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Farming Today: 13/08/2013

13/08/2013

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 13/08/2013

Farming on the edge of bovine TB. Robin Markwell looks at new Government control measures.

Farming and countryside news. Robin Markwell looks at the government's latest measures for controlling the spread of bovine TB by targeting areas at the edge of the disease.

Defra has announced a new set of measures which it hopes will stop Bovine TB spreading to parts of England which aren't currently affected by the disease. The strategy will focus on stamping out bovine TB in so-called 'edge areas' in ten counties. The new control measures include more skin-testing of cattle and tougher movement restrictions. The Government will also fund badger vaccination trials, as well as monitoring the extent of TB infection in wildlife. Farming Today's Robin Markwell gauges reaction from a cattle farmer in Cheshire - which is one of the 'edge areas' - and hears from Farming Minister David Heath.

Also on the programme - why the value of commercial woodland has risen by 25% over the last couple of years. Although most of the timber we use in the UK is imported, the market for homegrown wood is increasing. We hear from a forest management company which is hoping to supply that demand.

And Farming Today continues to track the progress of the UK harvest, catching up with the spring barley crop in North Somerset.

Presented by Robin Markwell. Produced by Anna Jones.

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