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Farming Today: Flood Defence Money, Flood-Tolerant Barley, Red Squirrels

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10/02/2015

Flood Defence Money, Flood-Tolerant Barley, Red Squirrels

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, Flood Defence Money, Flood-Tolerant Barley, Red Squirrels

Scientists have developed a new strain of barley to withstand long-term waterlogging.

Farming Today continues to look at water management on farms. Anna Hill visits a farmer in Norfolk who says flooding, due to bad river management, causes havoc on his land.

Twenty red squirrels have been released on Mersea island in Essex over the past two and a half years. The site was chosen as there is no competition from grey squirrels and organisers of the project now hope the animals will soon start to breed.

Scientists at the University of Nottingham have developed a variety of barley that is better at tolerating flooding and waterlogged fields. This could help reduce loss of yield when the crop is starved of oxygen.

Farming Today continues to look at water management on farms. Anna Hill visits a farmer in Norfolk who says flooding, due to bad river management, causes havoc on his land. 

And the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee release a report today highlighting some of the potential issues surrounding the government's promise to boost and maintain flood defences around the UK. 

Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Lucy Bickerton.

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