Transition Agriculture

A podcast examining ways farmers are managing their agricultural transition – working to secure a more sustainable future for their farm business.

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Episodes

The Nitrogen Crisis - Dutch dairy farmers fight for their future

Dairy farmers in the Netherlands say they face being driven out of business after being told to slash greenhouse gas emissions. It follows calls by the Hague government for a 50% cut in nitrogen emissions by 2030 – a target that has seen farmers take to the streets in protest. One of the world's most densely populated countries, the Netherlands is home to some 16,000 dairy farmers milking some 1.57 million cows. Dairy farmer Herman Miedema milks 175 cows across some 100ha of grass and maize sila...

Mar 29, 2023•36 min•Season 2Ep. 5

How to stress-test your farm business – and why it is important

Before making any changes to the way you farm, it's important to ask: is your farm business financially robust? Stress testing and financial modelling are valuable tools in identifying overall farm business vulnerabilities and finding answers to all your “what-ifs”. Measuring how vulnerable you are to changes in interest rates, market price fluctuations, inflation and rising input costs could make the difference between success and failure. In this Transition Podcast, we look at: • How are all t...

Dec 16, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 4

Food security: How to balance profitable food production with care for the environment

In this episode, we are discussing food security – and the need to balance profitable food production with care for the environment. Agriculture faces a defining decade – with farmers expected to do much more than simply produce safe, affordable and nutritious food. Growers and livestock producers are increasingly required to provide environmental benefits too – as well as helping to mitigate climate change. Discussing ways we can get this balance right are three special guests: Carl Atkin, chai...

Oct 27, 2022•42 min•Season 2Ep. 3

Carbon farming: how to seize the opportunities and avoid the pitfalls

Carbon is set to become an increasingly important revenue stream for farmers over the coming years. Whether it being paid to off-set carbon emissions on behalf of somebody else or reducing your own on-farm emissions, the possibilities seem endless. But it is a fledging market and it can be confusing – and often daunting So how do you make money from carbon – what are the opportunities and how do you avoid the pitfalls? To answer these questions and more, we are joined by four experts: Emily Nort...

Sep 21, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 2

How technology can boost profitability by reducing farm inputs

In this episode, we discover how technology can increase farm profitability by reducing input costs while driving down greenhouse gas emissions. We look at a number of options for arable farmers when it comes to establishing, managing and harvesting combinable crops and maize. We examine how strip tillage systems can get crops off to a good start by using precision planting alongside injected slurry as an alternative nutrient source. In terms of crop protection, we investigate the benefits of me...

Sep 16, 2022•45 min•Season 2Ep. 1

Volatility, Ag-Inflation and the Money Men - how to deal with unpredictable commodity markets

Huge increases in farm input costs pose a massive challenge to UK growers and livestock producers, piling pressure on business cashflows. Eye-watering levels of AgInflation have seen fuel costs more than double in recent months, with fertiliser prices more than trebling. Commodity prices too have spiked on the back of global weather concerns and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, one of the world's major grain exporters. With harvest 2022 approaching in the UK, this episode of the Transition Agricult...

May 20, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Transition Farmers Rachel and Richard Risdon: Grass-based dairying in Devon

Transition Farmers Rachel and Richard Risdon run a grass-based herd of 300 Friesian cross Jersey dairy cows at Bramford Speke, near Exeter, Devon. The herd is rotationally grazed and yield about 4,900 litres and 452kg of milk solids from about 650kg of concentrate. Grass is topped up with cake when necessary, focusing on having cows out grazing from calving in February until late November. The couple have three main goals: reducing their carbon footprint, understanding new agri-environment schem...

Nov 04, 2021•42 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Transition Farmer Alan Steven: Quality crops for local markets in Fife

Scottish farmer Alan Steven farms cereals and fieldscale vegetables at Hillhead Farm, Kingsbarns, near St Andrew, Fife. In this episode, Alan talks about his quest to produce quality crops while overcoming the limitations of his farm business. Challenges include improving soil health, the double-edged sword of a mild coastal climate and distance to market. Alan explains how his family came to farm at Hillhead Farm, what his is striving to achieve as a farmer and his hopes for the next generation...

Sep 20, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Transition Farmer James MacCartney: Beef and sheep can be 'better than Net Zero'

Beef and sheep producer James MacCartney farms near Oakham in Rutland – in the East Midlands of England. It's a 160ha grass-based farm – about 400 acres – and in his quest to become more sustainable, James says he has three key goals: Improving the grassland, gaining disease free status for his sheep flock – and reducing his carbon footprint so he is better than net zero. In this episode, we look at the challenges James faces as he strives to meet his goals – and how he hopes to overcome them. P...

Jul 30, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Introducing Transition - Trailer

UK farmers stand on the cusp of a new agricultural revolution. Food production is their primary role. But the need to do so sustainably has never been more important. From a focus on all-out production, there is an increasing emphasis on farming in a way that improves the environment too. Working to improve soil health, water and the air we breathe. Enhancing biodiversity. Combating climate change. Many farmers are already refocusing their businesses to ensure they remain financially viable and ...

Jun 09, 2021•2 min

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