Explore every episode of the podcast Farming Today

Charlotte Smith is at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show in Builth Wells. She meets the Welsh Government's Cabinet Member for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, Llyr Gruffydd, who explains how he's aiming to make Wales' new farming support scheme better for farmers - but is there enough funding? We also hear about why professional shearers are so important, and check out the Sheep Village, which is new this year. Produced by Sally Challoner.

July is on course to be the driest in Wales for almost 190 years. It means that North Wales and the Upper Severn catchment are the first areas in the UK to be declared officially in drought, this year. So far this month they've seen less than two per cent of the usual rainfall. Natural Resources Wales says river levels are approaching all time lows after a series of back-to-back heatwaves, with impacts on wildlife and soil.

In South East England, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have been moved into 'prolonged dry weather' status which is one step away from drought. That won't be news to farmers and growers in the area where some veg businesses are already investing to adapt to the 'new normal'. Barfoots grow broccoli and sweetcorn, amongst a long list of crops, for the supermarkets. The company's spent a million pounds on a new reservoir, at its farm near Chichester, which holds 28 million gallons of rain water supplemented by recycled treated water from their factory. Barfoots Commercial Director tells us the company is looking at building more reservoirs to store winter rainfall, to use in increasingly hot and dry summers.

Farmers have a crucial role in cleaning up one of the UK's most polluted river systems and could save themselves money in the process, according to a new study. The eastern and western Cleddau rivers in Pembrokeshire flow through farmland which produces as much as 25% of Wales' milk. Researchers from Lancaster University found the area's farms were buying in more fertiliser and processed animal feed than needed, causing a build-up of phosphorus in the soil and polluting waterways. Now dairy farmers are working out their "nutrient footprint" to help tackle the problem.

Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling

Charlotte Smith presents a panel discussion programme at the Royal Welsh Show, asking 'what's the best use of land in Wales?' With the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability in the Welsh Government, Llyr Gruffydd; hill farmer and social media influencer, Gareth Wyn Jones; Dominic Hampson Smith, Vice Chair of Wales Young Farmers Clubs; and Rachel Sharp, Director at Wildlife Trusts Wales.

Produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The UK's fresh produce trade body has written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham asking him to scrap proposed border checks on fruit, veg and flowers, which it claims could cost the industry £300 million. The controls are included in the reset of our trading relationship with the European Union, currently under negotiation. The checks for pests and diseases would affect imports to the UK from outside Europe. The chief executive of the Fresh Produce Consortium tells us around half of the fruit and veg which comes into the UK is from non-EU countries, and consumers are likely to see higher prices if the changes come into effect.

Salad sales have boomed in the hot weather, but the heat presents a big challenge for lettuce growers.

This week sees BBC Farmwatch, which celebrates farm to fork stories around England on BBC Sounds and BBC Local Radio. We catch up with BBC Farmwatch presenter, and farmer, Harriet Cowan as well as visiting a Somerset farm which makes its own unpasteurised Cheddar Cheese.

Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling

New research shows campylobacter - which causes gastro-intestinal illness in humans - is becoming more resistant to antibiotics as the number of intensive chicken farms increases. The research, led by scientists at Oxford University, found the number of strains of the bacterium was growing globally, with evolution advancing the most effective of them.

This week we’re celebrating Farmwatch, where our BBC Local Radio stations in England are highlighting farming stories in their communities. Lush Greens is a Community Market Garden situated in Bristol and surrounded by houses, that each week provides 60 families with fresh food grown on the two-acre site. It's part of a community supported agricultural scheme, which allows people to pay what they can afford.

And we celebrate 50 years of the National Wildlife Management Centre in Gloucestershire. It traps and tests wild badgers to build up a picture of habits and populations, to help understand the devastating disease Bovine TB, which affects both wildlife and livestock.

Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

Half of England is now officially in drought. The Environment Agency says it will enhance its monitoring of water levels and crucially for many farmers, step up controls on how much water can be taken from rivers and groundwater.

The BBC's local radio stations have been devoting the day to agriculture and as part of this Farmwatch the BBC has been looking at the price of food and how much of what we pay goes to farmers. According to the Consumer Price Index from May this year, families are paying 9% more for beef products, 2% more for bread rolls and 8% more for bagged salad than they were 12 months ago. However, producers at the start of the food chain say the extra cash doesn't end up in their pockets.

Cases of the cattle and sheep disease bluetongue are on the rise: there have been 24 in the UK since the beginning of the month, the majority in the South West of England and three in Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland haven't had any cases. The disease is spread by midges and can have a devastating impact on livestock from spontaneous abortions to birth defects and death.

Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The fourth heatwave of the year in the UK is still making the daily farming jobs a struggle for many. But this year the dry weather and heat have also created the conditions for significant wildfires across the country. In Scotland a wildfire started 2 weeks ago in the Cairngorms National Park. It's thought to have damaged around 25 square kilometres of natural forest and hillsides, although the exact extent isn't yet known. The surface fire has diminished but it's still burning deep in the peat soil, and nearly a hundred firefighters are still deployed in the area. The Chief Executive of the Cairngorms National Park Authority Grant Moir tells us that the fire took hold in an area known for its important wildlife habitats, much loved by visitors and the local community.

The end of harvest can also be the start of a very worrying time for farmers, when illegal hare coursers drive over stubble fields, set off dogs to chase hares, and often bet on the outcome. South Wales Police have warned of an increase in illegal hare coursing in the Vale of Glamorgan, with local farmers being threatened and intimidated when they try to intervene.

This week is BBC Farmwatch week and today we're heading to a farm in Nottinghamshire which grows wildflowers to harvest their seeds.

Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Sarah Swadling

As drought spreads across the UK we hear calls for our water and food systems to change. The lack of water, the miserable harvest and an unpredictable geo-political situation add up to expose the fragility of the UK's food system according to a cross section of supermarkets, food producers and campaigners who've written to the new Prime Minister. They want Andy Burnham to introduce a Good Food Bill for England.

The environmental charity, River Action, says too many businesses are taking water from rivers, and the Government should review the abstraction licence system. It says that trillions of litres of water are being taken from rivers, lakes and aquifers every year and that as pressure on resources grows, the UK needs a fully funded water resilience plan.

The drought is causing problems for livestock farmers; grass doesn't grow in scorched fields so they're having to look at other ways of feeding their animals.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The whole of Wales and half of England are now officially in drought. For farmers the impacts are huge. There are concerns about a shortage of feed for livestock and cereal yields are down. The Environment Agency in England says it will step up controls on how much water can be taken from rivers and groundwater. The National Farmers Union has called for a more modern abstraction system, saying we're still using regulations which are 50 years old. The environmental charity River Action says too many businesses are taking water from rivers, and the government should review the abstraction licence system. It says that trillions of litres of water are being taken from rivers, lakes and aquifers every year.

There's been a rise in cases of bluetongue this summer. The disease is spread by midges and can have a devastating impact on cattle and sheep. We hear from a farmer who lost a third of his calves due to the virus, and a scientist who says the hot weather is accelerating the spread.

All week BBC local radio stations in England have been focusing on agriculture, as part of this year's Farmwatch reporters have looked at food inflation and what rising costs mean for producers. We also hear from an inspiring young farmer in Cornwall, who has got his own dairy herd - comprising one Jersey cow.

Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The drought is hitting nature; the Wildlife Trusts warn that rivers, lakes and wetlands are under immense strain, leaving animals struggling to survive.

Harvest 2026 has been the earliest in England for at least 20 years and yields have suffered from the heat and a lack of water, leaving farmers counting the cost.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farmers are being 'strongly urged' to vaccinate sheep and cattle to protect them from the rapid spread of bluetongue. The UK's chief vet says vaccination is the only way to deal with the disease. There are now more than 200 farms with cases in the UK, more than double the number this time last week. The vast majority are in England, with most in the South West. In Wales there've been five. There are none in Scotland or Northern Ireland. The disease is spread by midges and this year's heatwave means the midges and the virus are replicating much more quickly. There is a vaccine but previously take up was low. We speak to the National Sheep Association and the UK's chief vet.

Harvest 2026 has been the earliest in England for at least 20 years. Yields have suffered from the heat and a lack of water, leaving farmers counting the cost. All week we've been hearing harvest stories from around the UK and asking what impact all this will have on food, prices and the future for British farming.

We visit Northamptonshire where they've been harvesting at the crack of dawn to ensure the wheat's not too dry, and hearing from a miller who says the quality of British milling wheat this year is very good.

In Perthshire, Scottish farmers have been dodging the rain to bring in the barley. Growers in Berkshire, who're cultivating their dry dusty fields ready to plant oilseed rape, are wondering whether they'll be growing next season's crops at a loss.

We also speak to a plant scientist who says the DNA of ancient varieties of wheat could hold the key to breeding future crops which are more resilient to climate change. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

In the light of this summer’s dismal harvest, we hear of work to make the UK’s arable crops more resilient in a changing climate.

With the hot dry weather continuing in much of the country, not to mention the situation in the Strait of Hormuz making diesel and fertiliser prices volatile, some farmers are already scratching their heads about what best to grow for next year’s harvest.

And a beautiful native breed cow, so rare it was declared extinct in the 1930s, now making a surprising comeback thanks to a farmer in Somerset’s Chew Valley.

Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Farmers are being 'strongly urged' to vaccinate sheep and cattle to protect them from the rapid spread of bluetongue. The UK's chief vet says vaccination is the only way to deal with the disease. There are now 130 cases, more than double the number this time last week. The vast majority are in England, with most in the South West. Wales has four cases, there are none in Scotland or Northern Ireland, and here cases means farms affected rather than individual animals with the disease. Bluetongue can make sheep and cattle lethargic and lame, it can cause birth defects or spontaneous abortions and it can be fatal. The disease is spread by midges, originally they were blown over from Europe but now they, and the virus, survive the winter here. This year's heatwave means the virus and midges are replicating much more quickly. It doesn't affect human or food safety. There is a vaccine but take up has been low. We ask the National Sheep Association why that is, and speak to the Chief Veterinary Officer who says scientists expect the virus to peak in September.

Across much of England and Wales the heatwave and drought has meant an early harvest and poor yields, in much of Scotland things are different. There’s been hot and dry weather earlier in the summer but now it’s rain that's making things difficult.

Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Scotland's first minister John Swinney has been speaking about the future for Scottish farmers and crofters while touring the country visiting summer agricultural shows. This hot dry summer hasn't hit farmers in Scotland quite as hard as southern England, but some areas are now considered to be in what Scotland terms 'water scarcity'. We speak to him about support for farmers and the government's future plans to tackle wildfires.

A new report estimates farmers could lose as much as £390 million in revenue because of the heat waves and drought this summer. Analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit estimates the grain harvest could be down by as much as 2.5 million tonnes.

We're talking about the harvest all week. We visit the Eden Valley in Cumbria find out how one farmer near Penrith is managing his harvest balancing-act.

Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Rebecca Rooney

Official figures show the harvest this summer is the earliest in England for 20 years. All week we're following farmers around the country as they bring in their crops. We visit a farmer in Northamptonshire who thinks this year's harvest will put him in the red.

When cheese is made, it produces curds and whey. There are two types of whey, sweet and salty. The sweet is often used for protein ingredients but the salty whey is difficult to dispose of and can be hazardous to the environment. Now scientists at Herriot Watt University have found a way to make salty whey into bio-ethanol, which could be used in car fuel.

Scientists are studying how interactions between people and working dogs could help spread a harmful tapeworm. Mid-Wales has been described as a hotspot for hydatid disease, which can cause slow-growing cysts on internal organs. It's found in sheep and farmers who work closely with sheepdogs are most at risk. Health experts say that although rare, the disease is a significant concern due to the potentially serious health consequences.

Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Rebecca Rooney

The finances of farming in and after a heatwave.

And salad - endless sunshine and no rain isn't ideal for many crops, so prices are up as UK supplies tighten and some companies are even importing.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Livestock farmers in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset are at the centre of the current outbreak of bluetongue and cases are rising rapidly. Bluetongue can be fatal to animals like sheep and cattle but doesn’t affect humans, it’s spread by midges, and makes animals lethargic and lame as well as causing birth defects or spontaneous abortions. The Farming Community Network has a 24 hour help line: we ask them about the impact the disease is having on farmers in the South West of England.

As England and Wales are set to enter the fifth heatwave of the summer, almost three-quarters of England is now in drought. The National Drought Group has added the East Midlands, Lincolnshire & Northamptonshire, Kent & East Sussex, and Solent & the South Downs into drought status. The prolonged lack of rain in some places is having a major impact on farming and food production in the UK and Europe. We speak to a farmer from Copa Cogeca which represents European farmers and farming cooperatives.

We’re talking about UK salad production all this week. Unseasonably hot weather doesn’t just increase our demand for lettuce, tomatoes and other salad crops, it also has an impact on how they well they grow, the diseases they might catch, and the working conditions of those planting and harvesting them.

Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Feelings are running high amongst farmers in Northern Ireland over a cull of 51 cattle. It was carried out in June by a humane slaughter team from the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs in County Tyrone. The government said it was a final resort after a court ordered that the farmer who owned them should be ‘deprived of the ownership of all farmed animals’ because of a previous animal welfare conviction. The cull has proved extremely controversial. It’s claimed it was visible to members of the public and some question why the animals had to be killed at all. Hundreds of farmers protested outside Stormont, home of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Daera minister has now ordered an investigation into how it was handled.

Rain has been in short supply this summer with the driest July ever recorded in England and Wales. Some rivers are flowing at exceptionally low levels. Shallower rivers heat up more quickly and the water temperature in places is far higher than usual which can be disastrous for fish and other aquatic life. There’ve been reports of several incidents of fish deaths. We ask the Angling Trust how bad the situation is.

All week we’re looking into commercial salad production. We speak to a big producer in Worcestershire about how they manage water to irrigate their crops in huge glasshouses in the Vale of Evesham.

Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Bluetongue, the livestock disease that is transmitted by midges, is spreading, especially in the south west. It affects farm animals including sheep and cattle. It doesn’t affect people, but it can be very painful and fatal to livestock. Annual bluetongue statistics are counted from July to June, the so-called bluetongue season. Since the end of June this year, there have already been more cases than in the whole of the previous season. Hundreds of farmers in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset are coping with the virus in their sheep, in particular. We visit a farmer near Exeter whose flock is just beginning to emerge from a bout of bluetongue.

We import more than 80% of fresh tomatoes, and more than 50% of lettuce. However, new analysis from the environmental think-tank The Green Alliance suggests that if the UK replaced half of fruit and vegetable imports with homegrown produce, it would generate nearly £2 billion for the economy and make us more self-sufficient in food production than we’ve been for the last 25 years.

Vitamin B12 is essential for our diets and is found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, but not in plants - until now. Scientists have developed a way of fortifying pea shoots with B12 and hope to get it in supermarket salad bags in the next year or two. After successful trials, agri-tech company Lettus Grow and the John Innes Centre believe it could work for other crops too. B12's very expensive, but growers say they've developed a super-efficient way of getting it into the pea shoots.

Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Rebecca Rooney

Brassica growers are warning their crops are in crisis after the relentless heat has left them stunted or dying in the ground. The British Growers Assocation says crops including cauliflower and broccoli are half the size they should be, putting prices up. We meet growers at Tebay services on the M6 in Cumbria. The company has been working with the horticulture and mental health charity Growing Well, and have established a kitchen garden to keep their cafe and farm-shop stocked with the freshest possible salad and veg. And it's the end of an era for the Thompson family on their berry farm in Perthshire. They've decided to end commercial production as they say it's no longer viable. For their very last cherry harvest, they invited the public to come along and ‘pick their own’ with the proceeds going to charities. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

The Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a package of measures to help drought-hit farmers in England, saying food production is national security. It will give more flexibility for farmers in environmental schemes, and easier access to water. More details will also be announced today about plans to help farmers build reservoirs on farm. The NFU says it's a start, but action needs to be taken now to make the UK more resilient to future floods and drought.

All this week we're looking at the solar industry - from solar farms on agricultural land, to panels on farm roofs to generate power. Today we hear from the industry body, and a farm where hens are grazing amongst the panels.

Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

The Prime Minister's due to announce a package of support to help farmers in England cope with the drought. The measures will include putting an extra £50 million of Defra's budget towards this year's Sustainable Farming Incentive and offering up to £15 million for on-farm reservoirs, to enable farmers to store water in the winter which they can use in the summer.

As well as drought and heat, livestock farmers are staving off an outbreak of bluetongue - it’s a disease which affects cattle and sheep, but not humans. The South West is dealing with hundreds of cases, mostly in sheep in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. However there’ve been cases in Northern England and Wales as well, and for the first time ever, a couple of cases in Scotland.

Brassica growers say the sector's in crisis. Farmers say crops like brocolli and cauliflower are dying in the fields because of the drought and extreme heat.

The hot weather means demand for salad is up but when it's too hot, the crops don't like it - and nor do the pickers. We visit a grower in Lancashire where workers are picking by torch-light to avoid the heat.

Vitamin B12 is essential for our diets, it's found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, but not in plants, or not until now, that is: scientists have developed a way of fortifying peashoots with B12 and hope to get them in supermarket salad bags in the next year or two.

This summer marks the end of an era for the Thompson family and their berry farm at Blairgowrie, in Perthshire, one of Scotland's most important soft fruit growing areas. The Thompsons have decided to end commercial production because they say the business is no longer economically viable.

Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Supplies of the vaccine for the livestock disease Bluetongue are in short supply after a large outbreak in the south west of the UK. A mild winter, hot dry summer, and the midges - which cause the disease - moving into densley populated livestock areas, have all contributed to the worst ever outbreak, which has now affected Wales and Scotland too. We speak to the president of the Sheep Veterinary Society about when we can expect more vaccines.

All this week we're looking at solar farms. Today we're in Staffordshire where the country council has launched a campaign called “Stop the Solar Land Grab”. The council is particularly concerned about the effect three solar farms will have on the community of Drointon.

And the hot weather has been good news for the UK's increasing number of vineyards. But winemakers in Devon and Cornwall say it’s left them in "uncharted territory.” One new challenge is how to replicate their normal crisp flavours because the heat changes the taste of the grapes.

Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.

Caz Graham is at the Hawkshead Show in the Lake District, to see why local shows like this are so important to rural areas. All over the UK, through the summer months, communities come together for village shows. There are hundreds of them, each reflecting the distinct flavour of the farming, food, local customs and the people of the villages and towns they’re held in. Produced by Sally Challoner.

The UK Health Security Agency is investigating the outbreak of salmonella that’s led to confirmed cases in more than 200 people, and the death of one person. Initial findings suggest it could be linked to imported eggs. Salmonella is extremely rare in UK produced eggs - all laying hens have to be vaccinated against it, and there’s a ‘passport’ system ensuring that all hens, eggs and feed are fully traceable. Although the vast majority of eggs we buy to cook with at home are British, eggs and egg products used in restaurants and other food services can often be imported to reduce costs. Not all of the countries they come from enforce the same production standards as the UK, The British Egg Industry Council says there needs to be a stricter testing regime for imported eggs. We eat around 40 million eggs a day in the UK, and import five million of those. We speak to an expert about how you begin to track down where a salmonella outbreak might have come from.

Beekeepers are warning that the lack of rain this summer could have long term consequences for their bees, which are vital pollinators for many crops.

Roof-top solar on agricultural buildings - we visit a dairy farm and ice cream producer in Derbyshire where it's making a big difference to electricity bills.

Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney