Farming Today This Week

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Farming Today: 04/11/23 - Farming Today This Week: Insect farming, egg supply chain and the Lynx Effect on rams

04/11/23 - Farming Today This Week: Insect farming, egg supply chain and the Lynx Effect on rams

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 04/11/23 - Farming Today This Week: Insect farming, egg supply chain and the Lynx Effect on rams

Charlotte Smith brings you a round up of the week's rural news.

From tupping to hedge trimming (or not) - Charlotte Smith finds out what autumn means on farms across the UK.

The Government is reviewing what can be fed to livestock in the UK. Farmed insects are a potentially source of protein for pigs and poultry, which could replace imported feeds like soya that are linked to deforestation. But processed insect feed is currently banned for livestock in the UK. The concern here, is that insects can be disease vectors, particularly if reared on waste, and that using insect proteins could lead to outbreaks of diseases like BSE. But British insect farmers want the law changed and more flexibility allowed on what insects bred for fodder can eat.

The Government is launching a review into fairness in the egg supply chain. Last Spring egg producers warned that retailers weren't paying enough for their eggs and that was forcing producers to cut back the number of laying hens or give up altogether. That - combined with the pressure of avian flu - led to shortages on supermarket shelves and an increase in imports from places like Italy and Poland. Since then, prices farmers are getting for their eggs have risen by as much as fifty percent, and many are now achieving a profit, but farmers say contracts need to be fairer to prevent future shortages.

And why is Lynx Africa a vital bit of kit for sheep farmers? We hear from one shepherdess about it's use in calming down rowdy rams!

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

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