Farming Today

Diesel prices hit an all time high this week, with drivers paying almost £2 a litre, according to the RAC. The conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt supplies of fuel, pushing up prices. Farmers don’t get their fuel from filling stations, they buy it in bulk and use what’s called “red diesel” - it’s dyed red and is much cheaper - with less fuel duty to pay because it’s only for use in off-road machinery. Industry surveys estimate farmers are paying an average of around one pound 18 pence per litre - 20p more than in July, a rise of more than 40% on this time last year.
The Labour party conference has come to an end. The headlines were full of big announcements on the National Care Service and reforming the pensions triple lock.
The DEFRA Secretary of State, Angela Eagle, gave a speech. She didn't talk about agri-environment schemes and the Sustainable Farming Incentive, but she did talk about food security and the impact climate change is having on farmers.
All week we’re talking about how young people can get into farming, through education, farm placements, apprenticeships and for some, through sheer determination! 23 year-old Nikita Fineran from the Isle of Wight fits into that bracket. Her goal is to have a farm of her own one day where she can breed sheepdogs.
Earthworms are an indicator of soil health - but how can a farmer know whether worms are in the soil without digging a hole in a field? Well, apparently….by listening to them. Scientists are using bio-acoustics to record the sounds of invertebrates under ground. They're deploying AI to analyse what different creatures sound like and help farmers work out what's beneath their feet.
Presenter = Caz Graham
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

New research shows that improving the nitrogen-cycle in the soil can significantly reduce emissions. The study took in evidence from around the world - the international research team analysed 2,235 comparisons from 210 experimental sites. We speak to one of the report's authors Professor Simon Willcock director of sustainable farming systems at the University of Reading.
A project in Cardiff has been helping low income households buy organic fruit and veg. Around 120 shoppers received a Planet Card - which gave them £11 a week to spend with organic veg producers. The pilot scheme cost around £19,000 and was funded by an alliance of charities and not-for-profit organisations - led by Food Sense Wales and Sustain.
All week we've been exploring the different ways young people can get into farming. For those who want to take up a degree in agriculture it can be daunting to find the right route, especially if you're not from a farming background. The Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association has linked up with the John Innes Foundation bursary award, to give students a helping hand to take up agriculture at degree level; not only funding 50% of tutition fees, but also contributing to rent and living expenses.
Presenter = Anna Hill
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

UK scientists leading research on precision breeding - or genetic editing - say uncertainty around the law in England could put investors off and jeopardise our competitive edge. The technology has rapidly taken hold of plant breeding and development, and has been used to develop vitamin D-rich tomatoes, and bananas that don’t turn brown. But there are still many questions surrounding the technique, for farmers, for trade and consumers too. A judicial review this summer found flaws with the way the law was drawn up, but there's uncertainty around how it might be amended.
We visit what's widely thought to be the UK's first comunity owned farm, in Shropshire. Siblings Charlotte and Ben Hollins set up a crowd funding enterprise when their landlord told them they'd have to buy the farm or leave, after their tenant farmer father died. Twenty years on it's thriving.
And this week we're looking at the different ways that young people are accessing a career in agriciulture. The charity, Countryside Learning Scotland, has launched a two year programme to encourage new entrants into rural employment in the Perth and Kinross area. The Rural Employability Scheme will involve intensive mentoring and work placements for 16 to 25 year olds with little or no farming background.
Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

The new president of the British Veterinary Association is calling for more resilience against disease outbreaks. As the UK battles a huge outbreak of the livestock disease Bluetongue, and there are warnings of a new pig disease in the Netherlands and Denmark, Dr Gwen Rees says as a profession, vets need to make sure they are ready to act. It comes following National Audit Office reports warning that Defra’s animal disease response plans leave the UK’s food security vulnerable to major supply disruptions.
This week we're looking at how young people are getting into careers in agriculture. Today we speak to the CEO of Landex - the umbrella organisation for land-based colleges and universities.
And we celebrate 50 years of a charity that offers children who live in cities a chance to live on a farm for a week.
Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

'Shambolic', 'disheartening' and 'carnage' - some of the words being used by farmers to describe the application process for England's biggest farm environmental scheme that opened, and closed, on Tuesday. This is the Sustainable Farming Incentive, which pays farmers for environmental work, like planting hedges or improving soil. On Tuesday, the total budget available was £253 million, it was a first come, first served system, with thousands of farmers applying and in six hours all the money had gone.
The millions of people in rural areas who rely on oil to heat their homes have seen prices rise by 40% in the past two months alone. They're not covered by the energy price cap, set by the regulator OFGEM, which limits the increase that most will see this winter because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Should the UK be growing more pulses? The Food Foundation looked into the potential for these crops and concluded that the UK could and should be growing more of them.
Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.