Farming Today

Tinderbox conditions on fellsides and moorland have led to wildfires across the country. We hear from farmers in the centre of the blaze.This week we're looking at England's post-Brexit farm policy. The Sustainable Farming Incentive is the main subsidy scheme, which rewards farmers for environmental actions. It's up and running again after it was abruptly suspended in March last year, and Defra has just announced that 75% of the funding available in the first window, for smaller farms, has now been allocated. Will the budget stretch to meet farmers' ambition?Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Pig farmers in Scotland have welcomed a £2m emergency support package from the Holyrood Government, but say it's not enough to stop them losing money. An outbreak of African Swine Fever in Spain has led to an oversupply of pork across Europe which is significantly driving down wholesale prices. Farmers in Scotland and across the rest of the UK say they're losing thousands of pounds a week. We’re visiting some of the UK’s biggest agricultural shows throughout the summer, and this week we'll be at the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate. We’ve already been to the Highland Show, the Balmoral Show in Northern Ireland and we’re off to the Royal Welsh in a couple of weeks. Agricultural policy is devolved in the UK nations and alongside visiting these shows we’re taking a detailed look at policy in each of the nations.To adapt to sweltering temperatures, arable farmers are harvesting in the middle of the night and livestock farmers are busy keeping animals cool and well watered. We hear from a dairy farmer who says the heat is affecting milk yields.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

How practical would it be to grow our food underground? It’s a question being investigated by researchers at the University of Shefffield who are growing crops more than a kilometre below ground-level in a working mine near Whitby. The Environment Agency has produced its first ever annual report into agriculture and water in England. Taking data from the last five years, it assesses the impact of agricultural pollution from farms, and how water availability is being managed. Non-compliance with water regulations has dropped, but 40% of farmers are still breaking the rules. We’ve been taking a close look at commercial fishing all this week. Ten years on from the Brexit vote leading to the UK leaving the EU, some in the industry say that decision has had a lasting impact on their businesses, and not a good one. We hear from a scallop business in Scotland which says the industry needs more support.Many of us have been sweltering in the third official heatwave of the summer. For farmers with livestock, there's the continual worry that their animals might be overheating, or not drinking enough water. We speak to a farm vet about the impact heat stress can have on the health of livestock and the fertility of cows.Many farms have an education string to their bows nowadays but perhaps not quite on the scale of a farm near Kendal that’s been hosting primary school visits for the Westmorland County Agricultural Society for the last 25 years. Hundreds of children from 42 different schools flock to Roger Mason’s farm to learn what producing food is all about. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Calls for wider bans on fishing with heavy gear that drags along the seabed to protect dolphins and porpoises.We visit Hugh Lowe Farms in Kent, who have been providing strawberries to Wimbledon for over 25 years.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

How practical would it be to grow our food underground? It’s a question being investigated by researchers at the University of Shefffield who are growing crops more than a kilometre below ground-level in a working mine near Whitby. They’re collaborating with Farm Urban, a company that specialises in vertical farming, but usually going up vertically rather than down; and they reckon this is the world’s deepest vertical farm.We’re taking a close look at commercial fishing all this week. Ten years on from the Brexit vote leading to the UK leaving the EU, some in the industry say that decision has had a lasting impact on their businesses, and not a good one. We hear from a scallop business in Scotland which says the industry needs more support.This year, the Royal Horticultural Society’s annual show which is usually at Hampton Court has upped sticks and moved to the Badminton Estate in Gloucestershire. It’s not just a good excuse for some of us to get out the floaty dress and sunhat for a summer’s day out, events like this are an important showcase for the commercial nurseries who grow and sell the plants we buy for our gardens. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Environment Agency has produced its first ever annual report into agriculture and water in England. It takes data from the last five years, to assess the impact of agricultural pollution from farms, and how water availability is being managed. Over the last five years there've been 19,018 inspections and 49 serious category one pollution incidents caused by farming. Non-Compliance with water regulations has dropped, but 40% of farmers are still breaking the rules. We speak to the Deputy director of Agriculture and Land at the Environment Agency. Fishing communities around the UK say they are struggling to survive because of multiple pressures on the sector. All week we're talking about the fishing industry, from marine conservation to the cost of getting a catch. Along the coast of County Down, in Northern Ireland, boats are increasingly tied up in harbour because their owners say it's not worth putting out to sea. Many of us have been sweltering in the third official heatwave of the summer. For farmers with livestock there's the continual worry that their animals might be overheating, or not drinking enough water. However the heat and lack of grass, can have wider implications than you might imagine for animal health. We speak to a farm vet about the impact heat stress can have on the fertility of cows.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

It seems we might have started a particular conversation about the very dry harvest in parts of the country. We spoke to a farmer, whose feed barley was a third drier than it should be. As a result, his crop was going to weigh less which means he'd get less money for it. Now he is considering adding moisture to the grain, after it leaves storage. We ask an arable expert whether that's something we'll see in future, and whether it's a good idea.We're discussing many of the challenges the fishing industry faces throughout the week. For those working in the sector, the pressures can be huge, from extreme weather to rising costs and unpredictable catches. Many fishermen run small family businesses in what can be a precarious enterprise. So how do you remain resilient when there are so many changing factors? We find out about a health initiative in Wales to support fishing communities.Many farms have an education string to their bows nowadays - but perhaps not quite on the scale of a farm near Kendal that’s been hosting primary school visits for the Westmorland County Agricultural Society for the last 25 years. Hundreds of children from 42 different schools from a 30-mile radius flocked to Roger Mason’s farm to learn what farming’s all about. It’s a huge event spread over two days with 300 volunteers from the Agricultural Society alone, not counting the hundred or so teachers and parents who help out too.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Farmers who graze their livestock on what’s called Common Land in England were being excluded from the government’s new farming environmental support schemes - not because they didn't qualify, but because the Rural Payments Agency's computer system wasn’t up to the job of processing their applications. However, campaigners say that the system's being changed and commoners will now be able to apply.Changing sea temperatures, rising fuel costs and offshore windfarms are all challenges for the fishing industry. All week we'll be exploring the state of the sector. We start off by asking the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations about fishing stocks, recruitment and an octopus bloom off UK waters. ,The combination of higher fertiliser and fuel prices, and challenging weather mean farmers have their thinking caps firmly on their heads when considering long-term options for how they farm in the future. Should they use less fertiliser and fuel, to save costs and help the environment and can they do that, while still producing enough of the food we all need? We bring to together a buying cooperative, a university professor and a potato grower to discuss.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Ten years of the regenerative farming festival Groundswell - we talk to farmers who were at the first event about how it's changed the way the farm.Chris van Tulleken says farmers and doctors want the same thing, for people to want to buy more real, unprocessed food.What will the Government's new 25 year Farming Roadmap mean for farmers? We ask the Secretary of State.Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Ten years of the regenerative farming festival Groundswell - we talk to farmers who were at the first event about how it's changed the way the farm.Chris van Tulleken says farmers and doctors want the same thing, for people to want to buy more real, unprocessed food.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

We speak to the Environment Secretary about the government's new farming roadmap for England. It's 25 year plan and ministers say it'll give farmers the long-term clarity they need and access to the tools, technology,  skills and supply chains 'to innovate, invest and grow with confidence for generations to come.' We find out what farmers at the regenerative farming event Groundswell think of it, and discuss food security and global volatility. Experts argue that the UK can't have a 'business as usual' approach to growing food and food production should be a priority.All week we're talking about soil. Maize has become a controversial crop in recent years, in part because of its potential to cause soil erosion. In Devon, an on-farm trial is underway to grow maize interspersed with strips of mixed plants known as a 'living mulch', to protect the soil. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A new code of practice for the controlled burning of moorland in Scotland, which was due to be published on 1st July is being delayed, amid protests from gamekeepers that it won't work. Muirburn, as the controlled burning is known, is used by many gamekeepers to manage sensitive moorland to enable habitat for grouse, for shooting on many estates. Gamekeepers say it also reduces the vegetative load, which helps prevent wildfires. The Muirburn Code has been drawn up after months of work with stakeholders, including gamekeepers and conservationists. The document's been overseen by NatureScot, Scotland's national environment agency, but The Scottish Gamekeepers Association says the draft code falls shortVery little rain, very high temperatures and a lot of sunshine means some farmers have started one of the earliest harvests many can remember - and the grain is so dry some farmers are talking about re-wetting it when it comes out of storage.All week we're talking about the most important part of growing anything - the soil. One way to improve it is to grow another shorter plant among the main cash crop, to keep the soil covered. We visit a farm in Northamptonshire which has been running extensive trials to see how inter cropping could benefit the soil.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The organic certification body, the Soil Association, is warning it may withdraw from the farmed salmon sector unless higher standards are met. The organisation says while current standards are being satisfied, that's not driving the improvments in the industry that they want to see. They cite high fish mortality, unacceptable levels of sea lice, and the use of harmful chemical treatments. The industry body says its salmon farmers are committed to the highest standards of fish welfare and environmental responsibility. As we take a closer look at soils all this week, today we meet two Sheffield university researchers who are investigating the properties of micorrhizal fungal networks, which bind together millions of micro organisms - the protection of which many see as the solution to soil health. And as the climate becomes more extreme, the management of water in farming will become more vital than ever. With this in mind, a pilot study has been taking place in Shropshire to assess how technology can help farmers pre-empt risks from flooding and drought. Scientists have even developed an app to give landowners a better idea of what they might face.Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

Calls for more government action to protect water supplies for farming.A series of workshops are taking place across Wales this year to collect hyper-local place names, particularly in rural areas.Later this week we'll be at Groundswell, the regenerative agriculture festival now in its 10th year. Regen ag puts an emphasis on soil, so this week here on Farming Today it's all about earth.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

This week farmers have coped with heavy thundery rain and record breaking temperatures. We hear from a pig farmer keeping his stock cool, a livestock auctioneer who's had to cancel sales due to the heat, and a major potato and beetroot grower contemplating an irrigation bill of £3 million this year. But for winemakers the sunshine has come at just the right moment.The Government has invested in strategic teams of specialist firefighters in England and South Wales to tackle wildfires. The Fire Chiefs Council's wildfire expert tells us the teams are trained in techniques to cope with a ferocity of fire becoming more common due to the effects of climate change. Despite all the Prime Ministerial flux the Government revealed its long term (and long awaited) vision for farming: England's Farming Roadmap 2050. The idea is to have a 25 year vision for agriculture, to give farmers certainty 'beyond the next harvest'. It was the brainchild of Steve Reed when he was secretary of state for the environment. Two years down the line, the current incumbent, Emma Reynolds announced the plan in the House of Commons this week.Aberdeen hosted the first Global Agritourism Conference this week. Anna Hill met some of the delegates to hear about farm tourism in India, Ukraine, Italy, and Canada.

Northern Ireland is 'largely' missing the targets in its own Environmental Improvement Plan. A report from the environment watchdog, the Office for Environmental Protection, says of 38 targets, just two are likely to be met and that ministers must now move from 'planning and strategies into delivery'. The heatwave isn't a problem for everyone - it's mostly welcome in vineyards. Some had a difficult spring with badly timed frosts, so winemakers are glad to see the sun at an opportune moment. We've been looking at the tourism businesses farmers have diversified into. There is a huge variety, everything from the familiar b&bs to off road experiences and walking with llamas. Today we visit a farm campsite.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

'The most significant moment for English agriculture since the Second World War'; that's the Government's claim for their Farming Roadmap which has just been released. We hear reaction to the long awaited 25 year vision for agriculture.The Climate Change Committee's annual report on the UK's greenhouse gas emissions says while agriculture is moving in the right direction, emissions aren't falling fast enough and adaptation is needed as well as mitigation. How farmers are coping with pigs in the heat.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton

Aberdeen is hosting the first global agritourism conference. It's the brainchild of Caroline Millar who runs an agritourism business from her family farm in Scotland. Delegates from around the world have been exploring how producers can make more money by opening up their farms to visitors.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Met Office has issued a rare red 'extreme heat’ warning for parts of southern England, the Midlands and southern Wales for tomorrow and Thursday with amber warnings already in place more widely in England and Wales. Some fire services are warning of a increased risk of wildfires as temperatures are set to reach the high 30s. It comes just as the government’s announced a one hundred million pound investment to help tackle wildfires, to offer better protection for the countryside and rural communities after some truly devastating fires last summer: 2025 broke the record for the number of wild fires reported in the UK. The Fire Chiefs' Council's Wildfire Tactical Advisor tells us the new strategic teams will be trained in skills needed to tackle large scale ferocious blazes, which are becoming more frequent in the UK.Sheep shearing is an international industry and each summer between 50 and 75 professional shearers from overseas take out temporary visas to work with the UK flock. But the government says this is the last year they’ll allow that to happen and that the sheep industry needs to train up more home-grown shearers. To cope with the demand, British Wool is laying on extra courses around the country.All this week we are looking at agri-tourism, how farmers are boosting their incomes with everything from farm safaris and events for foodies to the traditional campsite. Today we visit a small hill farm in the Glens of Antrim which has reinvented itself as the venue for heritage events.Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Sarah Swadling

Why more farmers are opening their gates to the public - all week we're looking at agri-tourism.Scientists across the world are investigating ways to reduce the climate change gas methane produced by livestock, using feed supplements made of synthetic chemicals, tannins, fats and even seaweed. Asparagopsis is a red seaweed that reacts with enzymes in the final stages of digestion and stops methane from being produced. The cost of abattoir inspections is proving contentious in Scotland where Food Standards Scotland is the body responsible for these.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Royal Highland Show hopes to welcome 200,000 visitors across four days. In this programme we report from the show, hearing farmers' views on the Scottish Government's plan for a supermarket price cap on essential food items, speaking to the new Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs and hearing about the hardest job on the showground... ice cream tasting!Meanwhile in the south west of England, we hear about an emergency by-law that's been passed in Cornwall, to restrict the number of boats coming in to fish for octopus. The ongoing octopus bloom has been described as a 'gold rush' as huge sums are being made - two weeks ago Brixham fish market experienced a record catch of 103 tonnes, worth £400,000. But the octopus are also causing problems - eating crab and lobster and devastating that industry locally.Presented by Caz Graham Produced by Heather Simons

An emergency by-law has been passed in Cornwall, to restrict the number of boats coming in to take advantage of the ongoing bloom of octopus on the south coast. It's been described as a 'gold rush' as huge sums are being made - Brixham fish market recently experienced a record catch of 103 tonnes - worth £400,000. But the octopus are also causing problems - eating crab and lobster and devastating that industry locally. It's hoped the new by-law will help those stocks recover. The latest Government figures show a 27% rise in the amount of Scottish land farmed organically in the year to June 2025 - that compares to a 7.3% rise across the UK as a whole. Over the past five years, the Scottish Government had the goal of doubling the area of land managed organically, and the organic certifiying and campaigning group The Soil Association says that political backing - along with scrapping an upper limit on farm size for organic grants - has helped. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.The programme has been edited since broadcast to correct a statistic on the amount of organic farmland in Scotland.

Around 200,000 visitors will be visiting The Royal Highland Show this week. Farmers and growers will be showcasing their produce at the Royal Highland Centre on the edge of Edinburgh. There are around 6000 entries, with trophies for everything from cattle, sheep and pigs to horses, honey and gelato. The Scottish Government made some announcements at the show too: they've brought forward plans for a Rural Renewal Bill and reiterated their plan to cap prices on supermarket essentials. Farmers are concerned about who'll pay for that. We speak to the new Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs Gillian Martin.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

After Farming Minister Angela Eagle’s reshuffling out of DEFRA, we hear why the farming industry really doesn’t like ministerial churn.We're looking at Scottish agricultural policy all week. There’s a debate around whether land that’s used for grazing, rather than growing other crops, should be targeted to produce more environmental benefits.Precision farming techniques and automation are getting more popular as a way to help reduce costs, but they depend on good connectivity. Something that can be a challenge in rural areas.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The owner of one of the last remaining abattoirs in the south east of England has said he's furious after a court ruled that the food regulator has been over charging for its hygiene and animal welfare checks. A number of abattoirs have been forced to close recently due to rising financial pressures. Earlier this month, a High Court judge said some of these costs, enforced by the Food Standards Agency, should never have been charged.A new study by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, published by Natural England, suggests that the release of millions of pheasant and partridge into the countryside for shooting does not have a significant impact on the insect population in the wider environment. However, campaigners claim the releases do have a detrimental impact. As Scotland's farmers get ready for the Royal Highland Show, we're taking a closer look at how the country has designed its own farming and rural policy post-Brexit, under its devolved powers. The changes won't be fully implemented until 2030. Like the policy of 'public money for public goods' in England, many of the changes in Scotland centre around including payments for enhancing the environment. Not all farmers have embraced the idea of including wildlife alongside food production, but farmer and writer Tom Bowser has done more than most, including releasing beavers on his farmland.Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Rebecca Rooney

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) says three rare heathland birds are starting to recover. Its heathland bird survey - the first for 20 years - shows populations and spread of the nightjar, the Dartford warbler and the woodlark are improving. They looked into whether active management within specially protected areas was helping.Beetles can be both welcome and unwelcome visitors to farmland. We recently reported that scientists at Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire had created an app to help identify and then combat the troublesome cabbage stem flea beetle. Now a second team at the institute have launched an app to help identify one of the good guys: the carabid beetle, also known as the ground beetle. The focus is very much on accurate and fast identification so farmers know for certain if they have a healthy population in their fields. And all this week we're taking a closer look at Scottish agricultural policy, ahead of the Royal Highland Show. Today we hear how far the government has come in developing its own policies after Brexit. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

The budget for the scheme which pays England's farmers for environmental work is revealed - but is it enough?With production costs rising following the war in the Middle East, the National Farmers' Union is calling for government support with the price of fertiliser.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The Department for Envrionment Food and Rural Affairs has announced how much money it’s making available to farmers in England through the Sustainable Farming Incentive - or SFI - for 2026. It’s something farmers and environmental organisations have been keenly anticipating. There’s a total budget of £240 million pounds., with the first application opening later this month. The SFI is the DEFRA ‘public money for public goods’ scheme that pays for farming in ways that protect and benefit the environment, support food production and improve productivity. Some farming and conservation groups say the budget isn't big enough.And all this week we’re talking about growing cereals, things like grain and oats. The latest figures just out from the industry body the AHDB, that’s the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, show that UK farmers are growing less barley than they have for the last 16 years, while oilseed rape and wheat have climbed back from last year’s lows. The Eden Valley in Cumbria is possibly better known for its livestock than its crops. But over the past couple of years, father and son Thomas and Harry Ewbank have been bucking that trend. Guided by local agronomist, Steven Gate, they've abandoned ploughing in favour of what’s called ‘one-pass drilling’, and they’ve expanded their range of crops to maximise yields and increase sustainability.Presented by Caz Graham and produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Sally Challoner.

A cattle vaccine to protect livestock from bovine TB could be in use on farms in England by 2030. That's one of the aims outlined in a new strategy for the eradication of bovine TB. The government commissioned it and has just released the details. We hear from the farmer who chairs the Steering Group behind the strategy which aims to get rid of the disease on farm by 2038.This week we are looking at cereals, with the current pressures on cereal farming such as high fertiliser and fuel costs, and an unusually hot and dry spring, finding more hardy and efficient varieties of cereals has become vital. The agricultural research organisation, NIAB, has been running a trial in Norfolk to do exactly this. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Somerset's to get an extra £50m investment to help the county deal with flooding. The government is giving the money to the county council who will work in partnership with local drainage boards, communities, the Environment Agency and the Somerset Rivers Authority. Farming Minister Angela Eagle says it will enable farmers to better withstand the growing threat of floods.Nearly 300 cattle in Scotland are due to be culled because their identification regulations haven't been followed. The Belted Galloways from Home Farm on the Falkland Estate in Fife cannot enter the food chain because they aren't properly registered. Government inspectors due to oversee the cull say they've faced threats online, and will now not attend. All week we’re delving into the detail of growing cereal crops – wheat, barley and oats. Farmers are used to juggling with the challenges of the weather, but this year there have been several other parts to the tricky equation of making cereal crops profitable. With fertilizer prices rising because of the war in the Middle East, and lower or non-existent support payments following Brexit, where does that leave larger cereal growers, competing in global markets?Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

How do you like your eggs? Brown or white? Sainsbury's has announced it's switching to white eggs for environmental reasons.With high prices for energy and fertiliser but not for their crops, and after another dry spring, we ask how arable farmers in the UK are doing.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Dartmoor is famous for its semi-wild hill ponies that roam across the moorland. But concerns have been raised by the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association that new agri-environment schemes will require such a steep drop in the numbers of grazing livestock in the area that up to 93 percent of the ponies will be lost. We hear from the association's Secretary, Joss Hibbs.Next year will be the last that farmers in England receive direct subsidy payments, based on how much land they farm. Direct payments have been particularly important for upland farmers in areas like the Lake District, where they are now being replaced by environmental schemes. Caz Graham speaks to two generations of a Lake District farming family about the continued viability of upland farming.The Government has published fresh guidance this week for farmers and food businesses to help them prepare for the new sanitary and phytosanitary - or SPS - agreement between the UK and the European Union, which is expected to be brought in in around a year's time. The Government says the SPS agreement will make it easier for British farmers to sell into the EU, but it could also mean a change in the agro-chemicals farmers can legally use on their crops, and if the rules change suddenly, there are concerns farmers could be left with crops grown under the old rules, which they could no longer sell under the new rules. UK peatlands - an important habitat for wildlife and a major carbon sink - are facing pressure from development, intensive land use and a changing climate, with around 80% believed to be degraded. In Wales however, the National Peatland Action Programme has completed over three and half thousand hectares of restoration work since 2020. In the Cambrian Mountains the project has been so successful that water voles have arrived in the area. A study out this week from Lantra - a charity which provides training and qualifications in land-based industries - says that there are jobs in farming, fishing and forestry that are not being filled because of a so-called 'skills squeeze'. This comes a week after a much-discussed report, commissioned by the government, which found that job opportunities for young people are shrinking, with one million classed as NEETS - not in education, employment or training. We ask if land-based work is part of the solution.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Jo Peacey. A BBC Audio Bristol production.

Concerns have been raised that new agri-environment schemes will require such a steep drop in the numbers of grazing livestock that 90% of Dartmoor ponies will be lost. We’re talking about upland farming all this week, and this morning we hear how the phasing out of the old EU farm payments are affecting English hill farmers, with two generations of a Lake District farming family.It’s twenty years ago this summer that a group of farmers put their heads together and decided to set aside a particular day when they’d all open up their farms to the general public. It was a fairly radical idea at the time, driven by a desire to address the disconnect between urban populations and farming, and inspired by a similar project in Denmark. That was the very first Open Farm Sunday which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this weekend.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

A judgement from the High Court yesterday ruled that the Food Standards Agency has been 'unlawfully' charging abattoirs too much and that it wasn’t transparent enough about what it was charging for. The ruling comes after a legal challenge by the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers.Developers of small-scale hydro-energy projects say the industry’s missing out on investment because of a heavy focus on wind and solar. Scotland in particular has long been a pioneer of cheap hydro-electricity, but companies say the current contracts to supply power are squeezing them out of the market. All week we’re hearing about the current challenges facing upland farmers right across the UK and how they’re dealing with them. Farming in the hills can be an isolated, even lonely, business. But a group of farmers scattered across the uplands of Shropshire have joined forces to pool ideas.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.With thanks to British Pathé Archive.

The government has published fresh guidance for farmers and food businesses to help them prepare for the new sanitary and phytosanitary - or SPS - agreement between the UK and the EU. It's expected to take effect in a year's time. It's supposed to make trade easier, with fewer checks and less paperwork, but there are still many points in the agreement to iron out. Peatlands are one of the most valuable sources of carbon storage and they provide important habitats for wildlife and plants too. Across Wales the National Peatland Action Programme is working to improve these precious sites. In the Cambrian Mountains the project has been so successful that water voles have now populated the area. All week we're assessing the state of upland farming across the UK. In Scotland, 70% of agricultural land is classed as uplands. Most of those farms have sheep, many also have beef cattle and forestry is also a big part of Scottish farming. Agriculture is devolved and the Scottish government has, until now, held onto the direct payments which existed under the pre-Brexit EU system. That's being phased out, and upland farmers are concerned that under the new rules they could lose out. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A new report says there should be plenty of opportunities for young people to take up training and jobs in land-based work - but there's a 'skills squeeze'. The study by Lantra, a charity which provides training and qualifications in land-based industries, says jobs are available but not being filled.All week we're taking a closer look at upland farming across the UK. In Wales more than half the country is classed as uplands, from dramatic mountain ranges and blanket bogs to rolling heathland and moors. Unlike England, farmers still receive a basic payment from the Welsh government, though it's being phased out, to be replaced with the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which came in this year. We speak to a hill farmer in Ogmore Vale.It's the fourth year of the Future Countryside Conference, which brings together a wide selection of leaders in farming, conservation and rural issues. It's being held at the Raby Estate in County Durham. This year, it's asking the question “How can we win support for a growing and recovering countryside?” We catch up with one of the organisers.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The latest analysis of wildfires shows that last year the UK recorded its highest burned area on record, including the country's first documented ‘megafire’ in Scotland, that's a fire which covers more than 10,000 hectares. Researchers from the University of East Anglia led a team of international scientists looking into last year's fires round the globe, they say wildfires are getting more extreme, costly and disastrous. Though less land was affected, globally the fires resulted in more than 300,000 evacuations and the deaths of more than 90 people. .A three million pound project backed by DEFRA which has been looking at how methane emissions can be reduced in sheep has announced its findings. Various breeds from Scotland to the South Coast were tested as part of the research which gathered data from thirteen and a half thousand lambs. The scientists involved in the “Breed for Change” programme hope sheep farmers will use their data to reduce their carbon footprint.All week we're focusing on farming in the uplands, places above a thousand feet, landscapes like the Brecon Beacons, the Peak District, and the Highlands: many of the most stunning places in the country, but because of their geography they're generally harder places to farm. MPs on the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee are preparing a report on the challenges facing upland farmers in England and how the Government can best support them. It follows the publication of the Land Use Framework, which identified upland areas as places which could be most suitable for delivering climate and nature targets.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Its been a record breakingly hot week across much, though not all, of the UK, and that's brought probems for farmers, with crops struggling and livestock at risk of overheating. We ask what more extreme weather means for the future of British farming.Independent UK pig farmers face an uncertain future according to the National Pig Association, which this week called for long-term committements from retailers, processors and the foodservice sector. It comes two weeks after the supermarket Morrisons said it will stop buying pigs from some of its farmers, because of an oversupply of pig meat - blaming the 'challenging economic climate.'And we speak to the Hawkstone Farmers Choir ahead of their participation in the final of Britain's Got Talent. The choir is made up of farmers and others working in agriculture and was originally set up as part of an advertising campaign, but has since been using its growing fame to talk about mental health in farming.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Heather Simons

Water is a main topic of conversation amongst farmers at the moment - because it's in short supply. Memories of the wet winter have been dried out by the recent hot weather and those growing crops or indeed relying on grass to feed their animals are all talking about rain which hasn't materialised. Environment Agency figures show that rainfall across England last month was 38% of the long term average. However, some areas got far less. We speak to an expert about what this means for water abstraction and growers who irrigate their crops over the summer using water from rivers or aquifers.Food prices keep rising - industry bodies suggest an increase of 9 or 10% by the end of the year. The cost of energy, diesel, fertiliser and other farming inputs have been on the rise – with more inflation expected to come. All week we've been looking at local food systems. It isn’t always easy to connect households on a limited budget with fresh, healthy produce, but a farming family from Staffordshire have made that their mission. They’ve set up Farm Fresh Revolution, a project which delivers discounted fruit, vegetables and meat to local schools to inspire families to eat more healthily.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A new report shows that the cost of rural crime has fallen. Insurer NFU Mutual paid out £41.5 million in claims in 2025, compared to £44.1 million in 2024. However the theft of quad bikes has risen - and police warn that rural crime is organised and carried out by international criminal gangs.They are a relic of a world long before Sat nav or even A to Zs, the black and white fingerposts which guided the nation’s first drivers to their destinations. Now largely redundant, many are in a poor state of repair and are disappearing from our rural landscape. That's why the Northumberland branch of the charity the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, or CPRE, is running a course to teach people how to restore them.All week we’re looking at local food networks, where food is grown as near as possible to the people who are going to eat it. Despite being nicknamed ‘the garden of Wales’ Carmarthenshire has a shortage of fruit and vegetable production. The county council is now using a former dairy and turkey farm which it owns, as a pilot to grow fresh produce for the local community, including care homes and schools. The 100-acre farm is part of a wider local food partnership called Bwyd Sir Gar Food.Presenter = Anna Jones Producer = Rebecca Rooney

It’s been unseasonably hot over the last few days across much of the UK. Extreme heat means extra concerns for livestock farmers. The Irish government has issued guidance advising farmers not to transport animals in the hottest part of the day, and vets and farmers will be looking out for symptoms of heat stress in all livestock. We visit a dairy farmer in Cumbria to find out how his herd is faring.Farmers in the east of England say they’ll have to start reviewing the way they plant crops after one of their driest Aprils on record. Crops already planted are struggling and this current hot spell is making matters worse. We visit an arable farmer in Lincolnshire whose crops are suffering because of the weather.All week we are looking at local food systems - alternatives to big supply chains and supermarkets. Lauriston agro-ecology farm, just north of Edinburgh, covers a hundred acres and is run by a workers' cooperative. It describes itself as an urban farm growing food for people and wildlife and claims to be Scotland's largest community supported agricultural enterprise. Producer: Rebecca Rooney Presenter: Caz Graham

Pig farmers in Scotland say 10% of their national herd has gone to waste because there's oversupply in the market. They're asking their government for help.Churches across England can now apply for cash to get their leaky roofs fixed, or their stained glass windows repaired, under a new government grant scheme launched this month. This week we are looking at local food systems. While many of us go to the supermarket, there are other suppliers trying to reach customers in a different way. We hear from some of them.Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Crofting is embedded in life in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, but it's an unusual form of farming, with a family plot rarely able to provide a full living. Many crofters need additional employment to make ends meet. So, where did crofting come from, and how has it survived? This year marks 140 years since the Crofters Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886 was brought in to protect the rights of crofters and to mark the anniversary, Richard Baynes explores the dark past and brighter future of crofting life.Produced and presented by Richard Baynes.

The cost of growing our food is still higher than before the conflict in the Middle East. To counteract some of that, the government's laid out a "Great British Savings" bonanza aimed at making life a little less expensive for everyone. There'll be cuts to tariffs on more than 100 food imports sold in supermarkets and fuel duty on red diesel will be reduced by a third. We visit a strawberry grower in Kent to find out how they're coping with rising costs.A new trade deal has been announced with a group of six states in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. It'll remove export tariffs and open the door to market expansion. We speak to the International Chamber of Commerce and the NFU for their reaction. The Climate Change Committee has published a new report about the consequences of a 2% rise in global temperatures and what the UK needs to do about it. We ask what it means for farmers.A fifth of the Duchy of Cornwall's property, owned by the Prince of Wales, could be sold in the next 10 years to help invest £500m into tackling housing and nature crises. The Duchy has a large number of tenant farmers and is introducing a new tenancy agreement, which concentrates on regenerative farming. All week we're celebrating British flowers. We visit a commercial grower in Norfolk which grows 35 million tulips every year and supplies most of the UK’s leading supermarkets. It's invested five million pounds in new technology so it can stay competitive and compete with imported blooms. We also visit a flower grower who is trying to connect local producers and florists.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

We ask what the latest government cost of living measures mean for farmers.How a Fenland farmer must decide whether to keep on his struggling family farm.We've been talking flowers all week: the cut flower market in the UK is worth around £2.2 billion but the bulk of flowers sold in supermarkets and florists don’t come from British farms.The BBC Food & Farming Awards are back and this year we’re teaming up again with the Archers for the ‘Archers and Farming Today Farming for the Future Award’. We’re looking for those people or organisations who are models for how farming can be more resilient and sustainable. You can nominate by going to bbc.co.uk/foodawards - entries close at midday on the 15th of June. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

'The taps could run dry' - that's the warning from a new report by the House of Lords Select Committee on Environment and Climate Change. The report, in response to last year's drought, says water supplies need to be better managed to overcome the contrary challenges of drought and flooding, which it says are both a consequence of climate change.Farmers have just had some respite from hikes in fuel prices with a government announcement that a cut on the duty on red diesel will last until the end of 2026. Despite that, the cost of growing our food is still higher than before the conflict in the Middle East. British Apples and Pears which represents top fruit growers, says producing Gala apples has risen by 4.5% since the start of March. We visit a big strawberry grower in Kent to discuss the challenges.All week we're celebrating British flower growing - from intensive tulip production to farm-grown bouquets. One way you can be extremely nosy about how other people are growing their flowers is to join in with the National Garden Scheme and visit gardens locally in July. We visit a farmer who opens her garden on the edge of Exmoor - it's full of old farming equipment and brings back memories for farmers who visit.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Climate Change Committee has published a new report about the consequences of a 2% rise in global temperatures and what the UK needs to do about it. The CCC, which reports to UK government on adapting to climate change, says that by 2050, 92% of homes are likely to overheat, peak river flows will be up to 45% higher, and water supply shortfalls could exceed five billion litres per day. It points out that the cost of doing nothing is far greater than acting now, and it proposes investment of around £11 billion a year, split evenly between public and private funding. We ask what it means for farmers.The prospect of closer ties with the European Union continues to make political headlines, and farmers are watching closely as the government works towards EU re-alignment and a new sanitary and phytosanitary or SPS agreement which should ease trade in food and agricultural goods between the UK and the EU. The House of Lords European Affairs Committee has been hearing what an SPS agreement could mean for farmers, the meat industry and ports.All week we're celebrating British flowers - locally grown flowers account for a tiny fraction of the UK market even though we spend some 2.2 billion pounds on cut flowers. We visit a flower grower who is trying to change that, connecting local producers and florists and promoting home-grown flowers via the South Yorkshire Flower Hub.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Researchers at Leeds University say a new study shows deliberate burning of moorland for grouse shooting leads to an additional half a million people, on average, being exposed to unsafe levels of particulate pollution - that's on top of the pollution cause by wildfires. The study was co-authored by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, which is calling for a licensing scheme for controlled burning to be brought in for England. In Scotland a plan to bring in licensing was temporarily put on hold by the Scottish Government in the aftermath of extensive wildfires last summer. Moorland managers argue that wildfires cause more pollution than controlled burning - and that controlled burning reduces the risk of wildfires.A fifth of the Duchy of Cornwall's property, owned by the Prince of Wales, could be sold in the next 10 years to help invest £500m into tackling housing and nature crises. The Duchy has a large number of tenant farmers and is introducing a new tenancy agreement, which concentrates on regenerative farming. We find out what's different about this type of tenancy.All week we're celebrating British flowers and today we visit a commercial grower in Norfolk which grows 35 million tulips every year and supplies most of the UK’s leading supermarkets. It's invested five million pounds in new technology so it can stay competitive and compete with imported blooms.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Today is final judging day at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, ahead of the show's opening to the public tomorrow. This year, the Great Pavilion will include a mini flower farm, to promote British production. The display's been created by 8 growers from the organisation Flowers From The Farm. It says, after years of the market being dominated by cheaper imports, interest in British flowers is burgeoning. Now, more producers are needed to keep pace with the new demand. The UK's largest food and farm assurance scheme, Red Tractor, has had a difficult couple of years. Its new Chief Executive, Paul McLaughlin, tells Anna he's confident a standards overhaul will make the scheme work better for farmers and consumers. Hare coursing has been a long-standing problem for farmers, damaging crops, fencing and land. New sentencing guidelines for hare coursing will come into effect next month taking into account the impact of the crime on farms and rural communities. We hear from a farmer in Essex says he’s been targeted almost 200 times in eight months.Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Sarah Swadling

Too many pigs, not enough space: farmers struggling to sell their livestock.New strategies for tackling the spread of animal disease. We ask, how much is being done to stop it getting here in the first place.Vets' organisations are calling for a ban on imports of eggs produced by caged hens, and a phasing out of the legal 'enriched colony' cages in the UK.And prize winning sheep at the Balmoral Show in Northern Ireland.Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.