Farming Today

The smuggling of illegal meat is on the rise. Farmers are worried it could bring animal diseases into the UK. Europe has seen outbreaks of both African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth, neither of which affect humans but both of which can wipe out whole farms.
Average income across all farms in England rose by 49 percent in the year from March 2024 to February 2025, with increases in all farming sectors, bar specialist pig farms and horticulture. That’s the headline from DEFRA’s newly published Farm Business Survey. So, are English farmers laughing all the way to the bank, and how do those figures sit alongside frequent reports about tough times for farmers with high costs, uncertain markets, more extreme weather events, and low confidence in new agri-environment schemes?
It's mid-winter, the hungriest time of year for livestock, so all this week we're looking at the challenges of providing winter feed, be they financial or practical. It's tough enough when farmers are able to grow or make their own forage, but in the Scottish islands, where the land’s poor and the climate’s wet, crofters rely on hay and straw being brought in by lorry from the mainland. We join a haulier as he drops off bales in the Isle of Lewis. His family has been supplying forage to the Western Isles and Skye for three generations.
Presenter = Caz Graham
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Civil servants should spend more time on farms, to understand the problems they face. That's according to Baroness Minette Batters, who's been facing questions from MPs on the Environment Farming and Rural Affairs committee. She was speaking about her Farming Profitability Review for England, which was published just before Christmas. There are 57 recommendations in the review, all of which, she told MPs, should be implemented. The questioning was very wide-ranging from fairness in the supply chain, to the viability of agri-environment schemes, and the impact of trade agreements with countries such as Australia.
All week we’re discussing animal feed. For many years, organic pig and poultry producers have been able to feed their animals with up to 5% non-organic feed. However on 1st January the rules changed. Now, in line with EU regulations, any birds over 30 weeks old, and pigs over 35kg must be fed a 100% organic diet. We visit an organic pig farmer and an organic poultry farmer to find out how it's affected their business.
Defra has said non-organic pig and poultry producers will be able to feed their animals processed-animal-protein or PAP. It's made from the left over carcasses of pig and poultry, or insects. Since BSE or mad cow disease, it has been illegal to feed processed-animal-protein or PAP to farm animals in the UK.
Presenter = Anna Hill
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The government is promising a complete overhaul of the water system, which it says will protect households from disrupted water supplies and bring in tougher oversight of water companies. The new water white paper, which paves the way for the Water Reform Bill, proposes the abolition of Ofwat to create a new regulator. It promises new reforms bringing councils, water companies, farmers, and developers together to deliver joined-up local plans to tackle river pollution, water resources and housing growth. We ask the Rivers Trust what it means for agriculture and the health of our rivers.
All week we're talking about winter feed - from simple grass to complex proteins. Some farmers have already used up the forage which they grew to feed their animals over the winter. We visit a dairy farmer in Herefordshire who's had to buy in maize to feed his livestock and reduced his herd numbers because there's a shortage of fodder.
Glyphosate is a commonly used but controversial weedkiller. Councils use it kill off weeds and it's used in regenerative farming to kill off cover crops, planted to help protect and nourish soils over the winters, before planting the main crop. In the USA courts have ruled that the chemicals in it are linked to cancer. In the UK, the government's reviewing whether it should still be allowed. We speak to farmers, scientists and campaigners about its future.
Presenter = Anna Hill
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

After 25 years of negotiations, the European Union has signed the Mercosur trade deal. Farmers across Europe have been out on the streets protesting against it and farming unions in the UK warn that it could threaten the future of family farms. The free trade deal between the EU and Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay gives European businesses access to a market of more than 250 million people and is seen as a way of offsetting business lost because of US tariffs. However it will also open the door to tariff-free imports of food, particularly beef, which European farmers argue is not produced to the same standards. The deal was not approved by all EU countries, France and Ireland were among those voting against, and it will have to be ratified by the European Parliament.
All week we're focusing on what farm animals are eating this winter, from grains to soy and silage: it is a mixture of forage, things grown on the farm like hay or silage; and feed that's bought in from the UK or abroad. A combination of geopolitical events, a challenging UK harvest, and an exceptionally dry summer in some areas has put pressure on the supplies of feed. The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) says the UK needs a national protein strategy to safeguard feed security because that impacts food security
Presenter = Charlotte Smith
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

This week two watchdogs published reports on the Government's performance on the environment. The Office for Environmental Protection warned that, unless swift action is taken, the Government could miss 21 out of 43 legally set targets on biodiversity and protecting land and sea. Meanwhile, the National Audit Office published a report saying that substantial reform is needed in the way DEFRA, the Environment Agency, and Natural England operate.
Our sister programme, Farming Today, has been exploring the UK cheese industry. We visit a Somerset cheddar maker, a goat's cheese maker in Carmarthenshire, and an exporter making the most of growing demand for UK cheese around the world.
It may be more than a week since Storm Goretti unleashed hurricane force winds on Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly but rural businesses are still clearing up the wreckage.
Presenter: Charlotte Smith
Producer: Sarah Swadling