Meet the Farmers

RuralPod Media and Meet the Farmers have collaborated with Emergent Generation to create a two-part podcast documentary about the future of food and farming to show anything is possible when young people are involved. Emergent Generation: Young Voices in Farming and Food details how group members think and feel about the future, how they imagine it can be and what they are doing to realise their v...

In this episode, Sophie Gregory and Ally Hunter Blair explore the complexities of seasonal farm employment in the UK, featuring insights from Sacha Wooldridge, an immigration lawyer at Birketts LLP. They discuss licensing, visa caps, the employer pays principle, and any potential upcoming legal changes affecting seasonal and casual employment. 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your...

RuralPod Media and Meet the Farmers have collaborated with Emergent Generation to create a two-part podcast documentary about the future of food and farming to show anything is possible when young people are involved. Emergent Generation: Young Voices in Farming and Food details how group members think and feel about the future, how they imagine it can be and what they are doing to realise their v...

As conflict continues across the Middle East Sophie and Ally ask what it means for agriculture, especially as fuel prices rise? Aside from the humanitarian impact of the conflict there has been significant impact to the flow of materials. From oil to raw materials for fertiliser the agricultural supply chain has been significantly disrupted which will have consequences for farmers. Also in this ep...

In this episode, Tom Morphew shares his inspiring journey from a young gardener to the founder of Full Circle Farms and the Garden Army CIC. He discusses his unique approach to regenerative farming, the challenges he faced in his entrepreneurial journey, and his commitment to creating a sustainable and community-focused farming model. Tom emphasizes the importance of mental health and community en...

This week Ben heads to county Longford in Ireland to meet  Phil Stewart aka Farmer Phil on youtube. Phil’s farm has been in his family for over 80 years. Farming 633 acres and rearing dairy beef calves the business is wide ranging and includes agri-contracting and a Farm Shop. Image credit: Liv Stewart.  🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media...

Following a discussion on this week's NFU Conference Big Debate hosts Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory are joined by three farmers to ask : ‘Is the Cereals Sector Fit for the Future?'  Guests include: Chris Baylis – Director of Farming at Sir Richard Sutton Limited which has farms in Lincolnshire and Berkshire. Andrew Court – Arable and beef farmer on 110 hectares (274 acres) in Staffordshire,...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle speaks with Josh Misselbrook, who has worked on various dairy farms across Devon and is a farming YouTuber. Josh shares his journey from early experiences of farming to his current role. He discusses his educational path, including an apprenticeship in agriculture and his time working at Rothamsted Research. Josh expresses his passion for dairy f...

Big Debate hosts Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory are joined by Virgin Money's UK Head of Agriculture Brian Richardson and Head of Agriculture in Scotland Stephen Buchan to take a broad look at UK agriculture today.  🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @MTF_podcast  Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate is produced by RuralPod Media.  Pleas...

This week Big Debate hosts Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory are asking : ‘Should we be taking food security more seriously in the UK and is investing in farming the answer?’ This is following the publication of a report by the UK government last month titled ‘Global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security: A national security assessment’. Their guests include ffinlo Costain...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle speaks with Steve Penberthy, a sheep farmer from West Cornwall, who shares his journey into farming, the challenges he faces, and the importance of public perception in agriculture. Steve discusses his farm's unique characteristics, the impact of weather on farming, and his experiences with lambing. He also highlights the diversification of his b...

In this bonus of Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate, host Ally Hunter Blair puts listeners' questions to legal experts Chris Coupland and Annabelle Rout from Birketts LLP to discuss critical topics surrounding inheritance tax, succession planning, and land sales. The conversation emphasizes the importance of wills, lasting powers of attorney, and trusts, while also addressing the complexities of fai...

In this episode Big Debate hosts Ally and Sophie discuss various topics related to farming, including their personal journeys in agriculture. They also share insights from their recent trip to Scotland and engage with listener feedback, highlighting the importance of community in the agricultural sector. They discuss various aspects of farming, including the challenges and opportunities faced by y...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle speaks with Sarah and Georgia Weatherlake, who manage a 500-acre farm in Exmoor National Park.  🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.  Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agenc...

Ben Aveling, known as Radmore Farm on social media, reveals all about his farming and diversification journey over the past few years, as well as his entry into social media.  🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.  Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist ru...

In this episode Baroness Minette Batters comes on the show to discuss her Farm Profitability Review and consider what might be next for the report? She also reflects on the elements of Secretary of State for the Environment Emma Reynolds' Oxford Farming Conference speech that nodded to the review.  Ally and Sophie also discuss farming conferences and events including Oxford Farming Conference, Oxf...

With thanks to our guests: Charlotte Allender (Head of UK Vegetable Genebank at the University of Warwick); Elaine Bradley (Exec Director of the Irish Seed Savers Association) and Catrina Fenton (Head of Garden Organic's Heritage Seed Library).  Photo credit: Hugh Warwick 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and b...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle engages with Kayleigh Robb and Tim Scott, two tenant farmers who share the same landlord - the Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT). They share their unique journeys in agriculture, discussing the challenges and opportunities they face in modern farming. The conversation delves into the importance of wildlife-friendly practices, the dynamics of l...

Downlands was purchased by the Gilboy family in the summer of 2023. In this episode we take a look behind the scenes at their farming journey so far.  With thanks to Becca Smith for guest producing this episode.  🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.  Meet the Farmers is produced by R...

In this episode of the Meet the Farmers podcast, host Ben Eagle leads a lively quiz featuring a panel of guests reflecting on the year 2025 in farming.  Huge thanks to Ben Briggs, Bronagh Dempster, Sophie Gregory and Ally Hunter Blair for taking part.  The conversation covers the challenges faced by farmers, the impact of market trends and political decisions, and the resilience of the agricultura...

For this week's Big Debate Ally and Sophie explore the future of traditional livestock markets in the UK, featuring insights from Dan Luff, co-founder of Sell My Livestock, and Scott Donaldson, a seasoned auctioneer and Group Director of H&H Group. The discussion covers the evolution of livestock trading, the impact of online platforms, the social aspects of markets, and predictions for the future...

The UK government has published the Farm Profitability Review which was authored by Baroness Minette Batters. In this 'emergency podcast episode' Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory are joined by Ben Briggs to give an initial reaction to the document.  To view the whole report visit - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-profitability-review-2025-an-independent-review  🎧 Subscribe...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle speaks with Trevor Wayborn, the owner of The Sheep Show, a mobile show promoting British sheep and wool. Trevor shares his journey from a paramedic to a farmer, discussing his family history in agriculture, the challenges he faced in his career, and how he transitioned to running The Sheep Show. The conversation highlights the importance of menta...

Brian Richardson is Head of Agriculture at Virgin Money. As part of Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate, once a season Brian will be giving an 'agri-economic report', assessing the agricultural sector as a whole from his perspective in terms of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks for agricultural businesses.  In this report he is joined by Ben Eagle.  Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate i...

Sophie and Ally are on holiday this week so Cammy Wilson from Fed by Farmers joins the Big Debate team this week for an episode with a Scottish focus. They also discuss the long awaited Farm Profitability review, dogs on leads and Christmas cheese.  For the Big Debate Cammy and Sophie are joined by John Sleigh, editor of The Scottish Farmer, and Sally Williams, a dairy farmer from Berwickshire. Th...