08/03/25 Farming Today This Week: Impact of US tariffs on global agri-trade, Sir James Dyson, supply chains, cost of bird flu
The American President Donald Trump wants farmers in the US to produce more for the domestic market as the rows over import tariffs continue. So what might this all this mean for them, for us and for global trade? For This Natural Life, this week on on BBC Radio 4, Martha Kearney visited 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.Bird flu continues to hit poultry farms across the country. Last week we heard from Jerry Saunders, from Orchard Organic Farm in South Devon, about the emotional toll of having all 5000 of his birds culled after getting bird flu. We hear how the financial impact can be severe, too. Broadband speeds in rural areas are 26% slower than they are in urban areas - that’s according to the Government, and there are still parts of the country that have no mobile phone access at all. We speak to Chris Bryant, the minister with responsibility for digital inclusion, about the Government's Digital Inclusion Action Plan.New 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.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.
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07/03/25 - Rural connectivity, farmers co-ops and farming on an island
Broadband 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
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06/03/2025 - What do Trump's tariffs mean for global agri-trade?, James Dyson's farm, sustainable potatoes
American 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.
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05/03/2025 - Pig supply chain, blossom watch and a charity farm for women
New 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
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04/03/25 - The cost of avian flu, apple supply chain and soy-free dairy cow feed
Bird 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
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