Farming Today

BBC Radio 4
  • 5,0 (1)
  • Vetenskap
  • Varje dag

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside

  1. −1 d

    01/09/26 Crisis loans, pasture for drought resilience, river DNA testing

    Farming groups from around the country are pressing for what they are calling 'a government-backed, interest-free Keep Britain Growing Loan' which they say will help farmers maintain cashflow and fund next season’s crop production. How using pasture sown with a diverse mix of grasses, legumes, and deep-rooted herbs and rotational grazing can help in times of drought. Finding out exactly what species are in a river can be challenging, but environmental DNA sampling is a relatively new tool which can help. It can detect the presence of rare or invasive species by analysing genetic material in water. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

  2. −2 d

    31/08/2026: Wildlife corridors

    Anna Hill travels on a safari with a difference, across North Norfolk, to discover how dozens of farmers have joined together to create connected corridors for wildlife and farming. She explores four projects funded by FiPL (Farming in Protected Landscapes), follows a 26-mile mega-hedgerow across 14 farms; a 10 mile corridor of wildflower margins along a river bed; follows a new shepherdess moving a flock of sheep across contiguous arable farms to fertilise the soil; and sees the extraordinary natural hives for wild bees, which farmers have created to protect the species for years to come.

  3. −4 d

    29/08/2026: bluetongue, future crops, lavender farm

    With the livestock disease bluetongue still spreading across the UK, we speak to a Dutch vet about how they coped with a massive outbreak there in 2023, and what we can learn. This week we've been looking at what crops farmers might grow in the future to cope with a changing climate - whether precision-bred crops, or turning to traditional varieties. And we're at a lavender farm in the Lake District. The farm uses several varieties of the aromatic herb, including those from Provence in France. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

  4. −5 d

    28/08/26 Licensing firearms and shotguns, lavender in the Lakes, gene-edited salad crops

    The system for licensing firearms and shotguns in England and Wales is not fit for purpose and should be replaced to ensure public safety. That’s the conclusion of a report published today by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services. When Sandi Thornton started growing lavender on her 30-acre farm in the south of the Lake District, some neighbours did raise a quizzical eyebrow. Two years on, the lavender beds are getting established and there’s a distinctly purple haze across part of Cumbria’s Lyth Valley. With drought, climate change and many demands on land use, scientists and food producers are looking at the best crops to grow for the future, and that’s something we’ve been focusing on all this week too. Researchers at the University of Essex are using gene-editing technology to create dwarf cucumber plants better suited to indoor vertical farms and glasshouses. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

  5. −6 d

    27/08/2026: Beef imports, Miscanthus

    Farmers in the UK are urging the government to ban imports of beef from Brazil amid fears that it's not produced to the same high standard. The EU and Norway have already imposed bans because of Brazil's use of antibiotics, which they fear could lead to resistance. In the US cattle farmers are angry about President Trump's plan to allow beef in tariff-free to bring consumer prices down. They say it'll undermine their industry. And we visit a long-running trial of miscanthus at Aberystwyth University. They're looking for more uses for the crop, which has proven it copes well in drought. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

  6. 26 aug.

    26/08/2026: gene editing, Bernard Matthews factory closure

    UK scientists working on gene-editing of crops will get access to European markets after the European Parliament voted to relax rules around the practice. We speak to a scientist from Rothamstead Research. We also meet scientists working on gene editing of wheat to make it more resilient to climate shocks. And what does the closure of Bernard Matthews' Derby factory mean for the wider turkey production sector? We hear from the editor of the publication Food Manufacture. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

  7. 25 aug.

    25/08/2026: Milk prices, bluetongue, future crops

    The drought, and the livestock disease bluetongue, are having an effect on milk production, with yield down by 1.5 milllion litres every day, according to the industry body the AHDB. The shortage is pushing up prices for farmers. We speak to a Dutch vet about how bluetongue developed there three years ago. They had a huge outbreak which led to the loss of tens of thousands of cattle and sheep. Since then a vaccine has been developed. And we're looking at future crops, bred to be resilent in a changing climate. Today we meet a breeder at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee to sample some new varieties of raspberry. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

  8. 24 aug.

    24/08/2026: bluetongue, future foods, farm app

    More cases of the livestock disease Bluetongue have prompted the Scottish Government to impose tighter movement restrictions. It's the first year the midge-borne disease has reached Scotland. There are fears it could disrupt the up-coming ram sales season which involves the movement of thousands of sheep. With the weather so unpredictable and extreme this year, we're taking a look this week at how we can grow food differently, or use different crops. We speak to a scientist at the National Institute for Agricultural Botony who says it's not just new varieties, but repurposing heritage crops. And we meet a sixteen year old in Northern Ireland who's come up with an app to help farmers manage their time better. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner .

Visa alla (28)

Värdar och gäster

Om

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside

Information

  • Skapad av
    BBC Radio 4
  • Aktiva år
    2007 - 2026
  • Avsnitt
    28
  • Åldersgräns
    Barnvänligt
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Programmets webbplats
    Farming Today
  • Leverantör

Mer från BBC

Du kanske också gillar