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Farming Today

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The latest news about food, farming and the countryside

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13:49

25/02/26 National Farmers' Union Conference 2026

Farming Today ·

2026/02/25

The Environment Secretary has revealed more details of the rebooted Sustainable Farming Incentive in England, at the National Farmers Union Conference. It'll include an annual cap of £100,000 and fewer options. Smaller farms of between 3 and 50 hectares will be able to apply in June, as will larger farms who haven't previously been signed up to one of the Environment Land Management schemes. Everyone else will be able to apply in September. The President of the NFU, Tom Bradshaw, told the conference

14:01

24/02/26 Farming in Ukraine, Wetlands creation

Farming Today ·

2026/02/24

It's four years today since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine. It's obviously been devastating for the population; and while front line fighters and high pressure politics make the headlines, its the country's farmers who have the massive responsibility of keeping the people of Ukraine fed. The war has led to soaring prices of fuel and fertiliser - but more than that, labour shortages and continual power cuts have put massive pressure on what was an efficient and profitable industry.We hear

11:55

23/02/2026 England deer management plan, putting...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/23

The government's announced a new 10 year plan for controlling deer numbers in England. It estimates that a third of woodlands are damaged by deer and says immediate action is needed to protect trees and crops.A project in the Ashdown Forest aims to persuade more people to eat venison. Deer managers are working with the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership, and with apprentice butchers at Plumpton College.BBC News NI has obtained figures showing there have been over 150 farm related accidents in

24:43

21/02/2026 Farming Today This Week: farm vets, sheep...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/21

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak, which caused devastation to thousands of farms across the country. Around 6.5 million animals were culled, with a cost to the UK economy of £8 billion. Charlotte Smith meets a farmer whose animals were destroyed in the outbreak, and speaks to UK Chief Vet Christine Middlemiss about the risk of another outbreak - and whether the response would be different.The issue of biosecurity at our ports has been in the spotlight in

13:59

The 2001 Foot and Mouth Outbreak 25 years on.

Farming Today ·

2026/02/20

Charlotte Smith is in Devon to reflect on the impact of the 2001 Foot and Mouth crisis 25 years on. Highly contagious foot and mouth disease was confirmed at an Essex abattoir on 19th February 2001. The outbreak which followed led to the slaughter of 6.5 million cattle, sheep, and pigs and cost the UK economy an estimated £8 billion. The emotional cost to farming families was incalculable. Charlotte speaks to the then South West Regional Director of the National Farmers Union, Anthony Gibson, who

13:39

19/02/26 Wet weather, Community vets practice

Farming Today ·

2026/02/19

The Environment Agency and Met Office are warning of more rain and unsettled weather continuing into March at least. And that’s going to delay essential farm jobs even longer - crops not planted, slurry not spread. For contractors who rely on this work, the forecast is another blow. Their national body - the National Association of Agricultural Contractors - has been meeting in Cornwall to discuss the situation. Its chair Matt Redman told Caz Graham the rain is stopping vital work, and when it

14:11

Record month for illegal meat, independent vet...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/18

Thirty four tonnes of illegal meat and animal products were intercepted over the course of January, at Dover docks. The Port Health Authority says it's the highest monthly total they have ever seized. Meanwhile, also in January, Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority discovered 300 kilos of illegal pork at Harwich. It was found wrapped in foil and packed into suitcases. The chair of the Commons Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs Committee, Alistair Carmichael, gives his reaction.We’re talking about

13:59

Dog attacks on livestock, a cattle vet at work,...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/17

Livestock worrying cost UK farmers nearly two million pounds last year, a ten percent increase on the year before. Farm insurers NFU Mutual, who published the figures, say that’s in spite of many pet owners believing their own dogs are incapable of injuring or killing farm animals.This week we're exploring the role of the farm vet and today we're out on the round with a cattle vet in Wiltshire. More than two hundred thousand new hedgerow trees are being planted this winter, as part of the Campaign

11:39

Fields of yellow, vets and artificial intelligence,...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/16

There'll be a bigger splash of bright yellow across the countryside later in the spring, at least compared to last year. Signs are that, after a 40 year low in planting, Oilseed Rape is starting to come back into favour with farmers. Many had moved away from it because of pest problems, the chemical used to combat the Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle was banned in the UK in 2010. Low prices for other crops have made oilseed rape a more appealing prospect.Our subject for the week is farm vets. The UK is

24:40

14/02/26 Farming Today This Week: Flooding on farms,...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/14

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

13:46

Somerset floods update, slurry conundrum, drones v...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/13

James Winslade's fields started to flood nearly three weeks ago. They're still under water, and the floods are creeping closer to his farm buildings. He updates us on the situation on his Somerset farm, and tells Charlotte Smith that this year's floods will put a 'huge strain' on the business.The relentless rain is leaving some livestock farmers, especially dairy farmers, with a mucky conundrum. Environmental regulations prevent slurry being spread on the land during the wettest winter months, to

13:52

12/02/26 Natural flood management, AI pest control,...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/12

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

13:36

Aberdeenshire inundated, Big Brother is watching moo,...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/11

Eastern Scotland is usually relatively dry but so far this year it's experienced record-breaking rainfall. Aberdeen last saw sunshine on 19th of January. We hear from arable and beef farmer Jack Stevenson in his, very wet, winter wheat fields on the East Coast. He tells us some parts of Aberdeenshire have seen about a quarter of their annual rainfall in a matter of weeks during January and February.Artificial intelligence, AI, is starting to influence many aspects of everyday life. Farming is no

13:54

Flooding, alternatives to farrowing crates, crops...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/10

The Country Land and Business Association, CLA, says winter flooding is putting pressure on farm finances, coming after summer drought and during a period of poor arable and milk prices. The CLA's Deputy President, Joe Evans, describes driving past 'hundreds of acres' of 'prime arable land' under water on the outskirts of Worcester. He tells Anna Hill of instances where arable farmers in Somerset have stopped growing crops because of repeated flooding. He believes that farmers could be more

11:38

09/02/26 Farmer protests, Defra farm training, AI in...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/09

Over the past few weeks farmers have been protesting, at ports and around supermarket distribution centres. Why? They say it's a combination of things, from concerns about the impact of imported food to the prices supermarkets pay for UK produce, along with continuing anger over inheritance tax on farms. The Government has raised the threshold, now farmers can pass on a farm worth up to £2.5m without being affected but some say that not enough and they want the tax scrapped. Civil servants will be

24:45

Farming Today This Week: electric shock collars,...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/07

Electronic Collars are to be banned under new rules for the RSPCA's Assured scheme for dairy cows. The collars are used instead of fencing, and make noise and then deliver a small electric shock to the cow if she goes outside the prescribed area. In April the RSPCA is also introducing other changes: a requirement for more access to pasture, a minimum of 120 days a year; changes to rules around transport of pregnant cows; and use of RSPCA Assured slaughter houses. A new report published by the think

13:54

06/02/2026 National Farmers' Union of Scotland Annual...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/06

The National Farmers' Union of Scotland holds its annual conference and calls for more funding to improve profitability.All this week we've been speaking to people new to farming. Today, we hear from two new entrants about how they got their feet on the ladder.We visit a company in Wiltshire that specialises in UK grown hemp seed.Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

13:40

05/02/26 EFRA Committee report on EU/UK agri-food...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/05

MPs are calling on the Government to have a ‘national conversation’ on the new EU/UK agri-food trade agreement, so farmers don't end up disadvantaged. The new trade agreement is expected to come into place by 2027. But there are concerns the deal will bring the need for re-alignment of rules, as since Brexit the UK has diverged on things like animal welfare, gene editing and pesticide regulation. The Environment Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee is warning the Government must seek ‘carve

13:36

04/02/26 The cost of decarbonising agriculture, young...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/04

A new report published by the think tank The Resolution Foundation says the government's goal of 'net zero' across the UK, could force less profitable farms into debt, and lead to 3,500 farms losing money. It says progress to decarbonise farming has been slow and there is no 'silver bullet' which will do the 'heavy lifting' for the sector to reduce its impact on climate change. It advises that policymakers should intervene to ensure costs are passed to the consumer.The Ulster Farmers Union has

13:42

03/02/26 Ban of electric shock collars for cows, grey...

Farming Today ·

2026/02/03

The RSPCA is updating its welfare standards for dairy cattle under its RSPCA Assured scheme. The changes come into operation this April and include: more access to pasture - a minimum of 120 days a year; changes to rules around transport of pregnant cows; and use of RSPCA Assured slaughterhouses. The changes also mean that electronic collars, which are used instead of fencing, will be banned under the scheme.Grey squirrels are a big problem for foresters. They strip off bark and leave trees dead or

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