Meet the Farmers

The rain has returned, but after two incredibly challenging summers, can farming afford to simply move on? Ally and Sophie discuss this and more in this week's Big Debate episode.

If someone handed you £1 million to invest in your farm, what would you spend it on? That's the question Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory tackle in this week's Big Debate. From buying land and securing the future of the business to investing in water storage and diversification, they explore whether £1 million is really enough to transform a modern farm – and whether they're investing for themselves or the next generation.

Join Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory for the first-ever in-person episode of The Big Debate. They discuss the UK's worsening drought, the spread of bluetongue, harvest pressures, life on their own farms, and the challenge of juggling farming with family life during the school holidays. They also explore how British farms are adapting through diversification and changing farming practices as the climate continues to shift.

Ben will be away for a little while and shares some news in this short update.

For this emergency episode Ben is joined by a panel to discuss wild fires and how land management can help

Ally and Sophie are joined by Ben Briggs to discuss the Farming Roadmap and the government response to the Farm Profitability Review. Also chat about the dry weather, Ally's experience so far of harvest 2026 and Farm Safety Week.

Derek v Derek is a 2026 documentary about two neighbouring Devon farmers whose opposing approaches to managing the land make sparks fly between them! Here we meet the Dereks and see how they are actually more similar in their views than may at first appear.

Do you have questions about viticulture or diversification? In this bonus episode of The Big Debate, hosts Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory put some listener questions to Annabelle Rout, a lawyer from Birketts LLP.

Ben is joined by Sophie Gregory and Tom Gregory, Dorset farmers alongside Alex Pearson from DLF Seeds to discuss cover crops, what they are, their benefits and the trials that Tom and Sophie are undertaking on their farm.

Organic farmer John Pawsey joins Ally and Sophie live at Groundswell festival to discuss the future of organic farming.

A live podcast recording from Groundswell with Suffolk farmer Tom McVeigh, talking family farming, nuts and Nuffield.

From record heat to the Farming Roadmap, political upheaval and the relationship between farmers and the Environment Agency - there is lots to cover in this week's Big Debate.

Baroness Minette Batters DL is arguably one of the most influential voices in British agriculture in a generation. In 6 years as President of the NFU she worked with four Prime Ministers and six Secretaries of State at Defra. She faced Brexit, Covid, the War in Ukraine and many other challenges. But what was it really like to lead the NFU, especially as the first woman to be President? How did she get there and what's the future?

Farming has never been more complex. More decisions, more data and less time. Ally Hunter Blair headed to Cereals 2026 to ask farmers a simple question: what does smarter farming actually mean for you?

In the latest Big Debate episode Sophie and Ally discuss the recent Milburn report into young people and work. With over a million 16-24 year olds not in employment, education or training, could farming be part of the answer?

Ben is joined by arable farmer Tom Hawthorne who farms in the Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire borderlands.

Ben speaks to Cambridgeshire arable farmer Michael Sly, who has been holding an Open Farm Sunday on his event since the start in 2006.

Big Debate hosts Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory cover a lot of news stories and big picture pieces this week from fuel prices to trade deals, golden eagles to chicken campaigns and agricultural shows to Tractor Ted.

Ben speaks to Joe Howard who is responsible for the carrot and beef enterprises on a mixed farm business in Nottinghamshire.

Ben heads to New Zealand this week to speak to dairy farmer George Dodson who in 2024 was named the FMG Young Farmer of the Year.

This week's Big Debate topic is 'does farming in Wales have a bright future?' Hosts Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory also discuss wool prices, stolen egg stands and much more.

Ben is joined by Brussels based agri-food journalist Natasha Foote to discuss the future for the Common Agricultural Policy and the big picture for farming in the EU.

Ben meets the co-founder of Muddy Boots Jez Pile to talk about his business journey.

From eggs and poultry to Great British Beef Week, Essex greenhouses to Dutch dairy and the London Marathon - Ally and Sophie cover a lot of ground in this episode. The focus for the Big Debate is public engagement and whether ALL farmers should be doing something to engage with the public?

Cambridgeshire farmer Ben Brooke talks more about his farm and his journey with the Hawkstone Farmers Choir on Britain's Got Talent.

In this episode we meet Dr Johnny Wake - a doctor turned farmer, who is Managing Partner of Courteenhall Farms in Northamptonshire. The family have farmed there for 350 years and the business is diverse but based around arable, poultry and beef enterprises, as well as a significant area of countryside stewardship.

Ally and Sophie give their spring update from their farms. Also featuring discussions on organic trade with Japan, the food on the Artemis 2 NASA mission, TB, rewilding and much more.

Ben meets Henry Astor from Bruern Farms in the Cotswolds. Henry mills his own flour and grows heritage grains alongside many other enterprises.

Ben is joined by Cambridgeshire tenant farmer David Wheatley aka Petite Peonies. They discuss David's farming story, growing peonies, mental health, social media and more.

Big Debate hosts Ally and Sophie are joined by pig farmer Fred Allen and Mark Haighton from AHDB to learn about the pig sector. Also news stories on underground growing, cattle rustling and a farmer choir.

Discover more about the Regenerative Agriculture Accelerator Programme and the Cotswold Regenerative Agriculture Conference.

Ben is joined by Ben Hatton from Telus Agriculture and Consumer Goods and Matt Dobbs from Agsenze to discuss the potential future of artificial intelligence in agriculture, its potential and what farmers might want to think about.

Part 2 of a documentary exploring youth voices in farming and food - produced in collaboration with members of Emergent Generation.

Part one of Emergent Generation: Young People in Farming and Food. It explores ideas for the future that members of youth organisation Emergent Generation are looking for.