12/07/25 Farming Today This Week: Great Yorkshire Show, Welsh rural crime strategy, bee disease, farm inspections, shellfish.
The Government is carrying out a farming profitability review in England, to inform policy. There’s been a call for evidence and practical solutions. We ask the National Farmers' Union what could be done to help.Out in the sunshine at the Great Yorkshire Show - pig showing and curly fleeced Wensleydale sheep.A new strategy for tackling rural crime across Wales will offer greater protection for people and wildlife in the countryside, according to the Welsh government. Priority areas include tackling damage to ancient monuments, or heritage crime, and attacks on livestock, with new awareness courses for animal owners.Chronic bee paralysis has been in bee populations for thousands of years, but cases are rising in the UK and it’s estimated up to 2% are affected. The disease is not notifiable so doesn’t have to be reported, and bees can have the virus and not show symptoms. We speak to Professor Giles Budge who's working on the disease at Newcastle University.The Environment Agency is increasing the number of inspections on farms to tackle pollution and poor practice. We join an inspector making a return visit to a farm in Shropshire.All week we're taking a deep dive into the UK's shellfish industry. Almost 90% of the mussels produced in Scotland are grown in Shetland. We visit a farm which produces 1000 tonnes a year on long ropes dotted on 24 sites around the islands. We also visit Oban where scientists are working on a trial to selectively breed our native oysters to make them more resilient to climate change and pollution. Presenter = Caz Graham
Producer = Rebecca Rooney
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11/07/25 Great Yorkshire Show 2025
Curly sheep, innovation and profitability on farm - we visit the Great Yorkshire Show.Caz Graham is out in the sunshine at England's largest agricultural show to see the livestock and ask what's the mood this year for farmers.The Government is carrying out a Farming Profitability Review in England, to inform policy. There’s been a call for evidence and practical solutions which closes today. We ask the National Farmers' Union what could be done to help.Produced by Beatrice Fenton.
A new strategy for tackling rural crime across Wales will offer greater protection for people and wildlife in the countryside, according to the Welsh government. Priority areas include tackling damage to ancient monuments, or heritage crime, and attacks on livestock, with new awareness courses for animal owners. A new ban on the use of lead in ammunition has been announced by the UK government, in a bid to stop the toxic metal contaminating fields and waterways. Shot containing more than 1% lead and bullets with a lead content of more than 3% are to be prohibited. It's a long-awaited move that ministers say will protect iconic wildlife and improve water quality. There'll be a three year transition period, but conservation groups say they'd like to see it introduced straight away.All week we're taking a deep dive into the UK's shellfish industry. Almost 90% of the mussels produced in Scotland are grown in Shetland. We visit a farm which produces 1000 tonnes a year on long ropes dotted on 24 sites around the islands. Should British farms and supermarkets have to pay the travel and visa costs of seasonal staff? The idea's been suggested as a way of protecting workers travelling to the UK to pick fruit and vegetables, some of whom are taking out loans to get here, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation. The Employer Pays Principle feasibility study, jointly commissioned by the government and the Seasonal Worker Taskforce, looked into the idea which has support from some retailers and recruitment agencies. The National Farmers Union however, has concerns about the challenges growers would face if forced to cover these additional costs, from job cuts to reduced production. Presenter = Steffan Messenger
Producer = Rebecca Rooney
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09/07/2025 Bee virus, lobsters, water abstraction.
Chronic bee paralysis has been in bee populations for thousands of years, but cases are rising in the UK and it’s estimated up to two percent are affected. The disease is not notifiable, so doesn’t have to be reported, and bees can have the virus and not show symptoms, so it’s prevalence is difficult to ascertain. We speak to Professor Giles Budge who's working on the disease at Newcastle University. As part of our week-long look at shellfish we visit Bridlington in East Yorkshire the largest lobster port in Europe, There are no quotas for catching crab and lobster and most of it is exported. After concerns about the rising number of abstraction licences, we speak to a water management expert who advises farmers in on the driest parts of the country.Presenter = Anna Hill
Producer = Rebecca Rooney
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07/07/25 Northern Ireland pollution, dry stone walling, shellfish
New proposals to improve water quality in Northern Ireland could prove fatal for pig farming there according to the Ulster Farmers Union.
The Nutrients Action Programme aims to reduce agricultural pollution in loughs and rivers and would involve limiting the amount of phosporus and nitrogen that can by spread on the land in slurry. The consultation on the programme has already been extended once and now the UFU says pigs numbers would need to be reduced by as much as 80% if the plans get the go-ahead.
Craftsmen are building a new four and half mile dry stone wall in the Cotswolds. Part of one England's biggest road construction projects, the wall will run alongside the new road near Cheltenham. Work started last year and won't be completed until next summer. All week we're looking at shellfish from lobsters and oysters to mussels. The Shellfish Association describes it as an industry with huge untapped potential but producers are still suffering from the loss of trade to Europe since Brexit as exports account for most of their business.Presenter = Caz Graham
Producer = Rebecca Rooney
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