Farm Gate

Regular hosts Phil Carson and ffinlo Costain are joined by Stephen Alexander from the Nature Friendly Farming Network in Norther Ireland. News we discuss: NFU and AHDB to commission independent review of farm assurance Scottish Government publishes long-awaited Good Food Nation plans Supermarkets accused of “acting like a cartel” Farmers aim to save Long Compton Abattoir from closure Northern Irel...

A bumper programme, with five interviews covering everything from natural capital markets available to farmers to the fact that climate change is happening faster than predicted in Scotland. We'll hear from the Food Ethics Council about their proposals for UK dairy, from the head of the RSPB's Fair to Nature, and from a farmer who's successfully introduced hemp as a break crop. Helen A...

Breed is critical to any livestock operation and an active breeding programme helps farmers to develop their herd around particular beneficial traits. In the run up to the British Cattle Breeders Club conference this January, we've been taking an in-depth look at how the traits and characteristics needed for regenerative farming differ from mainstream cattle production. We'll hear from thr...

This week Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) are joined by Rob Havard from Phepson Angus. Links to news stories discussed: Up to £25,000 for farmers affected by flooding Nuffield report investigates carbon farming and soil carbon markets A whole-sector approach needed to create resilience in UK dairy sector Over half of adults want UK farmers to prioriti...

ffinlo Costain (8.9) and Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss the week's news - and welcome special guest, Clare Hill from Planton Farm. Links to topics discussed: First Milk farms revolutionising biodiversity and soil health assessment Changes to Woodland Carbon Code threaten UK timber supplies Woodland regeneration increases by 25% at Highlands National Nature Reserve Why nature...

In Field, Fork, Fashion, Alice V Robinson takes readers on a journey into the afterlife of Bullock 374, to help people understand the origin story of leather and its intrinsic connection to food and farming. ffinlo Costain is joined by Alice V Robinson - and by Sara Grady - who, with Alice, recently established British Pasture Leather, which sources and processes cattle hides from Pasture for Life...

ffinlo Costain (8.9) and Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss the week’s land use news. Tree equity map shows less affluent areas have lower tree cover Commoning and pastoralism central to Dartmoor land management British Sugar fails to deliver on 3 year plan to end use of banned neonicotinoids OF&G white paper highlights benefits of 10% organic English farmed area Patrick Hol...

Interviews with: Lesley Lambert from the Sustainable Food Trust - in advance of COP28 - talking about the opportunities Andrew Mahon from the Bromborough Estate Company on agroforestry Amy Bateman, the photographer behind Forty Farms - and coffee table book and now a farm trail photography exhibition Patrick Holden on COP28 - his reflections from the inside.

ffinlo Costain (8.9) and Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss the week's land use news. Clash of world views: Parliamentary push back against regen farming based on “outdated world view” Green Alliance: Failure to support farmers to cut carbon could cost £100 billion by 2050 Cost of poor food policy: Annual cost of UK obesity soars to £98 billion Cost of living crisis results...

Phil Carson ( Nature Friendly Farming Network ) and ffinlo Costain ( 8point9.com ) chew over the week’s news. News picks from our discussion: Upland farms worse off under current ELMs offer Farmers treating insects as “livestock” in trial to fight pests More research and innovation needed to make insect farming a success Virgin flies world’s first transatlantic “100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel flig...

Interviews with: Nicole Pita from IPES Food (cities and regions leading the way on climate and food systems), Xander Mahony from Tilhill (learning to love Sitka), Jo White from Human Behaviour Change for Life (benefits of switching from a trade in live animals to a trade in meat), And Dominic Elsworth from Whistlebare farm (Britain's wool trade).

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) chew over the week’s news. SHORT PICKS Adapting to climate change needs our "urgent, unswerving attention" says National Trust Cities and regions lead the way on real food and climate action Forestry leaders must improve public perception of Sitka LONGER CONVERSATIONS Buried Environment Agency report shows tox...

Features interviews with: John Willis from Planet Tracker, Chris Uttley from Stroud District Council, And Tom Munro from Dorset National Landscape. More land news at 8point9.com

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) chew over the week's news. PHIL'S PICKS Higher consumption of UPFs increases the risk of cancer and long-term heart conditions https://8point9.com/higher-consumption-of-upfs-increases-the-risk-of-cancer-and-long-term-heart-conditions/ Investigating the “halo effect” of food claims https://8point9.com/investigati...

Interviews with: Ruth Chambers from the Green Alliance. Patrick Holden from the Sustainable Food Trust. And Leonardo Gava from the Climate Bonds Initiative

Phil's choices UK must double fruit and veg production to divert from “bleak” future https://8point9.com/uk-must-double-fruit-and-veg-production-to-divert-from-bleak-future/ Genetic discovery promises high-iron vegetables and cereals https://8point9.com/genetic-discovery-promises-high-iron-vegetables-and-cereals/ Milestone reached in evidencing sustainability credentials of Welsh upland farms...

In 8.9 Newsweek: Interviews with Patty Fong from the Global Alliance for the Future of Food & Sara Grady from British Pasture Leather. And a discussion about Patty's new report, Power Shift -Why we need to wean industrial food systems off fossil fuels.

In Wheat from the Chaff (WFTC) ffinlo Costain (Editor-in-Chief of 8point9.com) and Phil Carson (UK Policy Lead for the Nature Friendly Farming Network) talk through the week's news on 8.9ha. SHOW LINKS - PHIL'S PICKS: Strength in diversity – mapping healthy microbiome relationships M&S Food donates one million meals in new partnership with FareShare Transformational impact of Farms for...

In this week's programme we hear: INTERVIEW: With Dr Antje Ahrends from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh about ground-breaking research that shows that rubber is driving deforestation three times faster than previously thought. DISCUSSION: A new report has warned that demand for sustainable fabrics could exceed supply by 130m tonnes by 2030. To discuss how we meet the rising demand for susta...

In Wheat from the Chaff (WFTC) ffinlo Costain (Editor-in-Chief of 8point9.com) and Phil Carson (UK Policy Lead for the Nature Friendly Farming Network) talk through the week's news on 8.9ha. This is a new format - please bear with us - any feedback welcome! SHOW NOTES: Red Tractor’s voluntary environment module available from next April https://8point9.com/red-tractors-voluntary-environment-mo...

This week ffinlo is joined by four of the new 2024 Nuffield Scholars - by Saba Amir, an academic at Aberystwyth University - Lucy George from Peterston Tea, based in the Vale of Glamorgan - Sophie Gregory, an Arla organic dairy farmer from Dorset - and Dan Jones, a sheep farmer from Great Orme in North Wales. We also hear interviews with David Webster, the new Chief Executive of LEAF Marque - and...

An interview with plant ecologist Dr Ruth Mitchell from The James Hutton Institute about visible and invisible forest diversity. And this week's 8.9ha Discussion is on Labour party policy on land use, trade and agriculture. ffinlo Costain is joined by Phil Carson, the UK Policy Lead for the Nature Friendly Farming Network, and by Vicki Hird, author of Rebugging the Planet, and Strategic Lead o...

The Scottish Government has unveiled its long-awaited Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill. This will replace the Common Agricultural Policy and aims to deliver the adoption and use of sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices. To discuss the bill, I’ll be joined later in the programme, by Nikki Yoxall, a member of Scotland's Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight B...

Torpenhow Farmhouse Dairy is a regenerative farm that has undergone total transformation - from 365 days a year indoor to fully regenerative. They were also the hosts of this summer's Down To Earth regen farming conference in the north of England, put on by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers. ffinlo Costain is joined by Jenny and Mark Lee from Torpenhow Farmhouse Dairy, who tell him ab...

Today we have two interviews, followed by a fantastic discussion about regenerative agriculture and the use of glyphosate. INTERVIEW 1: The Food, Farming and Countryside Commission has unveiled research, which shows that the British public reject “nanny state” excuses and instead overwhelmingly back state intervention to tackle our health, climate and nature crises. Dr Courtney Scott is the Direct...