The UK's Chief Vet is urging travellers not to run the risk of bringing foot and mouth disease back from European holidays, in banned personal imports of meat and dairy. Caz Graham hears why a warm, dry summer in many fruit growing areas has led to a bumper crop of high quality blackcurrants. All farmers tend to the needs of their livestock, but few creatures are as needy as leeches. We visit the UK's only medical Leech farm and find out how sensitive the blood suckers really are, to everything ...
Jul 25, 2025•14 min
Farming Today joins the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells - the week after the Welsh Government announced its new system of payments: the sustainable farming scheme. This annual celebration of farming, food and rural Wales attracts around 200,000 visitors but this year the number of cattle on show is down by a third because of bluetongue disease. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney
Jul 24, 2025•14 min
The move to build battery storage sites on farmland is increasing: it can be a money-spinner for the landowner and can play an important role in the transition to a low carbon energy system, storing green energy collected through wind or solar power generation. But there are concerns at the lack of specific health and safety standards for the sector. We're looking at farmers' welbeing this week. Today, a virtual reality headset is being shown at the Royal Welsh Show. It's the latest offering fro...
Jul 23, 2025•14 min
The head of a team carrying out water quality monitoring on livestock farms across the UK says their evidence shows the majority of farms tested so far are breaking rules which are supposed to protect rivers from pollution. The evidence backs up the findings in Sir Jon Cunliffe's report from the Independent Water Commission, which was published yesterday. It found that the 'Farming Rules For Water' weren't being complied with, and enforcement should be improved. And all this week we're looking a...
Jul 22, 2025•14 min
The final report into the devastating mass deaths of shellfish along the north east coast says the incident was 'catastrophic' to the industry. We speak to one of the fishers affected. Throughout this week we're going to be looking at into health, mental health and wellbeing in rural Britain. Today we go to the Peak District to meet a group of women farmers who've set up their own support group. And new rules come in tomorrow allowing poultry farmers to legally pick up birds under a certain weig...
Jul 21, 2025•12 min
Has the National Food Strategy for England been watered down? We hear reports that a Food White Paper expected in the spring has been dropped. The Welsh Government announces its new Sustainable Farming Scheme. Some environmental groups are calling it a missed opportunity. We hear from the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs on what's being described as a 'once in a generation' event. And plant breeders in Scotland have unveiled a UK-bred blueberry. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by B...
Jul 19, 2025•25 min
Has the Government’s Food Strategy been watered down? It wasn’t launched with a huge fanfare, but Defra has published its Food Strategy for England. It aims to create what it calls a Good Food Cycle, a framework to make food production more sustainable, radically overhaul our relationship with food and prepare farmers and food producers for future challenges. The National Farmers' Union has welcomed the document though says it needs to be backed up by “joined-up and pragmatic policy measures”. B...
Jul 17, 2025•14 min
The Welsh government has unveiled a new system of payments for farmers. The sustainable farming scheme or SFS replaces the current basic payment scheme or BPS, which farmers received under the EU. BPS is being wound down and farmers in Wales are being encouraged to take part in the new scheme, which will pay them to produce food sustainably and protect the environment. Farming unions welcome some aspects of the SFS but say farmers now face a cliff edge as old payments are phased out next year. E...
Jul 16, 2025•14 min
Farmers and environmentalists are bracing themselves as major changes to the financial support system for agriculture in Wales are announced today. Agriculture is devolved, and policy is decided separately in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Welsh government will publish details of its sustainable farming scheme or SFS later. Plant breeders in Scotland have unveiled a UK-bred blueberry. The James Hutton Institute has grown thousands of seedlings to develop a berry with good fla...
Jul 15, 2025•14 min
The State of the UK Climate Report for 2025 is published today, Caz Graham explores the findings with Professor Liz Bentley of the Royal Meteorological Society. Meanwhile, berry growers are reporting a bumper start to their season due to the sunny weather. The recent high temperatures in some parts of the UK have made life harder for dairy farmers. When temperatures rise, cows tend to produce less milk, and in dry areas of the country conserving winter forage for the cows is proving a headache. ...
Jul 14, 2025•12 min
The Government is carrying out a farming profitability review in England, to inform policy. There’s been a call for evidence and practical solutions. We ask the National Farmers' Union what could be done to help. Out in the sunshine at the Great Yorkshire Show - pig showing and curly fleeced Wensleydale sheep. A new strategy for tackling rural crime across Wales will offer greater protection for people and wildlife in the countryside, according to the Welsh government. Priority areas include tac...
Jul 12, 2025•25 min
Curly sheep, innovation and profitability on farm - we visit the Great Yorkshire Show. Caz Graham is out in the sunshine at England's largest agricultural show to see the livestock and ask what's the mood this year for farmers. The Government is carrying out a Farming Profitability Review in England, to inform policy. There’s been a call for evidence and practical solutions which closes today. We ask the National Farmers' Union what could be done to help. Produced by Beatrice Fenton....
Jul 11, 2025•14 min
A new strategy for tackling rural crime across Wales will offer greater protection for people and wildlife in the countryside, according to the Welsh government. Priority areas include tackling damage to ancient monuments, or heritage crime, and attacks on livestock, with new awareness courses for animal owners. A new ban on the use of lead in ammunition has been announced by the UK government, in a bid to stop the toxic metal contaminating fields and waterways. Shot containing more than 1% lead...
Jul 10, 2025•14 min
Chronic bee paralysis has been in bee populations for thousands of years, but cases are rising in the UK and it’s estimated up to two percent are affected. The disease is not notifiable, so doesn’t have to be reported, and bees can have the virus and not show symptoms, so it’s prevalence is difficult to ascertain. We speak to Professor Giles Budge who's working on the disease at Newcastle University. As part of our week-long look at shellfish we visit Bridlington in East Yorkshire the largest lo...
Jul 09, 2025•14 min
New proposals to improve water quality in Northern Ireland could prove fatal for pig farming there according to the Ulster Farmers Union. The Nutrients Action Programme aims to reduce agricultural pollution in loughs and rivers and would involve limiting the amount of phosporus and nitrogen that can by spread on the land in slurry. The consultation on the programme has already been extended once and now the UFU says pigs numbers would need to be reduced by as much as 80% if the plans get the go-...
Jul 07, 2025•12 min
The sustainable farming incentive or SFI will re-open in the New Year, it pays English farmers for things like planting hedges or wildflowers. It was suddenly closed to new applications earlier this year after it ran out of money. Speaking at the regenerative farming festival Groundswell, the Defra secretary Steve Reed said he wants the SFI to support a transition to regenerative farming. Details will be announced later this summer with applications opening next year though Mr Reed says it will ...
Jul 04, 2025•14 min
A new study published by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology shows that nature-friendly farming is not currently as profitable as intensive food production. Its authors say the report is the first of its kind and shows that agroecology improves biodiversity and can boost crop yields. However, the cost of creating habitats and the loss of some productive land, they say, means lower profits. Dr Ben Woodcock led the four year study which studied 17 farms. More big food companies are paying produce...
Jul 02, 2025•14 min
Harvest has begun early in some parts of the country, combine harvesters were out in several different counties last week. The early start is really down to exceptionally low rainfall, throughout the spring and now the sunny, hot weather. Last year, the wet autumn meant planting crops then was delayed but crops planted this spring went in early. Breaking records for starting harvest isn’t always a celebration and it seems this year, yields could be significantly down, although it’s a little earl...
Jul 01, 2025•14 min
From July, livestock going from England to Wales or Scotland must be tested for bluetongue, and farmers are warning the new system could be "catastrophic" for their businesses. The virus is spread by biting midges. It doesn't affect humans but can cause fever and lameness in cattle and sheep. From July 1st, the whole of England will become a bluetongue restriction zone, meaning livestock can move freely around. Governments in Cardiff and Edinburgh, however, have decided that animals coming from ...
Jun 30, 2025•12 min
The Climate Change Committee report shows little progress on the reduction of emissions from agriculture and substantial action still needed. Many UK supermarkets have made public commitments to sourcing 100% of their beef from the UK. But in recent months some seem to be moving away from these pledges. We ask how much beef is being imported, from where, and why. A group of farmers are seeking a judicial review over the decision to re-impose inheritance tax on some farm businesses. Work has begu...
Jun 28, 2025•25 min
The UK has once more missed its tree planting targets - provisional figures for last year show that overall the number of trees planted fell in comparison with the year before, from 20 and a half thousand hectares to just over 15 and a half thousand hectares. The Government aims for 30,000 every year. New figures from the farming industry body the AHDB show that 190 dairy farmers left the industry last year. There are now 7,040 dairy producers in England, Wales and Scotland. That's a 2.6 per cen...
Jun 27, 2025•14 min
Charlotte Smith examines what's behind 2025's unprecedented increase in prices paid to UK beef farmers. According to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board fewer cattle are being farmed in the UK, and beyond. This week Farming Today is taking a closer look at Agroforestry, the approach which combines farming crops or livestock with trees. And, big fish, big money: we visit a carp grower in Yorkshire. Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling
Apr 22, 2025•14 min
Travellers have been banned from bringing meat from all EU countries into the UK following Foot and Mouth disease in Germany, Hungary and Slovakia. The ban applies to meat from cattle, pigs, and sheep as well as dairy products. We hear from the British Veterinary Association about why cured meats or cheese bought home from holiday could present a very real disease risk. After lambing, shearing is next on sheep farmers' springtime to do lists. Skilled shearers from overseas will now be able to bo...
Apr 15, 2025•14 min
Salmon farming has long been plagued by questions over its environmental impact and welfare concerns for farmed fish and the wild fish that live nearby. Charlotte Smith asks if those concerns might be reduced if the industry moves into deeper, wilder waters. There's also a look at illegal meat imports and the resources that the Port of Dover has to police the arrival of suspect foods on British shores. Producer: Rebecca Rooney
Apr 12, 2025•25 min
