Farming Today

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15/11/25 EFRA questions, report on farming in Wales, drought, potato harvest, mushrooms, truffles, cider
Eight weeks after taking up her post as DEFRA Secretary of State, Emma Reynolds has faced her first barrage of questions from the cross-party group of MPs at the EFRA select committee. MPs quizzed her about farming profitability, fishing policy, water pollution, border controls and illegal meat. They asked about environmental payments too and she acknowledged that mistakes had been made and lessons learned when the Sustainable Farming Incentive was suddenly suspended earlier this year.A report by the House of Commons’ Welsh Affairs Committee is calling for the Government's inheritance tax on farmers to be halted, because it says the tax will have a detrimental impact on Welsh farming.The Environment Agency's warned that unless we see some serious rain, England will be in drought next year. We find out how this year's lack of water has affected the potato harvest.Mushroom growers face many challenges: rising energy costs; sourcing the staff to pick them; and finding alternatives to peat for growing the crop. We visit a family farm in Northern Ireland that's become one of the UK's biggest producers of organic mushrooms. Truffle cultivation isn't usually associated with Scotland but milder, wetter summers are providing new opportunities, according to one professor who's developing new methods of cultivating truffles.This year's apple harvest has been a bumper one, but with a small orchard on a small landmass, the family producing cider on Guernsey have had to find a creative way to supplement their crop.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney
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14/11/25 Drought warnings, farmers at COP 30, woodland mushrooms, veg grown in Senegal
We hear warnings that unless we see some serious rain, England will be in drought next year. The Environment Agency says there will be widespread impacts on farming as well as nature and describes the current situation as 'precarious'. COP 30, the annual world meeting on tackling climate change is underway in Brazil. This one is notable perhaps for the leaders who've skipped it, neither the Chinese or American presidents are attending, but plenty of farmers are.All this week we are looking at growing mushrooms. We hear from a farming family in Leicestershire producing 25 tonnes of woodland mushrooms every week. Over the winter most of the sweetcorn, radishes, spring onions and chilli peppers sold by supermarkets will come from two farms in northern Senegal. The businesses involved say it’s a win-win arrangement for the local communities, and more vegetables for the UK market are likely to be grown there in future.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.
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13/11/25 MPs call for inheritance tax impact assessment in Wales, mycelium as insulation, Guernsey cider
A report by the House of Commons’ Welsh Affairs Committee is calling for the Government's inheritance tax on farmers to be halted, because it says the tax will have a detrimental impact on Welsh farming, which is intrinsic to the Welsh economy. How about turning fungi roots into building materials? It may sound a bit strange but its already happening - in laboratories, and in commercial enterprises too.This year's apple harvest has been a bumper one, but with a small orchard on a small landmass, the family producing cider on Guernsey have had to find a creative way to supplement their crop. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.
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12/11/25 EFRA questions, pig farm planning permission, truffles, potatoes
Eight weeks after taking up her post as DEFRA Secretary of State, Emma Reynolds has faced her first barrage of questions from the cross-party group of MPs at the EFRA select committee. Over two hours the MPs quizzed her about farming profitability, environmental payments, fishing policy, water pollution, border controls and illegal meat.One of the UK's biggest meat producers, Cranswick has been refused retrospective planning permission for a site in Norfolk, housing 7000 sows. The buildings, which were put up four years ago, have attracted hundreds of complaints from local residents over their smell. Even though most of us have seen quite a bit of rain over the last few weeks, some parts still need plenty more to top up the deficit from last summer's drought. That lack of water meant this year's potato harvest, which has just finished, was particularly difficult. We visit a grower in North Yorkshire to catch up on the season and see how incorporating organic matter into soil, retains moisture.All week, we're talking about growing mushrooms. Truffle cultivation isn't usually associated with Scotland, but milder, wetter summers are providing new opportunities, according to one professor who's developing new methods of cultivating truffles.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney
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11/11/25 Fishing action plan, Scottish farming fund, farmers' arthritis, mushrooms
An all party parliamentary group of MPs is launching what it calls a 'new action plan for fishing.' The group believes that the industry is being challenged by a series of problems including a declining workforce, restrictions at sea because of environmental protection and avoiding windfarms. The former fisheries minister and Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner is writing the report. Farmers and crofters are criticising the Scottish Government over the allocation of grants for the Future Farming Investment Scheme. About 7,500 applications were submitted for the £21 million fund, but around 3,500 applications did not meet the criteria. Some farmers and politicians claim the distribution of money was "unfair". The Scottish Government says it understands some people are disappointed and says it is already reviewing the scheme.Researchers at the University of Worcester are carrying out research to find out how arthritis affects farmers and the farming industry.All week we're finding out more about growing mushrooms. We eat more than a £100 million worth in the UK every year. We visit the second-largest mushroom farm in the UK at Littleport in The Fens. It produces 160 tonnes a week, from tiny buttons, to large flat mushrooms.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney
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