Countryside stewardship, sugar beet contracts, no-deal Brexit lamb compensation, bovine tuberculosis vaccine, & rally driving farmer

Farmers working hard to look after the environment face being disadvantaged because the government won't allow changes to countryside stewardship agreements.

It follows a government decision to abolish EU “greening” rules requiring farmers to manage some of their land as ecological focus areas – or EFAs.

The concern is that thousands of hectares of EFA land could now be ploughed up unless Defra allows farmers to include it in countryside stewardship.

We examine the implications.

Meanwhile, British Sugar is offering sugar beet growers are a new contract to grow the crop. But does it taste as sweet as it should?

Sheep producers could get compensation for a no-deal Brexit. It could happen – but will be worthwhile – and can the government afford it?

UK scientists are testing a new vaccine against bovine tuberculosis – describing it as a potential breakthrough.

And a rally-driving Herefordshire farmer becomes something of an internet sensation after filming some dare-devil car stunt action in his farm yard.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly podcast is presented by Farmers Weekly chief reporter Johann Tasker and Surrey farmer Hugh Broom.