In this episode, it's mainly all about the money. What does the UK government's latest spring budget statement mean for your farm business? Two experts give us their views. Rob Hitch from accountants Dodd & Co and Gary Markham from Land Family Business examine the likely impact on the livestock and arable sectors. How will the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board make up a £4m shortfall after being told it is no longer exempt from VAT rules? It's the latest in a series of challen...
Mar 26, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 99
In this episode – why isn't the UK government doing more to encourage food production? We examine concerns over rising input costs, food imports and the government's environmental policies for farmers. Fertiliser prices are high, availability is low – will it be worth growing wheat next year? Will digital grain passports really add value and make life easier for growers? On the markets, cull cow prices surge. Jeremy Clarkson joins farmers on the vegan menu picket line in Oxfordshire. Why doesn't...
Mar 18, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 98
In this episode: is ramping up UK farm output the answer to food supply problems caused by conflict in Ukraine? Do government leaders and policy-makers need to rebalance the relationship between food production and environmental schemes? We ask two farmers. On the markets, we look at fertiliser prices – and ask how high can they go? We get some important advice about tractor tyres as we join 350 farmers attending the UK's first regional farm safety day. And we hear from the farmer who welcomed a...
Mar 11, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 97
This episode examines the impact of the war in Ukraine – both on farmers caught up in the conflict and on farmers in the UK. We look at the effect that war is having on supplies and prices of grain and animal feed – as well as the cost and availability of farm inputs like fuel and fertiliser. The AHDB fertiliser calculator mentioned in this episode can help UK growers decide how much nitrogen it is worth applying to cereals and oilseeds. The UK farmers in this podcast who are organising aid to s...
Mar 04, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 96
In this episode, we examine the impact on farm input costs and commodity prices after Russia invades Ukraine. We round up all the news from the National Farmers' Union annual conference in Birmingham – including the NFU elections. Fertiliser fantasy – can farmyard manure really be used in place of bagged ammonium nitrate? Defra secretary George Eustice suggests it can. On the markets, we've the latest commodity prices – and we ask: are tweaks to government aid schemes enough to help crisis-hit p...
Feb 25, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 95
A special episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast – looking at the prospects for oilseed rape growers this spring. Farmers are returning to oilseed rape – having abandoned the crop due to pressure from cabbage stem flea beetle following the ban on neonicotinoid seed treatments. Some UK growers are learning to live with the pest, say experts – and high rape prices are helping to offset rising input costs, making the crop attractive again. We look at the planted area, as well as the prospects for yi...
Feb 25, 2022•16 min
In this episode, as a mechanical failure threatens to disrupt global glyphosate supplies – we examine the impact for UK farmers. What's the natural capital value of your farmland – we run the rule over a new tool which developers say could help farmers benefit from biodiversity net gain. On the markets, we have the latest commodity prices and look at the prospects for oilseed rape – a crop which has seen recent record prices. We wade through the wreckage of winter storms Eunice and Dudley as the...
Feb 19, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 94
In this episode, is the government doing enough to solve the crisis affecting the pig industry Defra minister Victoria Prentis pledges clarity on autumn muck-spreading rules – could they work like traffic lights? We meet the growers cutting out insecticides and letting nature do the work on their farms. On the markets, dairy sales numbers are looking up – and we hear about the world of trade deals. We speak to farmers as their local council puts a ban on meat and dairy. And it's Mind Your Head W...
Feb 11, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 93
In this week's episode, we get to grips with the new landscape recovery scheme – what does it mean for farmers and is worth applying? In a wide-ranging interview, Defra secretary George Eustice defends the government's approach to post-Brexit farm policy – saying he wants evolution not revolution. Mr Eustice also discusses policies affecting tenant farmers, and the launch of a new UK partnership to tackle agricultural challenges . With climate change increasingly high on the agenda, we look at t...
Feb 04, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 92
In this episode, could farmers fall foul of new red diesel rules due to come into force this spring? As oat milk maker Oatly gets its hands slapped for misleading consumers, we ask: how much of a threat to farmers are plant-based drinks? On the markets, we're ringside in Yorkshire. As the latest woodland grants are unveiled, does it really pay to plant trees? And we hook up with the livestock dating service that matches graziers with arable growers looking to increase soil carbon. This episode o...
Jan 28, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 91
In this week's podcast, how English farmers can apply for a government grant to buy new farm machinery. We've a special interview with farm minister Victoria Prentis – who says the government is about to publish its response to calls for a National Food Strategy. We meet the candidates vying for the NFU's top officeholder jobs ahead of the union's presidential elections in February 2022. We find out farmers are helping to tackle phosphate pollution. On the markets, with spring around the corner,...
Jan 21, 2022•54 min•Season 1Ep. 90
In this episode, MPs say government plans to replace direct payments for farmers in England are based on 'blind optimism' and lack clarity. We examine the report – and its implications for farmers and growers. There's a glimmer of hope when it comes to restrictions on slurry and manure spreading. Celebrity farmer Jeremy Clarkson has planning permission refused for a new farm cafe. What can we learn from his trials and tribulations? We look at how you can take part in a new experiment to combat f...
Jan 15, 2022•56 min•Season 1Ep. 89
In this episode, Defra announces a 30% increase in Countryside Stewardship payments in England– but does it stack up? The government unveils crackdown against the crime of hare-coursing . Will it really help stop the illegal activity. Livestock farmers vent their frustration after Asda decides to source beef from Ireland, rather than buying British. Pop star Ed Sheeran says he wants to buy as much land as possible – and rewild the UK. Is he just another mis-guided celebrity? On the markets – the...
Jan 07, 2022•52 min•Season 1Ep. 88
In this episode, we talk to three Net Zero farmers – and ask whether cutting carbon emissions is good for farm incomes as well as for the environment. Would animal welfare labelling on UK meat improve livestock returns? As Basic Payments land in bank accounts – with reduced amounts for farmers in England – we ask two experts for their advice on managing farm finances. We'll have the latest prices in our regular market round-up. And we meet the first breeder since Brexit to import live sheep from...
Dec 11, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 87
In this episode, we examine the payment rates for Defra's new Sustainable Farming Incentive - will it work for farmers? We count the cost of Storm Arwen on farms and rural businesses – as a Yorkshire farmer recounts an unusual rescue mission. With a whopping 37 seed varieties added to the AHDB recommended lists, we look at how you choose the cereal and oilseed crop that's right for you? On the markets, we review the 2021 farmland market – and look ahead to 2022. And we take a walk with the Hedge...
Dec 03, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 86
In this episode, cereal prices are on the up – but so too are input prices. We look at the impact on arable cropping decisions. The Red Tractor farm assurance scheme acknowledges that non-assured growers should have like-for-like access to UK feed mills. What does this mean for growers? On the markets, we get the latest consumer insight on red meat. We play the latest version of the Farming Simulator video game – and find out why from the people who make it why it matters so much. And we visit a...
Nov 26, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 85
In this episode, we run the rule over Defra's £27m Farm Investment Fund for England and ask: is it worth applying for a grant? The government finally launches its long-awaited consultation to reform the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). We ask Defra secretary George Eustice: will levy payers get value for money? How was lockdown for you? A major study is examining how the Covid pandemic affected the mental health of farmers and farming families. Researchers are encouraging...
Nov 19, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 84
In this episode, scientists call for stricter pesticide testing rules following concern that some co-formulated products are bad for bumblebees. With plans to build the world's largest vertical farm in Norfolk, we ask – should your farm reach for the sky too? There's more on methane – with livestock farmers divided over the best way to combat climate change. On the markets – wheat prices continue to surge ahead – despite concerns over quality. How high will they go and for how long? And we meet ...
Nov 12, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 83
Britain faces a shortage of farm vets – with recruitment and retention posing key challenges for veterinary practices and the future of the sector. Industry insiders estimate there are more than 3,000 veterinary job vacancies across the UK – with big implications for the livestock producers who rely on them. What are the reasons for these challenges? And what are the prospects for new entrants looking for a successful veterinary career? Combining the expertise of Harper Adams and Keele universit...
Nov 10, 2021•14 min
In this episode, farm leader Minette Batters gives her views from the COP26 climate change conference on red meat and methane. Are livestock really to blame for greenhouse gas emissions – or do fossil fuels have a bigger part to play? And what should we do about it? West Yorkshire doctor and former farm worker Jerry Alderson explains why it's good to talk about farm accidents – and how we can help each other stay safe. On the markets, buoyant demand sees a big increase in the oilseed rape area d...
Nov 05, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 82
In this episode, farmers are risking their lives on a daily basis – with tiredness and fatigue contributing to the UK's worst fatal accident rate. The stark statistic is revealed in a Farmers Weekly survey at the start of a new farm safety campaign called Dying To Feed You. Dairy farmer's son William Sayers tells how his arm was torn off by a rotating power take-off shaft on the back of a tractor when he was just 12-years-old. As ag-inflation goes through the roof – we look at how farmers are de...
Oct 29, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 81
In this episode, as the government launches its latest plan to tackle climate change, we ask whether the UK can reach Net Zero without reducing livestock numbers? Could famers and rural businesses be clobbered by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak targeting capital gains tax in his imminent autumn budget? Amid charity warnings of a mental health crisis among farming families, what is the future for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution? How you can make natural capital pay on your farm – with th...
Oct 22, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 80
In this episode - as the supply chain crisis deepens, we examine the prospects for food inflation and ask: how high will it go? The government finally acts to ease pressure on the pig sector – by letting more meat processors into the UK – but is it too little too late? We meet the man who wants to revolutionise the AHDB – the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board . On the markets, we find out if high crop prices are here to stay. We look at the pros and cons of autumn lambing – and ask:...
Oct 15, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 79
In this episode, we examine why the government won't take the UK pig crisis seriously – and what farmers can do about it. Will Defra's flagship environmental land management scheme be good for farmers and the countryside? Two experts give their views. How you can "eat better balanced" – we look at the AHDB campaign for meat to remain an important part of your diet. Is it working? On the markets: breeding sheep sales and can beef prices get any higher? And we join the finalists and winners for th...
Oct 08, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 78
Could Britain really face a shortage of turkeys this Christmas? We speak to a seasonal poultry producer who says the sector faces a huge challenge. Would you like a minister for the countryside in every government department? Pipe dream or farming future? We find out. On the markets, we have the latest prospects and prices for oilseed rape – and all the other major arable and livestock commodities. After a ground-breaking government announcement, we ask: could gene-edited crops improve your bott...
Oct 01, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 77
In this episode, the fertiliser market soars after UK manufacturers curtail production because of rising gas prices. What should farmers do to secure fertiliser supplies? And should rates be adjusted? On the markets, Boris Johnson finally gets the go-ahead to send UK lamb to the USA. But when will exports start? A new sugar beet price is announced – but is it enough to keep growers sweet? And we meet Cornish young farmer Maria Warne, who won a national farm safety award – with a little help from...
Sep 24, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 76
In this episode, a glyphosate shortage is causing havoc for growers trying to get autumn crops in the ground. TV star Jeremy Clarkson says he Backs British Farming Day – and voices support for an NFU report on the UK self-sufficiency in food. In a double dose of dairy stories, we examine plans to boost dairy exports – and we hear from the dairy coop helping its producers get to Net Zero And we meet the opera singer who left the stage to rear calves. This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is ...
Sep 17, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 75
In this episode, thieves have stolen dozens of satellite guidance systems from farms across East Anglia in a single night – we ask what are the police doing? Does ploughing and soil cultivation still have a future? We head to a field in Norfolk where people still think it does. As milk producers celebrate UK Dairy Day, we look at how YOU can get free advice to combat bovine TB. On the markets – we're live from this year's Kelso ram sales And we speak to the farmer who has a network of doggy exer...
Sep 10, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 74
In this episode, cereal growers have voted to withhold funding from the Red Tractor farm assurance scheme. We examine why. A shortage of UK farm workers and lorry drivers has left vegetable crops rotting in the fields. What should be done? Rewilding – should really farms be taken out of production to benefit wildlife? On the markets, as the UK cereal harvest slowly gradually comes to a close, we look at the latest prices for combinable crops. And we meet the farmer who has paid a special tribute...
Sep 03, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 73
In this episode, thousands of pigs could be culled on UK farms due to a shortage of labour in abattoirs and meat processing plants The labour shortage is also affecting arable farmers, hauliers and the wider food supply chain – with safety campaigners warning of fatal consequences. Industry leaders are calling for a 12-month Covid-19 recovery visa to help alleviate the workforce shortages that are causing serious disruption to food supplies. As the catchy harvest continues, we check out yields a...
Aug 27, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 72
