Farming Today

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 short
Very 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