PODCAST

Farming Today

BBC Radio 4

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside

science

All Episodes

14:26

Scottish Farm Incomes, US Trade Red Lines, Farmed Trout

Farming Today ·

2025/04/08

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

24:52

05/04/25 Farming Today This Week: Trump's trade...

Farming Today ·

2025/04/05

President Trump's announcement of sweeping new tariffs on goods entering the United States from around the world has caused chaos in international markets, and producers have been trying to work out what it'll mean for them. The UK faces tariffs of 10% on all exports to the States. The US is the third largest export market for UK farmers after Ireland and France, according to the most recent DEFRA figures. On average, we sell £68 million worth of cheese, £23 million worth of pork and around £3

13:59

04/04/2025 Tariffs and global food trade, Isles of...

Farming Today ·

2025/04/04

Donald Trump’s new tariff regime, imposing at least a 10% tariff on all imports to the US, has caused chaos in international markets, and farmers across the world are wondering how they’ll be affected. Here the National Farmers Union says it’s working “at pace” with government on how to react if there is market disruption.The University of Reading has a worldwide reputation for expertise in agriculture and food research. So there was some surprise when it was revealed the University was planning to

13:40

03/04/25 Extreme risk of wildfires, review of...

Farming Today ·

2025/04/03

Firefighters are warning of the 'extreme risk' of wildfires in Scotland. The fire service has issued its third warning this year after fires in hills near Glasgow and in Aberdeenshire. It says after a spell of warm weather there is plenty of dry vegetation which can act as fuel for fires, and is urging people not to light fires outside this week. Government plans to streamline environmental regulation to speed up house building and boost economic growth risk causing irreversible damage to nature,

14:13

02/04/25 Housing shortages in Scottish islands,...

Farming Today ·

2025/04/02

This week we're taking a closer look at the rural lives of islanders around our shores. A survey by the Young Islanders Network found the biggest concern for young people in Scotland’s islands, is housing – or a lack of it. We speak to people about some of the problems they've faced - and some of the solutions.The Environment Food and Rural Affairs select Committee of MPs has been grilling the farming minister Daniel Zeichner about the repercussions of suspending the Sustainable Farming Incentive,

13:53

01/04/25 Review of agricultural pollution rules in...

Farming Today ·

2025/04/01

An independent review has backed controversial muck-spreading regulations for farms across Wales, but said improvements are needed. Stricter rules on spreading and storing manures have been phased in since 2021, against a backdrop of fierce opposition from the farming industry. The Welsh government says it will implement all the recommendations in the study in full, though some will take longer to deliver. A ban on the burning of heather on deep-peat land could be extended to cover a wider area of

11:54

31/03/25 Lifeline for Guernsey dairy farmers, wartime...

Farming Today ·

2025/03/31

Guernsey dairy farmers have welcomed a decision to increase the support they receive from government.An ambitious plan is underway to digitise wartime farm records and make them available online. A ban in Europe on shooting turtle doves, and work by farmers in England to provide both habitats and food has resulted in a 40% increase in populations. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

24:59

29/03/25 Farming Today This Week: Bird flu in a...

Farming Today ·

2025/03/29

Bird flu has been found in a sheep for the first time. DEFRA said the case in Yorkshire was on a farm where avian flu was present in captive birds. One ewe tested positive and has been culled, but her lambs and the rest of the small flock of sheep were negative. Surveillance of mammals for avian flu has been stepped up, partly because in the United States many dairy cattle and even some dairy workers have gone down with the disease. We speak to the chief vet.Avian influenza is at the forefront of

14:08

28/03/25 Investigation into supply chain arbitration,...

Farming Today ·

2025/03/28

Farmers are too afraid to use a government system that was set-up to improve their relationship with the supermarkets, according to a new investigation by BBC One’s Countryfile.All week we've been looking at the egg industry. Yesterday we heard about pullets, the young female chicks that grow into laying hens. But for every egg that hatches a female chick, there's another that hatches male, and cockerels can't lay eggs, which obviously renders them useless for egg producers. In the UK these chicks

13:47

27/03/25 Chancellor's spring statement, pullets,...

Farming Today ·

2025/03/27

The Chancellor's spring statement has drawn a mixed reaction from the rural community. Farming itself wasn't mentioned as such, Rachel Reeves focused on the government's agenda for growth and plans to build more homes. We speak to a professor from Newcastle University's Centre for Rural Economy to assess what it means for agriculture and rural communities.All this week we're looking at eggs, and today we focus on the farms which supply laying hens. We visit a pullet rearer which supplies egg

14:07

26/03/25 Red Tractor responds to farm assurance...

Farming Today ·

2025/03/26

Red Tractor has responded to an independent review into the assurance scheme. A report, published earlier this year, recommended more than 50 changes to the Red Tractor scheme, which is supposed to hold farmers to meet high standards on animal welfare, food quality and business governance. We speak to the interim chair about the changes Red Tractor's making as a result.The Environment Food and Rural Affairs select committee has been hearing more evidence about how border control points are managing

14:07

25/03/25 Bird flu in sheep, free-range eggs,...

Farming Today ·

2025/03/25

Bird flu has been found in a sheep for the first time. DEFRA said the case in Yorkshire was on a farm where avian flu was present in captive birds. One ewe tested positive and has been culled, but her lambs and the rest of the small flock of sheep were negative. Surveillance of mammals for avian flu has been stepped up, partly because in the United States many dairy cattle and even some dairy workers, have gone down with the disease. We speak to the chief vet.Avian influenza is of course at the

12:09

24/3/25 National pesticides action plan, egg week...

Farming Today ·

2025/03/24

The UK has set a pesticide reduction target of 10% over the next five years. The UK Pesticides National Action Plan from all four UK governments says it will support farmers and growers to reduce the potential harm from pesticides, so rather than farmers using 10% less, the plan wants more sustainable use which reduces the impact on the environment by 10%. While environmental groups have welcomed the plan they describe the target as modest. The government says that UK farmers reduced pesticide use

14:08

21/03/25 New National Forest, Biosecurity at the...

Farming Today ·

2025/03/21

England is to have a new National Forest. The Western Forest will be planted across Bristol, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset. It's the first national forest in 30 years. The government is putting £7.5 million towards it, with the same amount expected from the private sector and charities. The aim is to plant 2,500 hectares of woodland by 2030 and more by 2050. The National Forest chief executive says it won't be created at the expense of farmland.Biosecurity at our borders is a big issue.

14:16

20/03/25 - Fairness in the supply chain, biosecurity...

Farming Today ·

2025/03/20

There’ve been cases of foot and mouth disease in Germany, Hungary and Romania this spring. How would we fare if it crossed the Channel? We’re talking about biosecurity all this week, how to prevent disease, like FMD, from getting into the country and how to stop it spreading if it does. Livestock farmers have to follow strict rules when they move their animals. They also have to record all movements to ensure each individual cow or sheep can be traced in the event of an outbreak of a contagious

14:06

19/03/25 - Rural pubs, avian flu biosecurity and...

Farming Today ·

2025/03/19

Rural communities could find it increasingly difficult to save their local pubs following the decision to shut down a government grant scheme. The Community Ownership Fund, which helped groups to buy local assets such as pubs and parks, was set up as part of the Conservative government's levelling up programme. The Labour government closed the scheme earlier than originally planned.Poultry keepers across the UK must follow strong biosecurity measures to try to prevent the spread of avian flu. We

14:06

18/03/25 - Hare coursing, xylella and soil microplastics

Farming Today ·

2025/03/18

Farmers who've had illegal hare coursers on their land are warning it’s only a matter of time until someone is killed. Hare coursing involves betting on dogs chasing hares, and police say those taking part are often involved in criminal gangs and are using more and more extreme tactics.Xylella is a bacterial infection in plants spread by spittlebugs. It hasn't yet arrived in the UK but has had a serious impact on olive trees in the Mediterranean. Imported plants are being checked at the border to

12:09

17/03/25 Covid anniversary and its legacy on farms....

Farming Today ·

2025/03/17

It's five years since the first covid lockdown - for farmers it was in some senses business as usual, they carried on growing their crops and tending their livestock, but as high streets and restaurants shut, online shopping became the norm and there was a surge in demand for locally produced food. We catch up with a couple in Oxfordshire who struggled to keep up when demand for their veg boxes soared. However the pandemic changed their business for good, and they think made it more resilient and

14:06

14/03/25 - Farming Minister on closing the...

Farming Today ·

2025/03/14

The Farming Minister has told Farming Today that it's the success of England's biggest environmental scheme which has led to its closure. As we've reported this week, there has been a furious reaction to the Government's decision to close the SFI to new applicants. The government says it plans to 'reset' the scheme before re-opening it. The Sustainable Farming Incentive paid farmers for environmental work - farming and environmental organisations have criticised its closure, saying it will put

14:07

13/03/25 Farmers react to environmental scheme closure

Farming Today ·

2025/03/13

Today we look at the Government's decision to close the Sustainable Farming Incentive to new applicants with immediate effect. The SFI is a major part of the post-Brexit system of farm payments in England. The devolved governments in the other nations of the UK are developing their own schemes and in the meantime retain direct payments to farmers. In England those basic payments are being phased out and replaced by environmental payments. The Sustainable Farming Incentive is one of the new

505 results

Farming Today

All Episodes

Similar Podcasts

Classic Radio Science Fiction

solgoodmedia.com

Mission to Mars

Inception Point Ai

The 365 Days of Astronomy

365DaysOfAstronomy.org

Creek Devil

william Jevning

UFO Chronicles Podcast

Nik Hunter