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: 31/03/23 Trans-Pacific trade deal; "green day" policies; TB in Wales; SNP cabinet reshuffle; recycling shotgun cartridges

31/03/23 Trans-Pacific trade deal; "green day" policies; TB in Wales; SNP cabinet reshuffle; recycling shotgun cartridges

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 31/03/23 Trans-Pacific trade deal; "green day" policies; TB in Wales; SNP cabinet reshuffle; recycling shotgun cartridges

Trans-Pacific trade deal; net zero plan; TB in Wales; SNP cabinet; recycling cartridges.

Trans-Pacific trade deal.
Government publishes details of its new net zero plans.
Welsh government strategy for bovine TB.
SNP's new cabinet.
Recycling used shotgun cartridges.

The UK is on the verge of joining the Trans-Pacific Trade Pact, or CPTPP. Signing up to the "Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership", to give it its full name, joining Chile, Canada and Vietnam amongst other Pacific-rim countries. The deal has been a cause of concern for farmers who’re worried they may be stuck with a bad deal that could also open the door to beef treated with hormones.  

A Green Finance Strategy setting out plans to encourage private investment for nature-recovery and a ‘Nature Markets Framework’ have been published as part of the government’s new net zero plan. The Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs says there are multi-billion pound opportunities for farmers and landowners in the carbon market and have committed to develop a new harmonised approach for measuring on-farm emissions, as well as greater support for farmers to calculate and reduce their carbon footprint. We ask the Nature Friendly Farming Network what they think of the plans.

The Welsh government has set up two new taskforces, made up of farmers, vets and academics, in an effort to eradicate bovine TB by 2041. A refreshed strategy for tackling the disease, which led to the slaughter of almost ten thousand cattle in Wales last year, was announced in the Senedd this week.  

The new First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf has announced his new cabinet. Mairi Gougeon, who became the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands back in 2021 keeps her job and Land Reform has been added to her brief too.

All this week we're discussing how farming and rural businesses are tackling waste and putting it to new purposes. In East Yorkshire two young friends, both farmers' sons, looking for extra work during the winter months found a gap in the market connected to the millions of shotgun cartridges used on clay shooting ranges every year. They collect, shred and clean the used cartridges, which are turned into plastic pellets which can be used to make things - including road surfaces.

Presenter = Caz Graham
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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

31/03/23 Trans-Pacific trade deal; "green day" policies; TB in Wales; SNP cabinet reshuffle; recycling shotgun cartridges

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4