The Food Programme The BBC Food and Farming Awards 2026: The Food Producers
Sep 25, 2026
Leona Kane, a Northern Irish farmer crafting infused rapeseed oils; Aoife Gould and Jake Sales, Skye crofters raising Hebridean sheep and Mangalitsa pigs; and Andrew Gillespie, founder of the Fresh Flour Company, showcase food production with purpose. Discover heritage wheat, resilient supply chains, biodiversity, crofting, regenerative farming, cold-pressed oils and ambitious plans for more sustainable local food systems.
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Direct Grain Relationships Build Resilience
- Direct relationships between farmers and buyers make food systems more resilient to weather and quality shocks.
- Fred Price values knowing where grain goes, while Andrew Gillespie adapts products and pricing around farmers’ real conditions.
Heritage Wheat Challenges Seed Concentration
- Diverse heritage wheat populations can outperform genetically uniform modern varieties on chemical-free farms.
- Fred Price also sees diverse seed as a way to resist concentrating control in fewer hands.
One Wheat Network Makes Diversity Pay
- Andrew Gillespie reduces farmers’ risk by turning many wheat types into pasta, crackers, and biscuits.
- Paying farmers what they ask lets them prioritize biodiversity and soil quality instead of tractor payments.