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Farming Today: 27/10/20 - England's Natural Capital, out on a hunt and sustainable pork production

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27/10/20 - England's Natural Capital, out on a hunt and sustainable pork production

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 27/10/20 - England's Natural Capital, out on a hunt and sustainable pork production

After 9 years, the Government's Natural Capital Committee makes it's last report - and finds action is required.

England’s Natural Capital is in decline or at best static, according to the final report of the government’s Natural Capital Committee. The group was set up nine years ago ad says an overhaul of the system of monitoring England’s habitats, air, water and soil, must be established to set baselines which can then be upheld by the new Office for Environmental Protection. But it's not all bad news - Anna Hill speaks to committee member, Professor Kathy Willis.

The MAIN hunting season is about to start and as part of our week long look at hunting and game shooting, we join an Autumn hunt in Cheshire. It's 15 years since the Hunting Act came into force. Since then there have been over 500 convictions, but the Countryside Alliance says that fewer than 30 of the offenders were involved with registered hunts and most of the convictions under the Act were for illegal poaching. We ask hunters how the sport has changed and how easy it is to stay within the bounds of the law. Later in the week we'll hear from saboteurs.

And one of the country's biggest pig farming operations is overhauling its sustainability credentials, from animal feed to packaging. Pilgrim's produces 25% of all the pigs in the UK and employs 8 thousand people throughout the food chain. Farmers raise the pigs for the company which is in charge of their breeding, growing, slaughter, and packaging. Anna Hill speaks to their Head of Agriculture about the changes being made.

Presented by Anna Hill
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

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