Farming Today

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Farming Today: 10/04/24 - SSSI designations, flood fund and outdoor pigs

10/04/24 - SSSI designations, flood fund and outdoor pigs

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 10/04/24 - SSSI designations, flood fund and outdoor pigs

Who should decide whether a piece of land should have legal environmental protection?

Who should decide on whether a piece of land is so environmentally precious it needs legal protection?

Who should decide whether an area of land is of such great environmental importance it should be given legal protection? A bill being considered by Parliament at the moment wants the power to designate Sites of Special Scientific Interest transferred from Natural England - the Government’s own advisor for the natural environment in England - to the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. The Private Member’s Bill has the backing of former DEFRA secretary, Thérèse Coffey, and two former DEFRA ministers, but critics say it would turn the process into a subjective, political one rather than one based on the scientific evidence. 

The Government has opened the Farming Recovery Fund for applications from farmers who were affected by Storm Henck, which brought damaging winds and heavy rain to South and Central parts of England and Wales back in January. 

And although many sows in the UK have their piglets outside - the majority of those piglets are then taken indoors after they’ve been weaned, to be reared. Rearing piglets outside can take longer, and it needs more land, but we visit one farm near Wolverhampton where that's exactly what they do.

Presented by Caz Graham
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

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10/04/24 - SSSI designations, flood fund and outdoor pigs

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