more than 30 years after stocks there declined. This week we'll be looking at the business of beef. Edward Hawkins from Somerset is striving to improve his farm's carbon footprint, working to improve the grass, soils and the efficiency of his farm. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The number of Red Deer in the Scottish Highlands has doubled in the past 50 years. It's great news for wildlife-watchers, but it's also causing problems because the deer are damaging woodlands and other fragile habitats. So what's the solution? Richard Baynes investigates.

An investigation into the death of more than 100 cows on Jersey has found that the most likely cause of death was botulism in cattle feed. The farm has now told the BBC that rebuilding its herd will take seven years, and they face particular challenges because of the island’s ban on importing Jersey cows to protect the national herd’s genetic purity. He has millions of followers on social media, but manages to get up at the crack of dawn to help with lambing: Will Young, also known as Farmer Will on ITV's Love Island. He's now back in Buckinghamshire on the family farm, joined by his TV partner, Jessie. The 'nature markets framework' has been published by the government outlining how farmers will be able to have multiple payments if several different environmental improvements are made on one piece of land, it's known as stacking. It's to do with the Environmental Land Management Schemes or ELMS - which are coming in in England and will pay farmers public money for environmental work. A glimmer of hope for Scottish seed potato growers, as Defra minister confirms exports to Northern Ireland will be allowed again from the autumn. Engineers have developed a unique burrowing robot which ‘swims’ through grain stores to ensure the seeds are kept properly. The t-shaped robot has been launched by an agritech developer at Scotland's National Robotarium, based at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. It's designed to help farmers look after their grain more efficiently, without having to carry out labour-intensive checks. The teenage farmer who's got the tenancy for a 600 acre farm in the Outer Hebrides. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A glimmer of hope for Scottish seed potato growers, as Defra minister confirms exports to Northern Ireland will be allowed again from the autumn. On the Humber Estuary conservationists are encouraging seagrass to return by planting tens of thousands of seeds by hand. The agricultural industry spends millions of pounds a year on seeds for cereals, but where do farmers get them from and what happens to them before they’re sold? Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Frosty mornings and bright sunlight can be damaging for crops in the field. Now, scientists have discovered that crops which face those conditions have a special gene to repair the damage, but it's only switched on by the plant's own circadian clock, which recognises night and day. Researchers at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have been working in a special light-restricted laboratory and their findings could lead to precision breeding crops which will cope better in northerly latitudes. He has millions of followers on social media, but manages to get up at the crack of dawn to help with lambing: Will Young, also known as Farmer Will on ITV's Love Island. He's now back in Buckinghamshire on the family farm, and he's also been joined by his TV partner, Jessie. Engineers have developed a unique burrowing robot which ‘swims’ through grain stores to ensure the seeds are kept properly. The t-shaped robot has been launched by an agritech developer at Scotland's National Robotarium, based at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh. It's designed to help farmers look after their grain more efficiently, without having to carry out labour-intensive checks. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Government's confirmed that landowners and farmers will be able to have multiple payments if several different environmental improvements are made on one piece of land, it's known as stacking and an expert explains how it works. After a Herefordshire farmer was jailed for wrecking the River Lugg as it ran through his land, water companies have come under renewed criticism for failing to stop sewage polluting rivers. Wessex Water is paying a total of more than £200,000 to executives, despite discharges of foul water into its rivers after heavy rain. Wessex Water has defended the bonuses, saying the company has exceeded its targets. This week we're looking at seeds, and we visit a trial site where one of the UK's largest grass seed breeders plants thousands of different grasses to develop new varieties. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A farmer was jailed last week for what the Environment Agency and Natural England describe as the ‘worst case of riverside damage’ they’d ever seen. John Price admitted seven charges of damaging a stretch of the River Lugg in Herefordshire. He was sentenced to a year in prison and has to pick up the £600,000 bill for restoring the river. What are the implications of this when it comes to protecting our waterways in future? We speak to Natural England and the Wildlife Trust who raised the alarm. All week we're going to be looking at one of the fundamentals of farming: seeds - from seed banks to seed breeding and the work being done agricultural seed companies. We start off with a seed expert and professor of crop production from the University of Reading. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

New compulsory medical tests for fishermen: a leap forward for safety at sea or an over-rigid interpretation of the law that could devastate the inshore fishing fleet? According to the Forestry Commission, on average 30 per cent of newly planted trees in towns and cities will not survive more than 12 months. Foresters says they’re on the verge of going bust because of delays to tree-planting contracts. Broadcaster Vanessa Feltz takes a trip to Kent to visit Sadeh, a seven-acre Jewish market garden and environmental community, which runs educational events exploring the links between Judaism and food production. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

From November all fishermen will have to get a medical fitness certificate to continue fishing, even those on boats that are under 10 metres long. The National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations says livelihoods will be lost and that fishermen will have to prove a higher standard of fitness than ambulance and HGV drivers. The government says the certificates are required by international law and aim to save lives. The West Wales coastline has been well known for its shellfish and traditional fishing pots since the 19th century, and many boats have been passed down through families, but there now seems to be a shortage of the next generation of shell fishers. We visit Solva in Pembrokeshire to find out more. A Herefordshire farmer has been sentenced to a year in prison for what the judge described as ‘ecological vandalism on an industrial scale’ of the River Lugg. The river, a site of special scientific interest, was dredged, woodland cut down and the banks flattened destroying otter, kingsfisher and salmon habitats. Natural England and the Enviroment Agency welcomed the sentence and said the damage was the worst case of riverside destruction they’d ever seen. John Price admitted seven charges of damaging a stretch of the River Lugg in Herefordshire, including failing to stop pollution entering the water. All this week we're talking about our land - who owns it, what they're doing with it, and how that's changing. One idea that's taken hold is for polluting companies to pay for trees to be planted in their name - to 'offset' their carbon footprint. One Somerset removals company has gone a step further: they've bought land which they're rewilding with native trees. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Forestry contractors say delays to paperwork are holding up tree planting. One forester says the waiting nearly cost him his business, and he feared he'd go bust. He also says delays in the system mean the government won't meet its ambitious tree-planting targets. We are looking into landownership all this week - and the value of arable land in England is currently at an all time high. There are many reasons and tax has its part to pay too, both inheritance tax and capital gains tax. We speak to an accountant about how tax affects the price of land. We've often talked about the future potential of insects both for feeding livestock and feeding us. At the moment insects can legally only be fed on vegetable matter, but a new research project being carried out for the Food Standards Agency is looking at the feasibility of using other types of food waste. It’s being run by Fera Science Ltd, alongside the University of Surrey. Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Rebecca Rooney

Despite the joy at seeing free-range poultry allowed back outdoors again, the country's leading free-range chicken producer has told Farming Today that he is unable to re-stock any of the thousands of sheds which had been infected, because there is no agreement on a disinfection protocol, six months after the disease swept through the free-range poultry industry. Millions of free-range poultry are now allowed out once more after an unprecedented lock-down because of avian flu. We speak to Mark Gorton from Traditional Norfolk Poultry, which produces free-range and organic chicken and turkeys on more than fifty farm sites. The Government has agreed to set up an independent review into the management of Dartmoor.  It follows pressure from a group of MPs representing areas of Dartmoor alarmed at recent proposals from Natural England to significantly reduce grazing levels on the moor.  All week we're looking at land ownership, the idea of community land has taken root in Scotland, with more than 500,000 acres of the country now owned by local community groups, and a Scottish Government fund of ten million pounds a year has been made available for community land buyouts. The majority of the community-owned land is in the Outer Hebrides, with 70 per cent of the people there now participating. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

As the UK aims to meet its target of becoming net zero on carbon by 2050, millions of trees are being planted, but will all these new trees survive? According to the Forestry Commission, on average 30% of newly planted trees in towns and cities in the UK will not survive more than 12 months and a long term programme of planting trees along the A14 has been badly hit: the Highways Agency told us since 2018 around 40% of newly planted trees along the road had died. Since then, with the very hot summer last year, they are expecting that number to rise. We speak to the Woodland Trust. After months of being kept indoors to prevent the spread of Avian Flu, free range poultry is being allowed outdoors. DEFRA's latest figures show Avian Flu outbreaks have been the worst recorded this winter, with more than 330 outbreaks confirmed across the country since late October 2021. Enhanced biosecurity requirements that were brought in as part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone will remain in force as infection may still be circulating for several more weeks. A business start-up is producing soldier larvae to feed to chickens. It uses surplus fruit and veg from supermarkets to grow maggots. The company is now working with several egg farms in Wales, who are installing converted containers next to their hen houses, so the live grubs can be fed to the chickens. Estate owners in Scotland are tapping into the growing carbon market to make money from "natural capital" such as peat and woodland restoration. One landowner rejects the term "green laird" and insists he's interested in looking after the land for the long term. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Brecon Beacons national park is to be known as Bannau Brycheiniog national park. The switch to the Welsh language name takes effect on its 66th anniversary. Park bosses say the name change will help celebrate and promote the area's culture and heritage. It's part of a wider overhaul of how the park is managed, to try and address serious environmental challenges. Planning is a subject which farmers talk about a lot at the moment: some say while the government in England is encouraging them to diversify their businesses, planning rules and local councils are making that difficult, if not impossible. The Country Land and Business Association or CLA says a survey of 600 members reveals that what it calls 'outdated and under resourced planning procedures' are costing them money, and three quarters say they've been forced to abandon investment plans. We speak to a family run commercial nursery in Surrey, trying to build a new house on land that's being planted as the business is expanding. We also hear from the think tank, the Local Government Information Service. Campaigners in Scotland are calling for special 'go-fish zones' to be introduced. Conservationists from "Open Seas" say the areas could form part of plans by the Scottish Government to designate a tenth of seas as highly-protected, where no commercial activity would be allowed. Some fishermen say they fear going out of business with the continuing squeeze being placed on them. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Fly-tipping can be a big issue for farmers who have to pay to clear any rubbish left on their land. Now, the Country Land and Business Association says there should be a "National Fly-Tipping Tsar" to take charge of the fight against the problem. The Government has recently announced new grants for councils and bigger fines for fly-tippers - will it be enough? As we've reported on this programme, sheep have been getting a bit of stick recently - accused of damaging habitats through overgrazing. But in Suffolk, the National Trust is using a small flock of rare breed sheep to improve habitats for wading birds at Orford Ness Nature Reserve. And we hear from a Welsh beef farmer who has been seeing how it's done in Chile. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Free-range hens in England and Wales can roam free again from next week, some birds will never have seen the outdoors, Charlotte hears how this new-found freedom will affect them and farmers. A research project is looking at innovative ways of controlling slugs for farmers, can a new variety of wheat spoil their appetite, or perhaps beetles are the answer? And a report shows the price being paid to apple growers for their fruit is not keeping up with the cost of growing them. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Alun Beach

A decision by the Duchy of Cornwall to phase out farming of Pacific Oysters in all the estuaries it owns is leaving several oyster farms in Devon and Cornwall facing closure. Meanwhile in Scotland there is just one remaining native oyster fishery, but there are plans to re-introduce them into an environmentally protected area of the Dornoch Firth in the Highlands. The mandatory housing measures for poultry and captive birds, which were introduced across England and Wales in the autumn to help stop the spread of bird flu last year, are to be lifted next week. And research into new ideas and approaches in farming, that take place not in a university or company lab but literally in the field, or greenhouse or milking parlour. Presented by Caz Graham Produced by Alun Beach

Think rainforest and you might think of the Amazon or Sumatra, but Britain has its own rare rainforest habitat, known as ‘temperate rainforest’. The Wildlife Trusts are beginning an ambitious project to restore and create more of them, using £38 million of funding from the insurance company Aviva. The impact of climate change on UK agriculture is something we often discuss on this programme, and many farmers are working closely alongside scientists to help prepare for the different growing conditions we’re likely to experience in future. We visit the James Hutton Institute to hear about the latest in blackcurrant research and breeding. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The area of maize grown in the UK has roughly trebled since the 1990s. Is that a good or bad thing? Fans of maize say it's a cheap crop to grow, needing little fertiliser and producing high quality livestock feed. But others see it as an environmental menace, which often leads to soil compaction and run off. So can things be done differently to reduce the negative impacts of maize while still benefitting from the positives? Produced and presented for BBC Audio in Bristol by Sarah Swadling

The government’s announced its new plan for water in England. Critics say it's a rehash of previous policies, but the farming minister says there will be £10 million more funding for constructing reservoirs on farms and better irrigation systems and nearly £34 million pounds to help livestock farmers improve their slurry storage. River Action is making a formal complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority about Red Tractor after an internal Environment Agency Report concluded Red Tractor membership was 'not a good indicator of environmental protection'. The charity says Red Tractor ads are misleading as they claim to be a world-leading standard and their environmental standards aren't good enough. Red Tractor says that the analysis of the data is misleading and insists farms that belong to its scheme fare much better in inspections than those that don't. National Pig Association welcomes a government plan to ensure fairness and transparency in the pork supply chain. Egg producers fear UK animal welfare standards will be undermined by the latest post-Brexit deal agreement, the CPTPP. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, whose members include Mexico, Canada and Japan, will have quotas for imports of ‘sensitive’ products like beef and lamb, but not eggs. The industry says 99% of Mexico’s eggs come from caged birds, a method of production banned in the UK in 2012. Dartmoor National Park Authority has been granted permission to appeal against a High Court decision in January that led to wild camping being banned. Recordings of skylarks and blackbirds. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The UK's National Willow Collection was set up in the aftermath of WWI when a War Office review identified there had been a shortage of willow to make containers for ammunition. 100 years on, plastic is now used to do many of the jobs willow once did. But the collection is now run by Rothamsted Research, where scientists are looking at the potential for new materials to be made from willow that could replace plastic. In this programme, Sarah Swadling visits the Collection, which has over 1500 different willows and celebrates it's 100th anniversary this year. Presented and produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Sarah Swadling

UK egg producers say the new trans-Pacific free trade deal is bad for animal welfare and bad for the British egg industry. The British Egg Industry Council fears that UK animal welfare standards will be undermined and producers will be put at a commercial disadvantage by the latest post-Brexit trade agreement, the CPTPP. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, whose members include Mexico, Canada and Japan, will have quotas and permanent limits for imports of ‘sensitive’ products like beef and lamb - but not eggs. The Council's chief executive, Mark Williams, says 99% of Mexico’s eggs come from birds that are kept in battery cages, a method of production which was banned in the UK in 2012. We’re talking about food labelling all this week. The Government is expected to consult later this year on plans to introduce mandatory welfare labelling for poultry and pork products with labels explaining how the livestock’s been farmed. There are already many different voluntary schemes with labels on pork relating to how pigs are reared, but is focusing on production methods alone a good measure of animal welfare? Cambridge University scientists have come up with a system of measuring welfare that uses what they say is a reliable comparison across different types of pig farming. People who want to camp out on Dartmoor may have that right returned. The Dartmoor National Park Authority has been granted permission to appeal against a High Court decision in January that meant the right to wild camp anywhere on Dartmoor was removed. The ruling came about after a landowner challenged a longstanding assumption that the public had an automatic right to camp without permission. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Details of government’s new plan for water in England. It says extra funding will give farmers more free advice from the Catchment Sensitive Farming scheme and promises more funding for constructing reservoirs on farms. It's also earmarked nearly £34 million pound to help livestock farmers improve their slurry storage. We speak to the farming minister Mark Spencer. A group in Devon is using bunds made from sheep's wool and moss to help restore peatlands on Dartmoor. The aim is to capture carbon - and make a statement about the climate emergency. It's part of a project called How to Bury the Giant. This week we're taking a look at labelling. A new study from Rothamsted Research examines whether food labels should take into account ‘the bio-availability’ of the nutrients in different foods, and how that would affect their overall carbon footprint and sustainability. Presenter =Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

River Action, the charity that campaigns about river pollution, is making a formal complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority about Red Tractor after an internal Environment Agency Report, seen by the Times newspaper, concluded that Red Tractor membership was “not a good indicator of environmental protection”. The river charity says Red Tractor ads are misleading because they claim to be a world-leading standard and their environmental standards aren't good enough. However, Red Tractor says that the analysis of the data is misleading. It insists that farms that belong to its scheme fare much better in inspections than those that don't. It says it inspects all its farmers and anyone found causing pollution would be reported and taken to task. A farmer who recorded a skylark using a microphone tied to a fishing rod and suspended from a weather balloon really did get a recording of the bird this way - it wasn't an April fool! Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Incidents like the food fraud allegations that hit the headlines last week can make shoppers really question the value of labels on food. What’s the point in believing a label that says meat is British, if it might not be? All this week we’re going to be looking into labelling and how well it serves us. Natural England has launched a new 18 million pound Species Recovery Grant Scheme. It aims to help protect rare and endangered species like the Ladies Slipper Orchid and water voles through things like habitat restoration and by relocating some species to new areas. From next year consumers won’t be able to buy bags of compost that contain peat. Now the government has confirmed that it is phasing out peat for the professional growing sector from 2026 - with a complete ban from 2030. Conservationists say that’s not soon enough, but the horticultural industry says it needs more time to find alternatives. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A new Trans Pacific Trade Agreement: what will it mean for farmers and food producers in the UK? How the farming industry is tackling the problem of waste. For the second time in a matter of weeks it’s been revealed that the National Food Crime Unit is investigating claims of food fraud, this time a rogue meat supplier that falsely labelled huge quantities of foreign pork as British. And a furious skylark in Norfolk. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The UK is on the verge of joining the Trans-Pacific Trade Pact, or CPTPP. Signing up to the "Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership", to give it its full name, joining Chile, Canada and Vietnam amongst other Pacific-rim countries. The deal has been a cause of concern for farmers who’re worried they may be stuck with a bad deal that could also open the door to beef treated with hormones. A Green Finance Strategy setting out plans to encourage private investment for nature-recovery and a ‘Nature Markets Framework’ have been published as part of the government’s new net zero plan. The Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs says there are multi-billion pound opportunities for farmers and landowners in the carbon market and have committed to develop a new harmonised approach for measuring on-farm emissions, as well as greater support for farmers to calculate and reduce their carbon footprint. We ask the Nature Friendly Farming Network what they think of the plans. The Welsh government has set up two new taskforces, made up of farmers, vets and academics, in an effort to eradicate bovine TB by 2041. A refreshed strategy for tackling the disease, which led to the slaughter of almost ten thousand cattle in Wales last year, was announced in the Senedd this week. The new First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf has announced his new cabinet. Mairi Gougeon, who became the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands back in 2021 keeps her job and Land Reform has been added to her brief too. All this week we're discussing how farming and rural businesses are tackling waste and putting it to new purposes. In East Yorkshire two young friends, both farmers' sons, looking for extra work during the winter months found a gap in the market connected to the millions of shotgun cartridges used on clay shooting ranges every year. They collect, shred and clean the used cartridges, which are turned into plastic pellets which can be used to make things - including road surfaces. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Cotswold Hunt has been has been suspended by the British Hound Sports Association, after hunt saboteurs released video footage of a fox which had been tied inside a bag and appeared to have been hidden underground so it could be released later for hounds to chase. The allegations were revealed by Channel 4 News. Gloucestershire Police have confirmed they’re investigating. Today has been dubbed "Green Day" - the day when the UK government is expected to announce its revised plans on how to achieve net zero. Government figures show that that agriculture accounts for 11% of total UK net greenhouse gas emissions. We speak to the Green Alliance which has been tracking how well government policy is addressing its net zero targets. It's reported that Britain is close to reaching broad agreement on joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. The government argues that joining the trade pact would mean the UK enjoying tariff-free trade with a greater range of countries, but farmers have been concerned it could prove a prove a bad deal for UK agriculture. All this week we're looking at waste on farms.  It's estimated that nearly three million tonnes of edible food is thrown away from farms every year - enough for almost seven billion meals. We report on a charity which is collecting crops that would otherwise have gone to waste, to give to families struggling with the cost of living. Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Rebecca Rooney

Releases of millions of game birds in Wales could be subject to licensing laws. Natural Resources Wales is advising the Welsh Government to launch a consultation about general licensing for all releases and special licences in sensitive areas. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation has called the move ' a systematic attack' against game shooting. The campaign group Wild Justice has welcomed the move. The DEFRA Secretary has said fresh tests are being done to look for pathogens that could be affecting crustaceans off England's North East coast. Tens of thousands of crabs and lobsters were washed up dead on beaches there in the summer of 2021, and catches have been down since. Fishermen have blamed old industrial chemicals released by dredging, but a DEFRA inquiry found the deaths were 'most likely' down to a new disease or parasite. Last week we heard calls from local fishermen for the Government to open a new inquiry, after prawn catches started being affected too. The Efra committee's been told the government's now commissioning further tests. All week we're looking at new ways of managing farm waste. Some water companies are using micro algae to eat contaminants like phosphorus and clean up waste water before it's discharged. That same technology is now being tested on livestock slurry. We hear from a pig farmer who's trialling the system on her farm to better use pig muck as fertiliser. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

DEFRA has failed to file dozens of reports on environmental legislation, which it is legally bound to do. The reports are essential because they show the public and campaign groups how effective laws are at achieving their goals. The findings are published in a report by the Office for Environmental Protection, or OEP, which was set up to monitor how well environmental regulations are working and whether government departments are implementing them properly. The Food Standards Agency has confirmed that one person has died following an outbreak of listeria. It is warning people not to eat any Baronet soft cheese products after high levels of listeria monocytogenes were found, although the death has not been specifically linked to this cheese. The Old Cheese Room which produces Baronet told us in a statement that they have now changed their testing regime, and none of their other cheeses has been affected. A new report suggests supermarkets and the government need to do more to reduce the environmental impact of agriplastics. That's things like polytunnel plastic, plastic mulch - the sheeting that's put on the fields to keep the soil warm - irrigation pipes, fertiliser bags and even the microplastics present in fertiliser pellets and some composts. The Environmental Investigation Agency report says government policy around the production and disposal of agriplastics is lacking. As we continue our week-long look at farm waste, we visit one firm in South Wales which is turning waste farm plastic into products. They collect and clean materials like wrapping for silage or feed packaging, it's then turned into pellets which can be used to make things like fence posts. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Dartmoor MPs are calling for an 'independent process' to work out the balance between farming and conservation on the moors. This follows what some called 'rewilding by the back door' - Natural England's recent decision not to renew some farmers' Countryside Stewardship agreements on the moor, unless the number of livestock was significantly reduced, to try to improve the condition of some protected areas. The three conservative MPs for the area say that despite a working group being set up last year to achieve consensus, Natural England has gone ahead without talking to either the Commoners Association, the National Park or the Dartmoor Owners Association. From plastic bale wrap to out of date agrochemicals - what happens to the waste from farms? We'll be finding out all this week. And more than a quarter of urban air pollution starts on farms. A team from University College London looked at particulate pollution in cities, and found that agriculture created, for instance, 38% of Leicester's and 25% of London's in 2019. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

As inflation soars, one Devon crab producer says its fuel costs have gone up more than 500% in the last five years, with additional costs for exporting to the EU since Brexit. However a growth in demand from the USA and Asia means they're still optimistic. The Duchy of Cornwall is to phase out the farming of Pacific oysters in all the estuaries it owns. Several oyster farms in Devon and Cornwall now face closure. They farm Pacific oysters which are classed as an invasive, non-native species. Defra has introduced tighter restrictions around oyster farms to prevent the spread of Pacific oysters and protect native ones. The shellfish industry says the policy is misguided. Fishing communities are calling for the government to open a new inquiry into the die-off of crabs and lobsters on England's North East coast. Fishing crews say further dredging in the area is causing problems and is now affecting prawn catches. A previous Defra inquiry concluded dredging was not to blame and say they've ruled out further investigations The new Precision Breeding Act has become law. It will allow the use of gene-editing technology to create new plant varieties. Defra says the new law will not allow for the indiscriminate use of gene-editing technology, but campaign groups, like GM Freeze, say it could have unintended consequences. Scottish grouse moors will have to be licensed under proposals in a new bill. The Scottish Government says the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill, if passed, will tackle the persecution of birds of prey. It would also bring in greater restrictions around muirburn, the controlled burning of heather, on peat soils. Gamekeepers say the changes would effectively put shoots out of business. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Duchy of Cornwall is to phase out the farming of Pacific oysters in all the estuaries it owns, meaning several oyster farms in Devon and Cornwall are now facing closure. It comes after DEFRA introduced tighter restrictions around creating and expanding oyster farms in English waters with the aim of preventing the spread of Pacific Oysters and protecting native ones, which are now only found in a few strongholds. Pacific Oysters - the type used in oyster farms - are classed as an invasive, non-native species. Scottish grouse moors will have to be licenced under proposals in a new bill introduced to the Scottish Parliament. The Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill - if it's passed - will implement the recommendations of the Werritty Report, which was published in 2019 and was a sweeping review of the impact grouse moor management is having on Scotland's wildlife. And changes to the rules around gene editing of crops take effect in England as the new Precision Breeding Act has become law. It will allow the use of gene editing to create new commercially available plant varieties, diverging from EU law. Similar rules on animals are due to be introduced at a later date. Presented by Charlotte Smith Producer for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The Blue Sea Food Company sells Devon crab in the UK and around the world... and says their fuel costs have gone up more than 500% in the last five years... with additional costs for exporting to the EU since Brexit. But, a growth in demand from the USA and Asia means they're still optimistic. Spain is experiencing a drought. In Catalonia, the use of water for irrigation is subject to a mandatory 40% reduction. So with veg shortages already evident on UK supermarket shelves, could this exacerbate the situation? And a £1million training facility is being launched at Hadlow College in Kent, with funding from the Government to create a new vineyard and orchard. But can it really prepare students for the reality of life in an industry that's facing so many challenges? Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

All week we're assessing the state of the shellfish industry. Brown crabs are a lucrative catch for Northern Ireland's fishermen but concern about a decline in numbers has led to the fishers themselves calling for tighter rules about their extraction. Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has introduced measures limiting the size of crabs which can be landed and now it has gone further, banning fishermen from catching immature, soft shelled crabs. The charity Buglife, which supports invertebrates including crabs and lobsters, welcomes the scheme in Northern Ireland but is calling for improved protection measures for brown crabs around the rest of the UK. They say crab numbers have plummeted, and unlike fish, there are no quotas governing how many crabs can be caught. A multi-million pound oat processing plant will open later this year in Northamptonshire. The new company called Navara brings together a consortium of the growing group Frontier, Anglia Maltings Holdings, and cereal store specialists Camgrain. The plant will supply oats for cereal companies and possibly oat milk processors. It says it will have the capacity to be the biggest factory of its kind in Europe. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The government's "Food Tsar" Henry Dimbleby has resigned as the lead non executive director at DEFRA after what he called an "insane" lack of action on obesity. His National Food Strategy was comprehensive but many aspects of it were ignored. This week he publishes a book called "Ravenous", which pulls together his blueprint for government, the food industry, health and land use. He's calling for a Good Food Bill. All week we're talking about the future of the shellfish industry including crabs, lobsters, shrimps and bivalves, like mussels. One of the leading growers of mussels in Wales is Deepdock Mussels based along the waters of the Menai Strait off Angelsey. The company says since Brexit, the water monitoring for cleanliness is interpreted differently by the UK government than EU member states, and it puts them at a disadvantage. We often talk about bovine TB affecting cattle, but researchers from the University of Bristol are trying to understand why the incidence of people catching the bovine strain of TB are increasing and whether farmers are particularly at risk. 20 years ago there were about 20 cases of bovine TB in people a year - more recent figures record about 40 cases a year and in the South West in particular, show about 8% of all cases of TB in people are caused by the bovine strain, known as M. bovis. Heather Simons went to an event where farmers were doing a blood test as part of the research project - in return for a free lunch. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Fishing crews on Teesside say the government must re-open inquiries into the die-off of crabs and lobsters, they say further dredging in the area is causing problems and is now affecting prawn catches. Thousands of crustaceans washed up on beaches in the autumn of 2021, and subsequently catches are massively down. Fishermen blame old industrial chemicals released by dredging. DEFRA first blamed algae and then after an inquiry said dredging was not to blame and the deaths were 'most likely' down to a new disease or parasite. Fishermen from the North East Fishing Collective also say existing schemes to support the local fishing industry won't help the small boats. Shellfish producers are still struggling with changes in the wake of Brexit and also face difficulties because of measures designed to protect native oysters.All this week we're looking at shellfish, from farming to exporting. The Shellfish Association of Great Britain says some parts of the industry are doing well, but for others it's much harder. A taskforce has been launched to safeguard the rights of seasonal workers. Retailers, growers, recruitment companies and employment experts have joined forces to improve the situation of people recruited abroad to work on UK farms. This year there are 45,000 visas available under the seasonal workers scheme, allowing people to come here for 6 months to work on farms or in food processing, with 10,000 more available if needed. However there have been concerns about the way the people are recruited and the potential for them to be exploited. The Seasonal Workers Scheme Taskforce believes they can make a difference. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

This week sheep have been causing a bit of a stir, with those both pro and anti trading arguments on social media. We discuss the tensions between where sheep are, should be, should not be and who decides, with environmentalist Ben Goldsmith and the National Sheep Association's Phil Stocker. Farmers on Dartmoor say they've been told they must radically reduce the number of sheep and other livestock on common land if they want to remain in government schemes. Natural England has written to commons associations offering rollovers of existing Higher Level Stewardship Schemes, but farmers say these new agreements require the number of animals on the land in the summer must be reduced, on some commons by an average of 75%. Many farmers here are watching what's happening in the Netherlands, where a farmers' party has stunned Dutch politics, and is set to be the biggest party in the upper house of parliament after provincial elections. The Farmer-citizen movement (BBB) was only set up in 2019 in the wake of widespread farmers' protests. As we reported last month, the Dutch government wants to reduce livestock numbers near protected countryside, to reduce emissions. It has said it will force buyouts of the 3,000 worst polluting farms, if voluntary measures fail. The Dutch PM described the result as a ‘clear message from voters’. An investigation by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, the GLAA, has fund that hundreds of workers in meat processing, recruited from Nepal, were exploited and found to have paid £12,000 to find a job. Such fees are illegal in the UK. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farmers on Dartmoor say they've been told they must radically reduce the number of livestock on common land if they want to remain in government schemes. Natural England has written to commons associations, which cover much of Dartmoor, offering rollovers of existing Higher Level Stewardship Schemes, but only if they stop winter grazing, and drastically reduce the number of animals on the land in the summer - on some commons by an average of 75 percent. We speak to a farmer who's got to reduce his livestock by 91 per cent and the area manager for Natural England. Who should pay to restore biodiversity in the UK? Governments are keen to encourage private money to work alongside their schemes and Scotland's government nature agency, NatureScot, has announced a £2 billion private finance pilot designed to secure landscape scale restoration of native woodlands. Critics are concerned that carbon credit markets are unregulated and don't incentivise companies to reduce emissions. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Experts have been unpicking the budget and what it means for farming and the rural economy. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt billed it as a growth budget, to set the UK up as an enterprise economy. Agricultural advisors say tax breaks will encourage big farming companies to invest in new machinery and technology but smaller farms, that aren't limited companies may not benefit in the same way. There's no mention of support with energy bills for the horticulture or poultry sector. There was a £20 billion pledge to invest in carbon capture and storage over the next 20 years. The Green Alliance says a similar commitment was pulled in 2014, and say the scheme outlined in the budget is not focused on the kind of carbon sequestration farmers are involved with in Environmental Land Management Schemes, by planting cover crops, hedgerows and trees. A twenty year research project into the health of British and Irish plant species concludes there’s been a devastating loss of native flora. Not only have half of our native plants like heather and harebell declined, they say that non native plants now outnumber native British ones in the wild. The Botanical Society of Great Britain and Ireland says its newly published Plant Atlas 2020 is the most in-depth survey of British and Irish flora ever undertaken. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farmers and countryside communities are asking for more support in the budget, and a new book by academics specialising in rural affairs says "The needs of the poorest and most vulnerable people in rural areas, are ignored by the Government in a way that would not be acceptable in urban centres". The group of academics from Newcastle University, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and Inverness Impact-Hub, have written a new book called Rural Poverty Today. For instance, it shows that those living in rural areas face energy costs 15-30 per cent higher than those in towns. We speak to one of the authors, Professor Mark Shucksmith from Newcastle University Improving bio-diversity and sequestering carbon, and getting paid for it. That's an increasingly attractive proposition for farmers. But a growing number of them aren't applying for government money via Defra - public money for public goods. They're teaming up with the private sector. Brewood Park Farm near Wolverhampton is part of a group called "The Green Collective" - half a dozen farms are working with a local company called YourPact to get investment from businesses in the Midlands. Their money's helping to improve habitats for birds, improve the soil and plant cover crops. Tens of thousands of trees in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire are being removed because of the tree disease Phytophthora ramorum and re-planting schemes are getting underway. Larch, which are widely grown for the timber market, are particularly susceptible to the disease, which has been in the UK for nearly 15 years. It can be spread on plant material, or in waterways and through the air. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

An investigation by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, or the GLAA says that hundreds of workers in meat processing, recruited from Nepal, were exploited and found to have paid 12 thousand pounds to find a job. Such fees are illegal in the UK. The company, Adept and Agile, has lost its licence and the two directors - one based in Surrey, the other in Nepal, have been handed an interim Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order. We speak to Nicola Ray, head of regulation at the GLAA. Conservationists in Wales hope to reintroduce white-tailed eagles. It's been done in Scotland, but NFU Cymru says farmers in Wales are concerned the birds of prey would hunt newborn lambs. All week we're looking at biodiversity. Wetlands are precious areas for particular species, and in Buckinghamshire a new project is creating a ten hectare site which will provide a home for wetland plants, aquatic and semi-aquatic invertebrates, amphibians and fish. Thousands of tonnes of topsoil had to be removed from the site on the Waddeston Estate which is managed by the Rothschild Foundation. The underlying clay will form the base for a series of ponds, and the plan is to allow nature to re-colonise the site. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

‘Farming Today’ and ‘On Your Farm’ are a long-established, well-loved part of the Radio 4 schedule. But how did agriculture on the air begin? A century ago radio was the wonder of the age with the newly-formed BBC offering an astounded public a nightly menu of news bulletins, chamber music and children’s stories. Farming broadcasts soon followed and were keeping listeners in touch with rural life long before the first radio drama, sports commentary or record programme had crackled in to the ether. In the century since, the strictly-scripted agricultural studio talk of the 1920s and ‘30s has evolved beyond recognition, and along the way brought fame and fan mail to the most unlikely of ‘stars’; a university farm manager, a Times newspaper correspondent and a Surrey horticulturalist. We look back at a hundred years of rural broadcasting, and the programmes that have been made for – and about – farmers. As we delve in to the archives, we’ll find out what’s changed over the last ten decades; what in the past is surprisingly familiar to us now; and discover how we’ve arrived where we are today. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Vernon Harwood Picture: The BBC's head of agricultural programmes, John Green, at home on his Cotswold farm on 17th March 1945. Interviewed guest: Jeannie Hamilton Interviewed guest: Jim Heffer Interviewed guest: Tom Hercock Interviewed guest: Robin Hicks Interviewed guest: Anna Hill Interviewed guest: Felicity Peake Interviewed guest: Rebecca Pow MP Interviewed guest: Robert Seatter Interviewed guest: Richard Willmott Interviewed guest: Robert Young Reader: David Wethey Archive material used in this programme: The End of Savoy Hill; National Programme, 14/05/1932 6BM Calling; BBC Radio 3, 31/03/2004 Today in the South & West; West of England Home Service, 18/11/1964 Auntie, Uncle and Mr Mike; BBC Radio 4, 01/01/1974 The Farming Week – 60th Anniversary Special; BBC Radio 4, 25/03/1989 Farming Today – Robin Hicks; BBC Radio 4, 25/05/1972 Dig for Victory – R.S. Hudson; BBC Home Service, 10/09/1940 In Your Garden – C.H. Middleton; BBC Home Service, 03/12/1944 Radio Allotment; BBC Home Service, 18/04/1942 Post War Careers – Irene Hilton; BBC Home Service, 07/06/1945 Farming Today – Hill flocks; BBC Home Service, 10/02/1944 Farming Today – Cattle at the Crossroads; BBC Home Service 11/11/1943 Farming Today – Pig farming; BBC Home Service, 09/03/1944 On Your Farm; BBC Radio 4, 29/01/1983 The Oral History of the BBC; John Green video interview, 19/11/1992 The Oral History of the BBC; John Green audio interview, 01/09/1989 The Farming Week – CLA Game Fair; BBC Radio 4, 01/08/1987 Pick of the Year; BBC Radio 4, 29/12/1989 Royal Welsh Show; BBC Wales, 21/07/1987 Plague ’67; BBC Radio 4, 06/12/1967 Six o’clock News; BBC Radio 4, 19/02/2001 Farming Today – EU referendum result; BBC Radio 4, 24/06/2016 Asian Club – Richard Dimbleby; BBC General Overseas Service, 27/04/1964

Before the advent of synthetic dyes, the place to turn for a bit of colour in your life was the natural world. Rachel Lovell heads to Devon to visit a grower offering an alternative to industrially-made dyes. Sophie Holt of Pigment Organic Dyes grows highly specialist crops for the textile dye market, and she has plenty of surprises in store. Presented and produced by Rachel Lovell

Climate change could bring opportunities, as well as the well-documented downsides. One couple in Dorset have been looking at pushing the boundaries of what it's possible to grow organically in the UK, using the warmer weather to cultivate plants that would be familiar to people living in the Caribbean. Katkin Tremayne and Ipar Davis-Hughes run Vital Roots Garden in Netherbury. It's a smallholding where aside from the classic British kitchen garden staples, the couple grow and sell subtropical vegetables including callaloo, chow chow and yams. All this is done outdoors, as they have no polytunnels. They put their success down to a combination of climate change, and giving the plants time to adapt to their new surroundings. Presented and produced by Fiona Clampin

For most sheep farmers, wool doesn’t pay. Shepherds often shear their sheep for the animals’ welfare, but don’t make any money from the wool. More often than not, it actually costs them money. However, one couple in Somerset are reviving the textile tradition and making it pay. Andy Wear and Jennifer Hunter from Fernhill Farm have three thousand sheep. They graze the flock on a network of farms across the Mendips, following regenerative principles - boosting soil health by rotating the grazing, and cutting out herbicides and fertilisers. Jen is a Nuffield Scholar, she travelled the world researching sustainable wool production. The textiles business began as a means of earning money in winter, when the farm wasn’t making money from its holiday lets and events business. With selective breeding and marketing, wool now accounts for 40% of the income from their flock. Andy is a record-breaking shearer and he’s created a shearing barn where he runs courses. His purpose-built shearing stand, inspired by systems in New Zealand and Australia, doubles up as a stand for bands and festivals in the summer.

Amy Bateman is a professional photographer and past winner of British Life Photographer of the Year. She also runs a sheep and beef farm along with her husband, so she's ideally placed to document the huge changes taking place in UK farming post Brexit. Over the last two years she's taken stunning photos and conducted frank interviews on 40 very different farms around her home county of Cumbria culminating in an exhibition and book that paint a fascinating portrait of a modern diverse industry. Caz Graham meets Amy to talk about the project, see the pictures and meet some of the farmers who are featured. Presented and produced by Caz Graham

Step into the Brundish countryside to explore the UK's only licensed forge with young entrepreneur and blacksmith Paul Stoddart. Kingdom Forge is a blacksmithing and engineering workshop. Paul and his team design and create high quality metalwork using a combination of traditional and modern techniques. They're regularly commissioned for film and TV; they run workshops to teach people of all ages & keep the traditional craft alive. Tread through orchards (once owned by Aspells) to find out how cyder making has helped expand and take their business in a new direction. Walk through the brewery and bar to find out how they grow, brew and serve their own cyder from within the forge. Hear how Paul teaches hundreds of blacksmithing students each year whilst creating a totally unique experience, never achieved before in the UK. Presented and produced by Anna Louise Claydon