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Farming Today: 25/03/23 Farming Today This Week: cost of producing crab; Pacific oysters; prawn deaths; Precision Breeding Act; Muirburn.

25/03/23 Farming Today This Week: cost of producing crab; Pacific oysters; prawn deaths; Precision Breeding Act; Muirburn.

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 25/03/23 Farming Today This Week: cost of producing crab; Pacific oysters; prawn deaths; Precision Breeding Act; Muirburn.

Cost of producing crab; Pacific oysters; prawn deaths; Precision Breeding Act; Muirburn.

Crab processor costs soar; Pacific oyster farms face new restrictions; mass prawn deaths; new precision breeding law; Wildlife & Muirburn Bill introduced by Scottish Parliament.

As inflation soars, one Devon crab producer says its fuel costs have gone up more than 500% in the last five years, with additional costs for exporting to the EU since Brexit. However a growth in demand from the USA and Asia means they're still optimistic.

The Duchy of Cornwall is to phase out the farming of Pacific oysters in all the estuaries it owns.  Several oyster farms in Devon and Cornwall now face closure. They farm Pacific oysters which are classed as an invasive, non-native species. Defra has introduced tighter restrictions around oyster farms to prevent the spread of Pacific oysters and protect native ones. The shellfish industry says the policy is misguided. 

Fishing communities are calling for the government to open a new inquiry into the die-off of crabs and lobsters on England's North East coast. Fishing crews say further dredging in the area is causing problems and is now affecting prawn catches. A previous Defra inquiry concluded dredging was not to blame and say they've ruled out further investigations

The new Precision Breeding Act has become law. It will allow the use of gene-editing technology to create new plant varieties. Defra says the new law will not allow for the indiscriminate use of gene-editing technology, but campaign groups, like GM Freeze, say it could have unintended consequences.

Scottish grouse moors will have to be licensed under proposals in a new bill. The Scottish Government says the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill, if passed, will tackle the persecution of birds of prey. It would also bring in greater restrictions around muirburn, the controlled burning of heather, on peat soils. Gamekeepers say the changes would effectively put shoots out of business.

Presenter = Charlotte Smith
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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25/03/23 Farming Today This Week: cost of producing crab; Pacific oysters; prawn deaths; Precision Breeding Act; Muirburn.

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