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Farming Today: 09/12/2011

09/12/2011

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 09/12/2011

'Support your local farmer' says Manx NFU after food import problems left shelves empty.

Manx farmers push islanders and businesses to buy local and rely less on imports - after bad weather led to four days with limited deliveries. Presented by Charlotte Smith.

Farmers on the Isle of Man are urging people to buy more local produce and rely less on imports. This week bad weather meant limited deliveries by boat leaving some shops on the island with empty shelves. The Manx NFU says as there is a good supply of bread, milk, eggs, cheese and meat from local producers - and to avoid any future food supply problems, residents and business should be looking to be self-sustainable. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture on the Isle of Man says though there were restrictions on supplies, the Island has more than sufficient supplies. 

Following on from yesterday's exclusive interview with the Bishop of Liverpool on the future of English woodlands, Charlotte Smith visits Thames Chase Community Forest in Essex where volunteers are working to manage the forest. Meanwhile in Scotland - currently around 17% of the land is woodland. Over the next few decades this is will change to meet the Scottish Government target of 25% of all land by 2050. To achieve that, about twenty five thousand acres of trees will have to be planted every year between now and then. The target has proved to be controversial, some farmers are concerned that land which could be used for food production will go for forestry. Charlotte talks to a farmer and the chair of a new group set up to help meet the target.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced in Birmingham by Angela Frain.

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