Flash Forward is a show about possible (and not so possible) future scenarios. What would the warranty on a sex robot look like? How would diplomacy work if we couldn’t lie? Could there ever be a fecal transplant black market? (Complicated, it wouldn’t, and yes, respectively, in case you’re curious.) Hosted and produced by award winning science journalist Rose Eveleth, each episode combines audio drama and journalism to go deep on potential tomorrows, and uncovers what those futures might re ...
…
continue reading
Player FM - Internet Radio Done Right
678 subscribers
Checked 9h ago
Added eight years ago
Content provided by BBC and BBC Radio 4. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by BBC and BBC Radio 4 or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Similar to Farming Today
Series that demystifies health issues, separating fact from fiction and bringing clarity to conflicting health advice.
…
continue reading
A weekly programme that illuminates the mysteries and challenges the controversies behind the science that's changing our world.
…
continue reading
Science Friction has a new series: Cooked. We dig into food science pickles. Why are studies showing that ice cream could be good for you? Do we really need as many electrolytes as the internet says? And why are people feeling good on the carnivore diet? Nutrition and food scientist Dr Emma Beckett takes us through what the evidence says about food categories and ingredients like meat, dairy and salt — and unpick why nutrition studies can be so conflicting and confusing. Airs Wednesday 11:30 ...
…
continue reading
Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince host a witty, irreverent look at the world through scientists’ eyes. Joined by a panel of scientists, experts and celebrity science enthusiasts they investigate life, the universe and everything in between on The Infinite Monkey Cage from the BBC. From the smallest building blocks of life to the furthest stars, the curious monkeys pull apart the latest science to reveal fascinating and often bizarre insights into the world around us and what lies beyond. Ca ...
…
continue reading
Is it best that our food is Local and Organic or Big and Conventional? Our view is “Both, and..” We don’t come to the table with a bias, except that good farming like good food comes in all shapes and sizes. Farm to Table Talk explores issues and the growing interest in the story of how and where the food on our tables is produced, processed and marketed. The host, Rodger Wasson is a food and agriculture veteran. Although he was the first of his family to leave the grain and livestock farm a ...
…
continue reading
Come dive into one of the curiously delightful conversations overheard at National Geographic’s headquarters, as we follow explorers, photographers, and scientists to the edges of our big, weird, beautiful world. Hosted by Peter Gwin and Amy Briggs.
…
continue reading
News and views on business and the world of personal finance. Plus the very latest from the financial markets around the globe
…
continue reading
We humans could have a bright future ahead of us that lasts billions of years. But we have to survive the next 200 years first. Join Josh Clark of Stuff You Should Know for a 10-episode deep dive that explores the future of humanity and finds dangers we have never encountered before lurking just ahead. And if we humans are alone in the universe, if we don't survive intelligent life dies out with us too.
…
continue reading
We take your questions about life, Earth and the universe to researchers hunting for answers at the frontiers of knowledge.
…
continue reading
Player FM - Podcast App
Go offline with the Player FM app!
Go offline with the Player FM app!
))
Farming Today
Mark all (un)played …
Manage series 1301216
Content provided by BBC and BBC Radio 4. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by BBC and BBC Radio 4 or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
The latest news about food, farming and the countryside
1043 episodes
Share
Mark all (un)played …
Manage series 1301216
Content provided by BBC and BBC Radio 4. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by BBC and BBC Radio 4 or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
The latest news about food, farming and the countryside
1043 episodes
All episodes
×
F
Farming Today
1 07/03/25 - Rural connectivity, farmers co-ops and farming on an island 13:58
13:58 
Play Later 
Play Later 
Lists 
Like 
Liked13:58
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBroadband speeds in rural areas are 26% slower than they are in urban areas and there are still parts of the country that have no mobile phone access at all. That's according to the Government, which has recently launched it's new ‘Digital Inclusion Action Plan’ to try and change that picture. They’re also looking to improve the digital skills of the 7.3 million people who they say lack the minimum essential digital skills for work. We find out what it could mean for rural Britain. Our food supply chains can often have many steps - from farms and processors to wholesalers and retailers. Of course, everyone needs their cut, but farmers have long argued they deserve a bigger slice of the cake. We visit the SAOS conference - the umbrella organisation for all of Scotland's farm cooperatives - to ask how much difference forming co-ops can make. And for those farming on the Isle of Eigg, in the Inner Hebrides, making an income from rearing livestock is difficult. We visit a 2,500 acre tenant farm where they keep sheep and cattle, but where it's the bio-diversity schemes that bring in the income. Presented by Caz Graham Produced by Heather Simons…
F
Farming Today
1 06/03/2025 - What do Trump's tariffs mean for global agri-trade?, James Dyson's farm, sustainable potatoes 14:08
14:08 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked14:08
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAmerican farmers are being urged to produce more by their president. Mr Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on goods, including agricultural produce, from Canada and Mexico, and both countries are imposing retaliatory tariffs on American goods. As is China, which is the biggest market for US agriculture products. So what might this all this mean for them, for us and for global trade? For This Natural Life on BBC Radio 4, Martha Kearney visits Sir James Dyson on his farm in Somerset to hear what the natural world means to him, and how that is being reflected in his approach to farming. Continuing our topic this week: supply chains, the many hands food goes through on its way from farm to fork. Controlling what happens at every stage can be a challenge, but that's what one Welsh producer is trying to do so they can make the supply chain more sustainable. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.…
F
Farming Today
1 05/03/2025 - Pig supply chain, blossom watch and a charity farm for women 13:52
13:52 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked13:52
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedNew rules for the pig supply chain are due to be introduced this Spring to help even-up what DEFRA describes as a 'power imbalance' between farmers and processors. The rules have been developed after a crisis in the industry caused by a combination of Brexit and Covid - when back in 2021, a shortage of staff at processing sites left farmers unable to send their pigs for slaughter, despite having contracts in place. So how much difference will it make? We find out about a project called FruitWatch, being run by the University of Reading, which monitors blossom emergence and fruit using pictures and comments sent in by members of the public. And we visit Fallowlees Farm - a charity farm set up after the Covid lockdowns to give women in Newcastle the chance to experience rural Northumberland. Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Heather Simons…
F
Farming Today
1 04/03/25 - The cost of avian flu, apple supply chain and soy-free dairy cow feed 14:00
14:00 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked14:00
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBird flu continues to hit poultry farms across the country with 49 cases in England, 2 in Northern Ireland and 1 in Scotland. We hear from one farmer about the hidden cost of having an outbreak - from £10,000 worth of wasted eggs to the loss of the next 2 years of business. We visit a distribution centre for the AGPO growers’ co-operative based in Kent, where apples and pears are delivered daily from nearby nitrogen cold storage facilities before being sent on to supermarkets. And a trial at the University of Nottingham on dairy cattle has suggested that removing soya completely and using alternatives, can actually lead to an increase in milk production. Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Heather Simons…
F
Farming Today
1 03/03/25 - Solar farms on tenant farms, the wisdom of retired fishermen and supply chain fairness 11:55
11:55 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked11:55
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Tenant Farmers Association says the Government's decision to allow a solar project on farmland in Yorkshire is 'crushing' for farmers who rent land. Harmony Energy can now build a solar farm with battery storage on land owned by the Fitzwilliam Trust near Malton. The tenant farmers who currently farm there have campaigned for the past four years to halt the project. Fishing is facing a shortage of workers – fewer people are coming from the European Union to work, and many older fishermen who retire aren't being replaced. At South Devon College they’re hoping to attract new recruits to the industry - we go to event in collaboration with the charity the Fishermen’s Mission, where the older generation of fishermen met those just starting out or considering a career at sea. And we hear from the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator. Farmers have long had concerns about the way supply chains work, saying they shoulder too much of the risk, and don't reap enough of the rewards. To help, an Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator has been appointed - in the first instance to enforce new rules aimed at improving transparency and fairness in the dairy sector. Similar regulations to cover pigs are expected this spring and then the plan is to look at eggs and fresh produce. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Heather Simons…
F
Farming Today
1 01/03/25 - Farming Today This Week: NFU Conference, Climate Change Committee report, bulbs for methane, beavers, ploughing. 25:01
25:01 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked25:01
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe re-introduction of inheritance tax on farm assets dominated this year's National Farmers Union Conference in London. The Union President told delegates farming is facing its biggest crisis of confidence in his lifetime. Facing a frosty reception, the DEFRA Secretary Steve Reed announced a new Farm Profitability Unit to be set up with the department, but told farmers he couldn't give them the answers they wanted on inheritance tax. Elsewhere, the conference focused on growth in agriculture - through investment, exports and tech. The Climate Change Committee has called for a transformation in agriculture in its latest report. The CCC advises the UK government on ways to reduce emissions in order to meet net zero by 2050. Its 7th report sets out a plan from 2038 to 2042, and recommends a 27% drop in the number of cattle and sheep, and that we all eat less meat. The government's allowing the re-introduction of beavers into the wild in England. Up until now they've only been allowed to be released into enclosures - though there have also been some illegal releases. Wildlife groups will need a licence and to get that they'll need a 10 year plan showing the impact beavers are expected to have. The National Farmers Union has argued that farmers should be able to kill beavers should they end up in the wrong place. Scientists at Scotland's Rural College have been feeding cattle an extract from daffodil bulbs to help reduce methane. The ground-breaking research aimed at reducing emissions is called "dancing with daffodils". We round off with a bit of tradition and competition. The European Ploughing Championships are being held in Nottinghamshire we catch up with a ploughing champion who's one of the organisers…
F
Farming Today
1 28/02/25 - Trade rules, native bulbs and high beef and lamb prices 14:05
14:05 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked14:05
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe DEFRA Secretary told Farming Today the Government will be looking into ways to prevent cheap imports of crops grown in countries which allow the use of chemicals that aren’t authorised for use in the UK. But how easy will that be? We ask a trade expert. There’s been a flying trade for beef and sheep this spring. The price for what’s called ‘dead weight’ cattle is at its highest ever according to the ADHD, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, and they say sheep prices are historically high too. So what’s behind these high prices? Are they likely to last? And will we be paying more for meat in the shops? And we visit a bulb business on a smallholding in Wales where, for almost 40 years, they’ve been sourcing and supplying a wide range of bulbs, both native to the British Isles, and from different parts of the world. Presented by Caz Graham Produced by Heather Simons…
F
Farming Today
1 27/02/25 Climate Change Committee report, daffodil bulbs to reduce methane, illegal waste. 14:04
14:04 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked14:04
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe Climate Change Committee has called for a transformation in agriculture in its latest report. The CCC advises the UK government on ways to reduce emissions in order to meet net zero by 2050. Its 7th report sets out a plan from 2038 to 2042, and recommends a 27% drop in the number of cattle and sheep, and that we all eat less meat. It wants to see more woodlands, more peatlands re-wetted and more energy crops like miscanthus. Scientists at Scotland's Rural College have been feeding cattle an extract from daffodil bulbs to help reduce methane. The ground-breaking research aimed at reducing emissions is called "dancing with daffodils". Fly tipping is on the up - the latest Environment Agency figures for England show more than a million incidents of rubbish being dumped on public land last year, up 6% from the year before. Those stats don't include fly tipping on farms, and the Country Land and Business Association says in its latest survey, 90 per cent of respondents reported having rubbish - from fridges to tyres - dumped on their land in the past year. Rural groups and councils are calling for tougher penalties for fly tippers. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney…
F
Farming Today
1 26/02/25 - NFU Conference 2025: Inheritance tax, technology funding, farm profitability 14:07
14:07 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked14:07
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe re-introduction of inheritance tax on farm assets dominated this year's National Farmers Union Conference in London. The Union President told delegates farming is facing it's biggest crisis of confidence in his lifetime. Facing a frosty reception, the DEFRA Secretary Steve Reed announced a new Farm Profitability Unit to be set up with the department, but told farmers he couldn't give them the answers they wanted on inheritance tax. Elsewhere, the conference focused on growth in agriculture - through investment, exports and tech. We hear how the latest scientific innovations could help farmers in the future. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Heather Simons…
F
Farming Today
1 25/02/25 - Land classification, UK grown tulips and driverless tractors 14:07
14:07 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked14:07
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAs farmers know, not all fields are equal, and in England and Wales the Agricultural Land Classification system is used to define how productive farmland is. The best land has more protection from development in the planning system. But according to a report commissioned by the CPRE - the countryside charity - that classification system in England, is based on data from as long ago as the 1940s...so it's somewhat out of date. There’s only one farm left in the UK that still grows its tulip bulbs outdoors - PS and J Ward, near Kings Lynn. Anna Hill visits the farm to see the process: after the tulips have flowered in the field, the bulbs are harvested and stored, then they’re brought into glasshouses, where they produce the flowers we buy in the shops. And we dive straight into the future, to see a crop of parsnips, sown, grown and harvested - by robots. Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Heather Simons…
F
Farming Today
1 24/02/25 Avian flu vaccines; bulb growing in Cornwall 12:02
12:02 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked12:02
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBird flu is continuing its spread, with an ever growing list of English counties - and the whole of Northern Ireland – now under restrictions which mean all poultry has to be kept indoors. And stricter bio-security measures have been imposed across the whole of the UK. We hear from a farmer in Devon who has had to cull his birds because of a disease outbreak. And the chair of virology at Edinburgh University’s Roslin Institute, Professor Paul Digard, discusses the avian flu vaccine situation in the UK and elsewhere. Our theme this week is bulbs - Spring isn't far away! We're with daffodil pickers near Truro in Cornwall. Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling Farming Today is a BBC Audio Bristol production…
F
Farming Today
1 22/02/25 - Farming Today This Week: Peat and climate change, bottom trawling, inheritance tax 24:45
24:45 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked24:45
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedThe majority of the UK's peatlands could be at risk of drying out in the next 40-50 years because of climate change - according to a new study from scientists at the Universities of Exeter, Manchester and Derby. Healthy, wet peatlands are seen as part of the solution to climate change because they soak up planet-heating carbon dioxide - UK peatlands currently store an estimated 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon. But where they dry out, they become a problem because they can then release that stored carbon back into the atmosphere. MPs have been debating calls to ban bottom trawling in some parts of the sea. Bottom trawling is a method of fishing where weighted nets are dragged along the seabed to gather things like scallops, sole and plaice. According to The Marine Conservation Society, bottom trawling is currently forbidden across 5% of the UK's MPAs, and a wider ban in ALL protected areas is something conservation charities have been calling for, for some time. But is it the right move? And farming leaders have said they left a much-anticipated meeting with the Treasury this week with their blood "boiling", claiming the Government has "shut the door" on any rethink of planned changes to inheritance tax on farms. Representatives from agricultural organisations met the Exchequer Secretary, James Murray, and Farming Minister, Daniel Zeichner, on Tuesday. It follows months of protests over plans for inherited agricultural assets worth more than a million pounds to be taxed at 20% from April next year. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced by Heather Simons…
F
Farming Today
1 21/02/25 Solar wildlife, Scottish land use strategy, regenerative agriculture. 14:01
14:01 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked14:01
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedSolar farms managed for nature can benefit birds more than intensively farmed arable land. Research by the RSPB and the University of Cambridge looked at two types of solar farms in the East Anglian Fens. Those with mixed habitats - with hedgerows, no grass cutting or grazing sheep had a greater number and diversity of flowering plants and birds than intensively farmed arable land, or solar farms which were intensively managed. As England consults on its new land use framework we find out how Scotland's land use strategy's been working. It was first published in 2011 and is updated every five years. We speak to a policy manager at NFU Scotland to find out how it's affected farmers and crofters on the ground. Regenerative agriculture or regen ag, is something that's discussed a lot, and it's a term creeping into the marketing jargon of food businesses - so what exactly is meant by it? Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney…
F
Farming Today
1 20/02/25 Land Use and solar development, food prices 14:02
14:02 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked14:02
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedEngland's Land Use Framework is out to consultation. We speak to the academic who brought groups of farmers together to speak to Defra officials as they developed the policy. We also consider what impact the framework might have on big renewable projects in future - like one in East Anglia. The proposed solar development in East Pye in South Norfolk covers 2,700 acres in ten different locations, Local residents who object to the scheme have set up their own group called Block East Pye. They say they are not Nimbys but that the current plans will directly impinge on residents and wildlife. Food prices are up and driving inflation. The Consumer Price Index or CPI is up 3% in the year to January. However some basics have gone up by more: butter up by 18%, eggs by 4% and beef up 5%. What does this mean for farmers, who often tell us that they’re not being paid enough for the food they produce? We ask an expert from the Royal Agricultural University whether price rises mean more money for farmers. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney…
F
Farming Today
1 19/02/2025 - Inheritance tax row, bottom trawling in MPAs and NI Land Use Framework 13:50
13:50 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked13:50
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedFarming leaders have said they left a much-anticipated meeting with the Treasury with their blood "boiling", claiming the Government has "shut the door" on any rethink of planned changes to inheritance tax on farms. It follows months of protests over plans for inherited agricultural assets worth more than a million pounds to be taxed at 20% from April next year. MPs have been debating calls to ban bottom trawling in England's Marine Protected Areas. Bottom trawling is a method of fishing where weighted nets are dragged along the seabed to gather things like scallops, sole and plaice. And a working group has been set up by the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission to discuss how a Land Use Framework for Northern Ireland might be developed and implemented. We meet one of the group members to discuss how much difference it could make. Presented by Steffan Messenger Produced by Heather Simons…
Welcome to Player FM!
Player FM is scanning the web for high-quality podcasts for you to enjoy right now. It's the best podcast app and works on Android, iPhone, and the web. Signup to sync subscriptions across devices.
Daily Deals
Similar to Farming Today
Flash Forward is a show about possible (and not so possible) future scenarios. What would the warranty on a sex robot look like? How would diplomacy work if we couldn’t lie? Could there ever be a fecal transplant black market? (Complicated, it wouldn’t, and yes, respectively, in case you’re curious.) Hosted and produced by award winning science journalist Rose Eveleth, each episode combines audio drama and journalism to go deep on potential tomorrows, and uncovers what those futures might re ...
…
continue reading
Series that demystifies health issues, separating fact from fiction and bringing clarity to conflicting health advice.
…
continue reading
A weekly programme that illuminates the mysteries and challenges the controversies behind the science that's changing our world.
…
continue reading
Science Friction has a new series: Cooked. We dig into food science pickles. Why are studies showing that ice cream could be good for you? Do we really need as many electrolytes as the internet says? And why are people feeling good on the carnivore diet? Nutrition and food scientist Dr Emma Beckett takes us through what the evidence says about food categories and ingredients like meat, dairy and salt — and unpick why nutrition studies can be so conflicting and confusing. Airs Wednesday 11:30 ...
…
continue reading
Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince host a witty, irreverent look at the world through scientists’ eyes. Joined by a panel of scientists, experts and celebrity science enthusiasts they investigate life, the universe and everything in between on The Infinite Monkey Cage from the BBC. From the smallest building blocks of life to the furthest stars, the curious monkeys pull apart the latest science to reveal fascinating and often bizarre insights into the world around us and what lies beyond. Ca ...
…
continue reading
Is it best that our food is Local and Organic or Big and Conventional? Our view is “Both, and..” We don’t come to the table with a bias, except that good farming like good food comes in all shapes and sizes. Farm to Table Talk explores issues and the growing interest in the story of how and where the food on our tables is produced, processed and marketed. The host, Rodger Wasson is a food and agriculture veteran. Although he was the first of his family to leave the grain and livestock farm a ...
…
continue reading
Come dive into one of the curiously delightful conversations overheard at National Geographic’s headquarters, as we follow explorers, photographers, and scientists to the edges of our big, weird, beautiful world. Hosted by Peter Gwin and Amy Briggs.
…
continue reading
News and views on business and the world of personal finance. Plus the very latest from the financial markets around the globe
…
continue reading
We humans could have a bright future ahead of us that lasts billions of years. But we have to survive the next 200 years first. Join Josh Clark of Stuff You Should Know for a 10-episode deep dive that explores the future of humanity and finds dangers we have never encountered before lurking just ahead. And if we humans are alone in the universe, if we don't survive intelligent life dies out with us too.
…
continue reading
We take your questions about life, Earth and the universe to researchers hunting for answers at the frontiers of knowledge.
…
continue reading
Player FM - Podcast App
Go offline with the Player FM app!
Go offline with the Player FM app!
