Farming Today

Original version

BBC Radio 4 LW

Magazines & Reviews

Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside

BBC Radio 4 FM

Farming Today: 18/02/22 GM plants and rare breeds

18/02/22 GM plants and rare breeds

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 18/02/22 GM plants and rare breeds

Proposed changes to legislation around GM crops

We hear about proposed changes to legislation around GM crops

Lords have criticised DEFRA plans to change the regulations around the use of genetically modified plants. The government wants to reform legislation around gene editing, now that we've left the EU and remove what it considers ‘unnecessary regulatory processes’.  The House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee has been examining the proposed changes and has published a report which criticises a lack of clarity and detail. We hear from the committee's chairman, Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts. 

All this week we're looking at Rare Breeds around the UK. The British Lop Pig Society and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust have teamed up with Scotland’s Rural College to take hair samples from Lop pigs to understand the breed’s genetic diversity.  It’s a study that should make it easier in future for famers  to select the most appropriate pigs for breeding to try and halt the decline in Lop pigs. We hear from the chair of the British Lop Pig Society, Giles Eustice - brother of DEFRA Secretary George - at Trevaskis Farm near Camborne in Cornwall. 

And we hear from Jock Gibson in Moray, whose family butcher's shop is an extension of the family farm just above the Moray Firth in the Highlands.

Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rebecca Rooney and Caitlin Hobbs.

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Farming Today

18/02/22 GM plants and rare breeds

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4