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The latest news about food, farming and the countryside
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03/11/26 Farm reservoirs, rainwater harvesting, quinoa.
Too much water, too little water: UK farmers have experienced both extremes in the last few years. All week we're hearing about on-farm water management. Heavy rain in the North West of England means that the region is no longer classified
02/11/2026 Water management, milk price cut
After the UK's hottest summer on record and widespread drought, the Met Office is now warning of a heightened risk of wet and stormy weather this autumn. From drought to flooding, these extremes are raising urgent questions about how we man
31/10/2026: Aphids, Rothbury Estate, Caged Hens, Pests
The worst ever recorded infestation of aphids has made 85% of the UK's salad crops unusable, according to the British Leafy Salads Association. Milder winters mean the aphids aren't being destroyed and larger and larger so-called 'blooms' a
30/10/26 Caged hens, Rothbury Estate, mole trapping
Government plans to phase out cages for laying hens could put British producers at a disadvantage, if the UK continues to allow imports of eggs from caged birds. That's one of the conclusions of a new report from the Animal Welfare Committe
29/10/2026: Aphids, Laser bird scarer, Budget reaction
Commercial salad farmers have seen record numbers of aphids in 2026, not just here in the UK but in all of Europe’s major salad growing areas too. Up to 85% of the UK crop has been affected, leading to more being imported from Europe, earli
28102026: Budget asks; EFRA committee; Pest control
We hear from the president of the National Farmers Union on what farmers would like in today's budget. Tom Bradshaw calls for scrapping Inheritance Tax for farms, and adequately investing in a resilient food and farming sector. We also hear
27/10/2026: CO2 Consultation, Solar Robot Weeder; Rat Catcher
The government should suspend the consultation it launched yesterday on phasing out the use of carbon dioxide in the slaughter of pigs, according to AIMS - the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers. It's written to the Secretary of Stat
26/10/26 Consultation to end painful pig slaughter, pest control, farmers' choir
A consultation on phasing out the use of carbon dioxide in the slaughtering process for pigs is launched today. The vast majority of pigs in the UK are stunned using CO2 but last year the government announced plans to move away from using t
Farming Today This Week 24/10/26 Wildfires; agri-environment schemes; orchards & agroforestry; pumpkins; winter strawberries.
Wildfires have been on the political menu this week with a report from MPs criticising the lack of a National Wildfire Strategy, followed by wildfire summits in England and Wales, and an announcement from the Prime Minister of ‘initial step
23/10/26 Wild fire summit, Farming for the Future award winner, picking plums by rowing boat
A wildfire summit is being held today in Westminster, bringing together government departments and agencies to work out plans to address future fires. We announce the winner of the BBC Food and Farming Awards' Farming for the Future winner,
22/10/26 Grazing and arable, apples and agroforestry, BBC Food & Farming Awards
Farmers in Scotland have been taking part in a four year scheme to get more arable farmers to have sheep on their land. Instead of leaving fields bare over winter, cereal growers have been planting cover crops, things like oats or turnips.
21/10/26 Wildfires report, pear harvest, planting plans
A report by MPs says this year's wildfires exposed severe weaknesses in our ability to tackle them, and that immediate action must be taken to ensure an effective response next year. The Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee heard mo
20/10/26 Abattoirs, strawberry glut, apples and other top fruit
The decline in abattoirs across the UK has been an issue for many years. A new coalition of more than 150 organisations, has sent a letter to the Prime Minister calling for urgent government action. The Sustainable Food Trust, Soil Associat
19/10/26 Defra secretary on organic farming and sustainable farming incentive; cider apples
Over the next nine years the government would like to see the amount of land farmed organically in England treble, from 3.4% now to 10% by 2036. It's part of the new Organic Action Plan for England which the government says will 'open up op
17/10/26 Farming Today This Week: The Future of Farming
As The Archers marks its 75th anniversary, Farming Today is looking ahead to the next 75 years of British farming. All week we’ll be imagining how agriculture could change, from how land is used to what crops we grow, using what technology
16/10/26 What will a farmer be?
As part of a special week marking the 75th anniversary of The Archers and exploring the next 75 years of farming, we visit Harper Adams University's farm to meet the next generation looking to build a future in the industry, and ask: what w
15/10/26 Succession
Over the past 75 years, the pattern of land ownership in the UK has changed dramatically. Farm businesses have grown larger, more farmers now own at least some of the land they work, and those who rent it are often doing so on shorter-term
14/10/26 Homegrown
Climate change is already reshaping the way farmers think. Wetter winters, hotter summers, and new pests and diseases are creating fresh challenges. At the same time, global instability, from conflict to trade disputes, has highlighted the
13/10/26 Tech
As part of a special week marking the 75th anniversary of The Archers and exploring what the next 75 years could hold for farming, today we look at how technology and AI could transform the way food is produced. At Place UK, one of the coun
12/10/26 Land Use
As The Archers marks its 75th anniversary, Farming Today is looking ahead to the next 75 years of British farming. All week we’ll be imagining how agriculture could change, from how land is used to what crops we grow, using what technology
10/10/2026: Harvest, Bird flu, Farm boundaries
The official estimates for England's harvest 2026 are in, and the figures from the governnment show that its the smallest harvest of both barley and oats since 2012. Wheat saw a small increase with losses in the South and East offset by a b
09/10/26 Drought aftermath, Cornish hedges, SNP conference, AI and farming
The official estimates for England's harvest 2026 are in, and they don't make happy reading. Provisional figures from the government show that it's the smallest harvest of both barley and oats since 2012. Wheat saw a small increase with los
08/10/2926: Fly tipping, History of barbed wire, Energy from heat
Half of farmers say they've had rubbish fly tipped on their land, and the majority of those asked say the problem is getting worse. These are the results of a survey of 512 farmers in England and Wales by the National Farmers Union - which
07/10/26 Sugar beet, flagstone walls, dairy show.
After months of negotiations, British Sugar and the National Farmers Union have agreed a price for sugar beet farmers for 2027/28. It's lower than last year, with a one-year contract paying £28.50 per tonne for up to half of the contract to
06/10/26 Rural connectivity, dry stone walls, Conservative party conference.
The Farmers Union of Wales says it's very concerned about new rules which they say could see rental incomes cut by 90%. The FUW estimates that a revaluation of thousands of existing agreements could affect 15,000 masts, and if the changes p
05/10/26 Pig industry in crisis, beating the bounds, Green Party conference
Pig farmers say they're losing thousands of pounds a week as prices fall, but costs, particularly of feed, are rising. Processors have given notice to some farmers, saying they no longer want to buy their pigs. The National Pig Association
Farming Today This Week: food industry whistleblowers, red diesel, disease resilience, apprenticeships, Shetland wool, demo farm
An anonymous group of senior executives from retailers and food suppliers is warning that 'short term thinking' in the industry is driving up food prices and that farmers are being left to face the financial risks of an increasingly umpredi
