Farming Today This Week

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Farming Today: 10/02/24 Farming Today This Week: Protests in Wales; Subsidies in Scotland; Anniversary of cockle pickers tragedy; Working dogs.

10/02/24 Farming Today This Week: Protests in Wales; Subsidies in Scotland; Anniversary of cockle pickers tragedy; Working dogs.

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 10/02/24 Farming Today This Week: Protests in Wales; Subsidies in Scotland; Anniversary of cockle pickers tragedy; Working dogs.

Scottish farmers keep 70% of subsidies but warnings of "huge unrest" about Welsh reforms.

As Scottish government promises farmers they'll keep 70% of their existing subsidies for growing food, Welsh farm leaders warn of huge unrest over proposed reforms there.

Farming leaders in Wales have warned of "huge unrest" over planned Welsh government reforms to farm support payments, claiming mass protests are now "more or less inevitable". The Welsh government has urged farmers to participate in a consultation on their plans - which would require farms to have 10% tree cover and manage a further 10% of their land as wildlife habitat in order to access funding in future.  

Scotland's farmers will continue receiving most of their existing subsidies for growing food. The Scottish First Minister Humuza Yousaf has announced that 70% of future support in Scotland will be direct payments. This is the Scottish post-Brexit system which will replace the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and is in marked contrast to the new systems being introduced in England and Wales where the vast majority of public money will be paid only for environmental work, and direct payments are phased out.  

It's 20 years since the Morecambe Bay cockling disaster. 23 people lost their lives after getting cut off by the Bay’s notoriously fast flowing tide while gathering cockles. Those who drowned were Chinese Migrants, illegally smuggled into the country and were working as forced labour for criminal gangmasters. The tragedy paved the way for the creation of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority in 2005 and to this day, anyone supplying workers into the shellfish sector, and into agriculture and horticulture, requires a licence with what is now the GLAA.

We visit Glynhynod Farm, which means "Remarkable Valley" in Welsh - a family business making Caerphilly and Gouda and distilling Welsh whisky. 

Also, what makes a champion sheepdog? We find out from a handler who's worked with dogs all his life.

Presenter = Charlotte Smith
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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10/02/24 Farming Today This Week: Protests in Wales; Subsidies in Scotland; Anniversary of cockle pickers tragedy; Working dogs.

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