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by BBC Radio 4
The latest news about food, farming and the countryside
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- Yesterday13 min
05/11/26 New bovine TB strategy, smart ponds, investment in ag tech
England has a new bovine TB policy: today the Government formally adopts plans it set out in the summer which aim to eradicate the disease from the country by 2038.All this week we are looking at the way we manage water, and farmers are increasingly keen to save water on farm in the winter to use in the summer. While building small reservoirs is one option, another is to create networks of so-called 'smart ponds', with digital monitoring used to track water levels.And seeing financial opportunities in agricultural tech and carbon markets.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.
- 2 days ago14 min
04/11/26 UK-EU trade deal and what it will mean for food producers. Farm reservoirs and water management.
Food producers and farmers have been giving their reaction to a draft deal on EU trade re-alignment. The document outlines the details for sanitary and phytosanitary, or SPS regulations, and is expected to be discussed at the EU Summit planned for November 20th. When Brexit came into force six years ago, the SPS agreement was pivotal to many UK food export businesses. Shellfish producers, seed potato growers, cheesemakers and meat processors found they had to complete extra paperwork to export to the EU as a 'third country', often leaving their businesses less competitive. Some shut down completely, others found new markets. We speak to industry experts and producers to find out what the changes will mean.All week we're discussing how farmers can improve their water management - saving winter water and using it more carefully during the dry months. After the experience of this summer when three of its four reservoirs ran dry, Riverford Organic Farmers in Devon has been exploring how measuring data can help them manage water in the future. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney
- 3 days ago14 min
03/11/26 Farm reservoirs, rainwater harvesting, quinoa.
Too much water, too little water: UK farmers have experienced both extremes in the last few years. All week we're hearing about on-farm water management. Heavy rain in the North West of England means that the region is no longer classified as being in drought, but 82% of the country remains in drought. England still needs at least 120% of average rainfall for the next six months, to be considered out of drought by the spring. We hear from a group of Cumbrian farmers who are working together to harvest rain water. Also we speak to a big veg producer who created a reservoir on their farm and used it for the first time this summer to water crops like potatoes, carrots and parsnips.If you’re a farmer looking for a new crop to grow - particularly as we get hotter summers - then you might want to consider the South American health food quinoa. We speak to a farmer in Shropshire who first tried growing it nearly 20 years ago. Now he oversees the production of around 1200 acres in the UK and is looking for additional farmers to grow more. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney
- 4 days ago11 min
02/11/2026 Water management, milk price cut
After the UK's hottest summer on record and widespread drought, the Met Office is now warning of a heightened risk of wet and stormy weather this autumn. From drought to flooding, these extremes are raising urgent questions about how we manage water for food production. That's what we're looking at this week.We visit a group of graziers in Powys, hoping to tackle the issue by creating wetlands on Painscastle Commons, and hear from Jerry Knox, Professor of agricultural water managment at Cranfield University.Dairy farmers are facing another period of uncertainty, as fluctuating milk prices reflect the impact of that extreme weather, along with high input costs and turbulence in European markets. The dairy company Freshways is making a big cut to the basic price it pays; from December its farmers will get 7 pence a litre less. Dairy analyst Chris Walkland says this will mean farmers losing money.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.
- 6 days ago24 min
31/10/2026: Aphids, Rothbury Estate, Caged Hens, Pests
The worst ever recorded infestation of aphids has made 85% of the UK's salad crops unusable, according to the British Leafy Salads Association. Milder winters mean the aphids aren't being destroyed and larger and larger so-called 'blooms' are being experienced. It's meant turning to European imports earlier in the year. Government plans to phase out cages for laying hens could put British producers at a disadvantage if the UK continues to allow imports of eggs from caged birds. That's one of the conclusions of a new report from the Animal Welfare Committee which advises government. It warns that while cage free systems are better for hens, the transition to barn eggs, where hens are free to move about but not go outside, could be costly, complex and disruptive without careful management. This week we've been looking at the pests that farmers have to deal with - from moles to mice to grey squirrels. In Surrey a vineyard has brought in a laser deterrent to try and saver its grapes. And we meet a rat catcher in Scotland. The Wildlife Trusts have managed to raise the money to buy the entire nine and a half thousand acre Rothbury Estate in Northumberland. The Trusts say they aim to deliver nature recovery at a grand scale. There are 12 farms on the estate and some in the local farming community have expressed concern about the impact the new owners will have on those farming businesses. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.
- 1 weeks ago13 min
30/10/26 Caged hens, Rothbury Estate, mole trapping
Government plans to phase out cages for laying hens could put British producers at a disadvantage, if the UK continues to allow imports of eggs from caged birds. That's one of the conclusions of a new report from the Animal Welfare Committee which advises government. It warns that while cage free systems are better for hens, the transition to barn eggs, where hens are free to move about but not to go outside, could be costly, complex and disruptive without careful management. The Wildlife Trusts have bought the entire 9,500-acre Rothbury Estate in Northumberland. The money has come from individuals, organisations, the National Lottery, what the Trusts describe as 'a low interest loan', and controversially last week, £2m from the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs. The Tenant Farmers' Association has called it 'an inappropriate use of public funding'.All week we’re tracking down the animals that many farmers view as pests. Today we’re out with a molecatcher. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.
- 1 weeks ago14 min
29/10/2026: Aphids, Laser bird scarer, Budget reaction
Commercial salad farmers have seen record numbers of aphids in 2026, not just here in the UK but in all of Europe’s major salad growing areas too. Up to 85% of the UK crop has been affected, leading to more being imported from Europe, earlier in the season. This week we're looking at pest control on farms. Birds cause substantial damage, including taking fruit crops. We meet a vineyard owner who's employing a laser bird scarer to keep them off his grapes. And we get reaction to the government's budget. The NFU says it was a 'missed opportunity', offering nothing to ease the dire cash flow problems facing farms, and no support for food production. We hear the verdict of the Country Land and Business Association. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.
- 1 weeks ago13 min
28102026: Budget asks; EFRA committee; Pest control
We hear from the president of the National Farmers Union on what farmers would like in today's budget. Tom Bradshaw calls for scrapping Inheritance Tax for farms, and adequately investing in a resilient food and farming sector. We also hear from the Farming Minister Stephen Morgan who faced questions from the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) committee. He promised to improve the system for farmers applying for the government's support scheme, after what's been described as a shambles this year with thousands missing out. And all the week we're looking at farm pests. Today it's the grey squirrel - a non-native invasive species that's massively impacted the UK's native red squirrel population. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.
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