30/11/24 Farming Today This Week: UK farmers' concerns about farm policy and budgets; sniffer dog to detect tree pests, broccoli

The Government 'risks creating a culture of fear and resistance' amongst farmers, according to the Nature Friendly Farmers Network. It's highlighting the suspension of grants which help farmers in England invest in infrastructure to improve the environment. That's things like better slurry storage to protect waterways or planting hedges to reduce soil erosion. Defra says the Capital Grants Scheme has been temporarily closed after unprecedented demand.

Farmers and crofters held a rally to lobby the Scottish Government ahead of next week's Scottish budget. They want more money for agriculture, and a guarantee that it's ringfenced.

The Welsh Government has backed down on its policy to insist farmers put 10% of their land into woodland. The decision came after farmers demonstrated against the Government's plans for its Sustainable Farming Scheme, which replaces the payments to farmers under the old EU Common Agricultural Policy.

All week on Farming Today we've been digging into winter veg. Parsnips, carrots and sprouts are all firm favourites but today we visit a farm growing a relative newcomer, tenderstem broccoli. For farmers who grow it, it's labour intensive but high value.

And we hear how Ivor, a detection dog, is sniffing out disease in trees. It’s hoped Ivor and other sniffer dogs could play a key role in maintaining UK biosecurity and reduce the threat of serious pests and diseases that damage woodlands and commercial forestry.

Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.