The Farmers Weekly Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Thousands of farmers gather in London to lobby MPs and protest against changes to inheritance tax rules.

From April 2026, agricultural assets worth more than £1m will be liable for 20% inheritance tax – leaving many farmers fearing for their livelihoods.

Some 15,000 farmers descended on Westminster to oppose the changes, worried that the autumn Budget decision will force them to leave the land.

Join us as we report live from the event - speaking to protest organisers, politicians and farmers on the streets around parliament.

Could a compromise be possible – allowing the government to achieve its goal while enabling farmers to continue farming?

Or are both sides digging in for the long haul?

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker and specialist arable farming journalist Louise Impey.

To contact us, email podcast@fwi.co.uk. In the UK, you can also message us by texting the word FARM followed by your message to 88 44 0.

In this episode, Jeremy Clarkson is set to join thousands of farmers protesting against the government’s decision to impose inheritance tax on farmland.

The TV celebrity and star of Clarkson's Farm is expected to address farmers as they gather in London on Tuesday 19 November.

Farm business consultants are continuing to wade through the government’s budget documents - looking at ways to mitigate their worst effects.

We've a special interview with Richard Means, managing partner of Ceres Rural.

And NFU president Tom Bradshaw says he understands farmers' anger at the Treasury for ignoring the "human cost" of the Budget.

In this episode, we look at the future of the UK potato sector with a special visit to the Potato Days UK event at Dyson Farming.

With the crop under pressure to reduce its carbon footprint, we find out how potato growers and processors are reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

We discuss the role regenerative agriculture has when it comes to potato production – a crop which involves moving huge amounts of soil.

And we look at the latest research on biostimulants and ask: do they really work and what is the science behind them?

We also discuss prospects for budget cuts at Defra, the latest on the UK bluetongue outbreak and vaccines for combating bovine tuberculosis.

This special episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker and specialist arable reporter Louise Impey.

To contact the Farmers Weekly Podcast, email podcast@fwi.co.uk. In the UK, you can also message us by texting the word FARM followed by your message to 88 44 0.

In this episode, the government finally unveils further long-awaited details of its flagship environmental scheme for England.

Farmers will be paid to undertake six new actions – on hedgerows, arable and horticultural land and grassland.

They will also be paid for pest and nutrient management.

But will it work? We talk to Defra secretary Therese Coffey.

Meanwhile, the National Farmers Union unveils plans to restructure its regional operations in a bid to cut costs for its 50,000 members.

We look at how farmers once blamed for polluting the River Wye in Herefordshire are playing a key role in cleaning it up.

On the markets, we've all the latest prices – and we find out the winner of this week's Commodity Cashback competition

And we meet the author of a new cook book – No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents – using ingredients from British farmers.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker with Surrey farmer Hugh Broom. Additional reporting by Abi Kay, Louise Impey and Phil Case.

To contact the Farmers Weekly Podcast, email podcast@fwi.co.uk.

In the UK, you can also text the word FARM followed by your message to 88440. Texts are charged at your network provider's regular rate.

This week – just how important is soil health? Well not as important as it should be, say critics, who accuse the government of not taking it seriously enough.

Livestock farmers are cutting back on numbers – we look at the reasons why. Is it just down to high input costs? Or is it something else?

On the markets, we've all the latest prices and – we discover the winner of this week's Commodity Cashback competition.

Grain storage co-ops join forces in a bid to combat high energy costs.

And we look at work opportunities available for young Brits who want to travel, visit the USA, and get a job in farming abroad.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is hosted by Johann Tasker and Surrey farmer Hugh Broom, with additional reporting by FW deputy editor Abi Kay.

To contact the Farmers Weekly Podcast, email podcast@fwi.co.uk.

In the UK, you can also text the word FARM followed by your message to 88440. Texts are charged at your network provider's regular rate.

In this episode, we join the crowds as thousands of visitors flock to the LAMMA 2023 farm machinery show at the Birmingham NEC.

As the machinery sector bounces back from Covid, we find out whether supply chains have recovered from the pandemic too.

With input costs continuing to surge, we ask whether alternative fuels and electric tractors can replace red diesel.

We launch our Commodity Cashback competition – and your chance to win £50 by predicting next week's commodity prices.

We meet the farm machinery enthusiasts who restored a vintage John Deere tractor.

And we talk to the Northern Irish entrepreneur, inventor and winner of the Young Engineer of the Year Award.

To contact the Farmers Weekly Podcast, text the word FARM followed by your message to 88440. Texts charged at your regular provider's rate.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker and Surrey farmer Hugh Broom.

This week, the government announced extra money for farmers in England who sign up to its Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme.

But is it enough to make the scheme more attractive to farmers?

With high input costs set to be a big challenge during 2023 – we ask whether alternatives to nitrogen fertiliser are worth considering.

In other news, a group of farmers is reaping the benefits after deciding to run their own environmental facilitation group.

On the markets, we've all the latest commodity prices.

And food and farming has been recognised in the New Year Honours  – with a special award for a farm safety campaigner.

To contact us at the Farmers Weekly Podcast, text the word FARM  followed by your message to 88440 – or email podcast@fwi.co.uk.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker and Surrey farmer Hugh Broom. Additional reporting by Phil Case.

In this final Farmers Weekly podcast of 2022, we review the farming year – and take a special look at the prospects for UK agriculture in 2023.

We do so with Andersons – the farm business consultants who publish the Andersons Outlook – an annual look at the year ahead for agriculture.

Ag-inflation and high input costs seen in 2022 are set to remain a big challenge for growers and livestock producers agriculture in 2023.

Farm business consultant Sebastian Graf Baker says soil health is arguably more important than ever when it comes to combinable crop margins.

And dairy specialist Mike Horton says the red meat and milk sectors face some  mixed fortunes over the coming 12 months.

For more information about the prospects for your farm sector, do look at your copy of Farmers Weekly dated December 30 2022.

You can also visit the Farmers Weekly website at fwi.co.uk.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is hosted by Johann Tasker.

This week, soaring input costs and spiralling consumer inflation mean the UK faces a food supply crisis, says the NFU. 

So why won't the government do anything about it?

How an innovative approach is helping a Somerset dairy farming family get additional value out of bull calves.

On the markets, we've all the latest commodity prices

We run the rule over the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board's red meat strategy for the beef and lamb sectors.

And we meet the Cornish landowner who has restored an old tin mine.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker and Surrey farmer Hugh Broom.

Additional reporting by Phil Case, Judith Tooth and Charlotte Cunningham.

Delayed again, just what is the future for Defra's flagship Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs) for England?

Is ELMs really hanging by a thread? Or will the government finally make the scheme a success? And when will we find out?

We hear from Defra secretary Therese Coffey, Labour shadow farm minister Daniel Zeichner and Natural England chairman Tony Juniper.

On the markets, we've all the latest prices and take a special look at the recovery prospects for the UK pig sector.

We give our verdict on the latest recommended cereal and oilseed rape varieties from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.

And we pay tribute to farmer, rugby superstar and motor neurone disease campaigner Doddie Weir, who has died at the age of 52.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker and Surrey farmer Hugh Broom.

Additional reporting by Farmers Weekly chief reporter Phil Case and Farmers Weekly arable correspondent Louise Impey.