Farming Today

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Farming Today: 18/04/23 Tree deaths; waste-eating larvae; chickens allowed out;  natural capital in Scotland

18/04/23 Tree deaths; waste-eating larvae; chickens allowed out;  natural capital in Scotland

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 18/04/23 Tree deaths; waste-eating larvae; chickens allowed out;  natural capital in Scotland

Tree deaths and new plantings; chickens released; waste-eating larvae; natural capital.

Survival rates for new tree plantings; free-range chickens allowed outdoors again; maggots fed on waste fruit and veg used as chicken feed; natural capital in Scotland.

As the UK aims to meet its target of becoming net zero on carbon by 2050, millions of trees are being planted, but will all these new trees survive? According to the Forestry Commission, on average 30% of newly planted trees in towns and cities in the UK will not survive more than 12 months and a long term programme of planting trees along the A14 has been badly hit: the Highways Agency told us since 2018 around 40% of newly planted trees along the road had died. Since then, with the very hot summer last year, they are expecting that number to rise. We speak to the Woodland Trust.  

After months of being kept indoors to prevent the spread of Avian Flu, free range poultry is being allowed outdoors. DEFRA's latest figures show Avian Flu outbreaks have been the worst recorded this winter, with more than 330 outbreaks confirmed across the country since late October 2021. Enhanced biosecurity requirements that were brought in as part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone will remain in force as infection may still be circulating for several more weeks. 

A business start-up is producing soldier larvae to feed to chickens. It uses surplus fruit and veg from supermarkets to grow maggots. The company is now working with several egg farms in Wales, who are installing converted containers next to their hen houses, so the live grubs can be fed to the chickens.

Estate owners in Scotland are tapping into the growing carbon market to make money from  "natural capital" such as peat and woodland restoration. One landowner rejects the term "green laird" and insists he's interested in looking after the land for the long term.

Presenter = Anna Hill
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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18/04/23 Tree deaths; waste-eating larvae; chickens allowed out; natural capital in Scotland

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