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Farming Today: 07/06/22 - Coastal changes, future farming policy in Scotland and small scale horticulture

07/06/22 - Coastal changes, future farming policy in Scotland and small scale horticulture

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 07/06/22 - Coastal changes, future farming policy in Scotland and small scale horticulture

Will some coastal communities and farm land have to be given up to the sea?

'The hardest of all inconvenient truths' -  some coastal communities and farm land will have to be given up to the sea, according to the Environment Agency.

For many years, news headlines have been punctuated with stories of coastal properties falling into the sea; and it's well known that Britain’s low-lying parts of the East Coast are at risk. Now, the Environment Agency is giving its clearest warning yet: that some coastal communities will have to be moved, and land given up to the sea.  Its Chief Executive, Sir James Bevan, has called it "the hardest of all inconvenient truths" and says "climate impacts will mean some coastal communities cannot stay where they are".

The Scottish Government has said it wants at least half of all agricultural support payments for farming and crofting to be conditional by 2025 - meaning to get the money, you’ll have to deliver things like biodiversity gain or reduced emissions. NFU Scotland has been holding a roadshow across the country over the last month gathering farmers’ views; we find out how it's gone down.

And a pilot grant scheme aimed at encouraging small scale food growers in Wales, has led the Welsh Government to take action. The pilot awarded grants of up to £5000 to fund equipment to grow food, on less than five hectares. We visit one of the participating farms.

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

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