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Farming Today: 10/11/23 Methane in livestock; Avian influenza and wild birds; Dairy exports

10/11/23 Methane in livestock; Avian influenza and wild birds; Dairy exports

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 10/11/23 Methane in livestock; Avian influenza and wild birds; Dairy exports

Methane in livestock debate. Wild birds and avian influenza. Dairy exports.

Climate change, methane and the impact of livestock numbers. Avian influenza and wild birds. £1 million dairy export programme launched.

We look at agriculture's greenhouse gas emissions, and the carbon-dioxide-versus-methane debate.  Some farmers argue that cattle numbers don't have to come down in order to reduce agriculture's emissions because the methane cattle produce lasts only for about a decade in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide on the other hand, lasts for thousands of years and so, the argument goes, it's more important to produce less of that, leaving cattle on pasture which itself can sequester CO2. We bring together two academics  - Professor Myles Allen and Professor Sir Charles Godfray - who are both quoted to support the arguments on either side of the debate. Now the two Oxford professors have agreed a way forward, which involves reducing methane levels and reducing global temperatures.

The risk of avian influenza in wild birds has been officially reduced from high to medium after a reduction in the number of cases - in kept poultry the risk remains low. We're looking at the impact of avian flu all week. For farmers it can be devastating and it is changing the way they produce poultry. Conservationists want more research into wild bird populations, where tens of thousands of birds have died.  We visit a nature reserve in Scotland and speak to the RPSB's senior policy officer on avian flu.

A new £1 million pound dairy export programme's been launched by the government. It was promised by the Prime Minister at the farm-to-fork Summit in May. Currently the UK exports about £2 billion of dairy products every year, to 135 countries. A new dairy export task force, with farmers, processors and government is looking at reducing 'barriers to trade' and opening up more markets.  

Presenter = Charlotte Smith
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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10/11/23 Methane in livestock; Avian influenza and wild birds; Dairy exports

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