Farming Today

BBC Radio 4

4.5 (54)
SCIENCE
UPDATED DAILY

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside

1D AGO

Farming Today This Week 10/01/26: The Oxford farming conferences

Thousands of people have descended on Oxford this week for two farming conferences. We report from The Oxford Farming Conference, where the Defra Secretary of State made new announcements for England's environmental farm payments, while protesting farmers in tractors hooted horns outside the hall. We also hear from delegates at The Oxford Real Farming Conference which was opened by Charlotte Church with some improvised singing. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

25 min
2D AGO

09/01/26 Politics, protests and Charlotte Church at the Oxford Farming Conferences

The Defra Secretary of State spoke at the Oxford Farming Conference with new announcements for England's environmental farm payments, while protesting farmers in tractors hooted horns outside the hall. And Charlotte Church opened the Oxford Real Farming Conference with some improvised singing. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

14 min
2D AGO

The opening of Oxford Farming Conference 2026

At the opening of the Oxford Farming Conference 2026, Charlotte Smith previews the government's latest announcement on England's largest environmental payment scheme. Produced by Beatrice Fenton.

14 min
4D AGO

07/01/26 Cereals, solar farms, farmer wellbeing.

Uncertainty about whether a farm will break even, let alone make a profit, is concerning arable farmers, according to Dame Minette Batter's recent report on farm profitability. Lower prices for arable products, rising costs of energy and farm machinery, and the suspension of environmental payments under the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme are making some arable farmers ask if they should keep growing crops at all, according to her report. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board has just produced its latest figures for what farmers are planning to plant this year. We ask what growers are deciding to do. The rapid expansion of large solar farms in many parts of the country has caused consternation among many people in the countryside. Campaigners say that although they support green energy, they're concerned at the scale of the developments. The Council for the Protection of Rural England in Norfolk is forming an alliance of local councils and protest groups to support people opposing the projects. All week we're looking at how farmers can make themselves and their businesses more resilient. A new movement in Scotland is helping farmers prioritise their physical and mental health. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

14 min
5D AGO

06/01/26 Welsh Sustainable Farming Scheme, row over Scottish agri-environment policy, climate resilience.

The Welsh Government's Sustainable Farming Scheme has come into force. It replaces the Basic Payment Scheme which has been phased out since the UK left the EU. What will it mean for Welsh farmers? We speak to a farmer near Brecon to find out. Environmental groups in Scotland are leaving the advisory boards on the country's new agriculture schemes in protest at what they say is a failure to address climate change and nature depletion. RSPB Scotland, Scottish Environment Link and other groups say they no longer have confidence in what they say was supposed to be to co-design of the post-Brexit schemes but in fact has ignored their views and failed to deliver meaningful reform. The Scottish Government says it is creating new policies that will deliver for both nature and the climate. Thousands of farmers, environmentalists and policy makers converge on Oxford this week for the annual Oxford Farming Conference and Oxford Real Farming Conference. This year, the Oxford Farming Conference theme is growing resilience, concentrating on how farmers can create the conditions on their land, and in their businesses, to weather future challenges. Climate change is just one of those. We visit a farmer in Herefordshire whose land has been repeatedly flooded. He's working with other farmers to make their businesses more resilient on a landscape scale. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

14 min
6D AGO

05/01/26 Growing resilience and transforming our farming system, raw milk vending

Growing resilience and transforming our food and farming system, the two themes of the two farming conferences happening in Oxford this week. We will be at both - so what can we all expect? And we revisit a farm that installed a milk vending machine with the hope of improving the farm’s fortunes. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

12 min
JAN 3

03/01/26 Farming Today This Week: Farms for City Children at 50, horse-powered pints, mart tradition, 18th century farmer diary

A round up of seasonal offerings from Farming Today. The charity Farms for City Children turns 50 this year. Set up by writer Michael Morpurgo and his wife in 1976, the charity works to connect children with farming and the countryside. Fiona Clampin dons her wellies and joins the Morpurgos at their farm in Devon. Farming life is full of traditions, and we hear from Rathfriland Livestock Market in County Down about one of these: the luck penny. Farmers selling their animals hand money back to the buyer, to seal the deal. It's a way of wishing the customer success with the stock and building up a trustworthy business relationship. Kathleen Carragher visits Rathfriland to find out whether it's still practised today. Tradition also abounds at one brewery in Oxfordshire, which still uses heavy horses to deliver barrels of beer to local pubs. Vernon Harwood meets three of the shire horses delivering horse-powered pints. Work is being carried out in orchards to DNA fingerprint cider apple trees to identify varieties whose names died with the people who created them, or were never named. The aim: to secure the future of forgotten cider apple varieties. Sarah Swadling speaks to Keith Edwards, Professor of Crop Genetics at Bristol University and Devon cider-maker Barny Butterfield who have been working on the project. Historians in Cumbria are publishing extracts from the diary of an 18th century yeoman farmer. The writings of Isaac Fletcher, who farmed at Mosser near Cockermouth, are providing a window into rural life 250 years ago. Helen Millican has been for a tour of what would have been Isaac's farm. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Jo Peacey. A BBC Audio Bristol production.

25 min
JAN 2

02/01/26 Wildlife or Pest? The Wild Goats of Langholm Moor

Controlling wild goats is proving tricky in Scotland's border country. While herds can damage trees and outgrow their food supply, these fierce yet endearing creatures have a place in people’s hearts, and they are believed to be a link to our Stone-Age ancestors. As different landowners carry out their own culls, there are fears of a devastating impact on the population. Richard Baynes finds out how it's hoped herds can be controlled, but kept healthy. Produced and presented by Richard Baynes.

14 min

See All (30)

Anna Hill

Host
Anna Jones

Host
Caz Graham

Host
Sybil Ruscoe

Host
Charlotte Smith

Host

4.5

out of 5

54 Ratings

Informative

11/30/2008

KidaStar

This is not an exciting podcast. No music. No give-aways. No comedians. This is an informative podcast covering issues facing British farmers. I'm not from the U.K., but I like to listen to their problems and solutions. It gives a broad look at agricultural issues, from the farmer, the shopper, the environmentalist, the legislator. I love listening.
Very Educational

09/06/2015

tbache9248

I am from the US and really like hearing about problems and solutions. I particularly like to colorful descriptions about the weather, what is being seen, the sounds, wellie boots and all. The recent topic of invasive species was quite interesting. Please keep it up.
This is a fun podcast

06/23/2009

Mulligan Hal

I listen to this all the time. The stories are interesting, even to someone here in the US. Also helps me understand Britain better.
Informative and Enjoyable

12/01/2007

ScoutF

The format is smart, the information relvant and interesting. Perhaps the best "integrated" general purpose ag news cast I have found. Although I am not a Brit, the global ag ulility is good.