Farming Today

Wildlife and environment groups say this government could become the first to break the law by missing targets to restore nature. The Office for Environmental Protection, the OEP, has published its annual report on the government's progress and it shows that it is not on track to meet 21 of the 43 legally set out in its Environmental Improvement Plan. We speak to Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, which represents 94 countryside and wildlife groups across Britain and ask why progress has been so slow.Agriculture is devolved so each of the four home nations has different plans for their post-Brexit support schemes for farmers. Today we ask Jim Fairlie, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity in the Scottish Government, how Scotland's scheme is going to work.All this week, we’re focusing on cheese, and today we’re talking about goat's cheese. We meet a husband and wife team who graze around 250 goats in Carmarthenshire. They graze their animals outside most of the year and have a milking parlour like the ones you'd find on a dairy farm. They make mostly soft cheese but are now making hard cheese too to help use up excess milk in the summer, when demand for cheese is lower.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Thousands of people have descended on Oxford this week for two farming conferences. We report from The Oxford Farming Conference, where the Defra Secretary of State made new announcements for England's environmental farm payments, while protesting farmers in tractors hooted horns outside the hall. We also hear from delegates at The Oxford Real Farming Conference which was opened by Charlotte Church with some improvised singing. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Defra Secretary of State spoke at the Oxford Farming Conference with new announcements for England's environmental farm payments, while protesting farmers in tractors hooted horns outside the hall. And Charlotte Church opened the Oxford Real Farming Conference with some improvised singing.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

At the opening of the Oxford Farming Conference 2026, Charlotte Smith previews the government's latest announcement on England's largest environmental payment scheme.Produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Uncertainty about whether a farm will break even, let alone make a profit, is concerning arable farmers, according to Dame Minette Batter's recent report on farm profitability. Lower prices for arable products, rising costs of energy and farm machinery, and the suspension of environmental payments under the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme are making some arable farmers ask if they should keep growing crops at all, according to her report. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board has just produced its latest figures for what farmers are planning to plant this year. We ask what growers are deciding to do.The rapid expansion of large solar farms in many parts of the country has caused consternation among many people in the countryside. Campaigners say that although they support green energy, they're concerned at the scale of the developments. The Council for the Protection of Rural England in Norfolk is forming an alliance of local councils and protest groups to support people opposing the projects.All week we're looking at how farmers can make themselves and their businesses more resilient. A new movement in Scotland is helping farmers prioritise their physical and mental health.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney