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Farming Today: Nitrates, Farmland birds, Protected food

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14/04/2014

Nitrates, Farmland birds, Protected food

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, Nitrates, Farmland birds, Protected food

Could farmers be doing more to stop nitrate pollution in the air?

Could farmers be doing more to stop nitrate pollution in the air? The results are in from the Big Farmland Bird Count. How can protecting a food mean more money for the producer?

Scotland is consulting on plans to reduce the area covered by Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs), meaning farmers won't be as restricted to the amount of nitrogen-based fertilizer they can use in the soil. However, whilst pollution in water levels are falling, Dr Mark Sutton from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology says farmers could be doing more to prevent nitrate air pollution which is very harmful to flora and fauna.

How can getting a protected status for regional food specialities increase your revenue as a producer? Matthew O'Callaghan from the Protected Food Name Association tells Farming Today that it's a hard process which needs a lot of work, but ultimately it can pay dividends.

The results are in from the first Big Farmland Bird Count by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust.

Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Ruth Sanderson.

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