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Farming Today: 25/04/22 - Natural History GCSE and farming, Kendal College and water

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25/04/22 - Natural History GCSE and farming, Kendal College and water

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 25/04/22 - Natural History GCSE and farming, Kendal College and water

Will the new Natural History GCSE include farming?

Charlotte Smith looks into whether agriculture should be included in the new Natural History GCSE.

We asked the Department for Education if the new Natural History GCSE will include farming - they told us the focus will be natural history rather than farming...but said "There is a range of content that could be covered - we will work closely with independent experts and a range of stakeholders and exam boards to decide the detailed content.” We speak to one of those bodies about how it could work.

Cumbria’s Newton Rigg college provided an education in agriculture for tens of thousands of farmers over more than 120 years. But as we reported last summer it closed, much to the disappointment and anger of the local farming community - after Askam Bryan College in York which was running it said it was no long financially viable. But there’s been widespread support for another further education establishment, Kendal College, which has taken on teaching the next generation of Cumbrian farmers. 

And water is an increasingly tricky issue for British farmers, who are getting used to wetter winters and dryer summers. We hear how some are now getting nervous after receiving less rain than normal in April.

Presented by Charlotte Smith
Produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Heather Simons

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