Farm Gate

Despite the early green ambitions, the new Common Agricultural Policy may end up looking rather like business as usual.  But, following policy delays, the CAP will now be delivered under the EU presidency of Ursula von der Leyen.  The new Commission has prioritised environmental action, and the Farm to Fork Strategy is at the heart of the European Green Deal. In this programme I'm crossing the English Channel to find out what's happening with agricultural policy in mainland Europe? ffinlo Costain speaks to Nick Jacobs, the Director of IPES Food, and to Pierre-Marie Aubert, the Coordinator of the European Agriculture Initiative for IDDRI. IPES Food's influential 2019 report, Towards a Common Food Policy for the EU, can be found here. Produced by Farmwel.

The UK Agriculture Bill has gone for Royal Assent, but much of the detail remains uncertain.  UK producers are also concerned that food imports won't meet British environmental and farm animal welfare standards.  So, where are we up to with agricultural policy reform? ffinlo Costain speaks to Shadow Farming Minister, Daniel Zeichner MP, Vicki Hird, Head of Sustainable Food and Farming Policy at Sustain, and to Simon Hoare, Conservative MP for North Dorset.  Produced by Farmwel.

This programme is for every farmer who's ever thought about transitioning to regenerative agriculture.  It's our first Regen Question Time and in it our experts set out to answer questions submitted by farmers by Twitter, email, and through the Primal Web forum.   Regenerative agriculture requires a complete mindset shift.  Instead of rules there are principles, which can make transitioning process seem daunting.  To help with this, every six or eight weeks, we'll put your questions to regen experts.  Our intention is to help you make decisions about the future of your farm business.  (The insights will also be interesting for everyone who wants to know more about regenerative agriculture.) In this first Regen Question Time, ffinlo Costain talks to Caroline Grindrod and Alex Tomlinson. Produced by Farmwel.

In this programme ffinlo Costain discusses Forum for the Future's new report, 'Growing Our Future', with report author, Lesley Mitchell, Forum's Associate Director for Sustainable Nutrition. Growing Our Future concentrates on scaling regenerative agriculture in the United States.  It describes threats and opportunities surrounding regen and makes a series of recommendations for a successful regenerative transformation.  While the report is centred on the USA its findings and recommendations are just as relevant for farmers, investors and policy-makers in other nations. Produced by Farmwel.

FAI Farms has worked with big name global food brands to embed sustainability at the heart of their supply chains for more than 20 years.  Recently the FAI brand and business was bought by the management.  In this podcast ffinlo Costain talks to Øistein Thorsen, FAI's Chief Executive, and to Carly Scott, their director of sustainable operations.

Since 2017 the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission has helped to shape the UK's conversation about food - where it comes from, how it's produced, how far it travels, and where and how it gets sold and eaten.  In this programme we discuss the FFCC's Wales Inquiry Report - the Wales Field Guide for Future Generations. Joining ffinlo Costain are Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive of the FFCC, and Jane Davidson, chair of the Commission's Wales Inquiry, and former Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in the Welsh Government. Produced by Farmwel.

Farm Gate host ffinlo Costain discusses Covid 19 and the crisis in our food systems with Dr David Nabarro, Special Envoy of the World Health Organization Director-General on Covid-19, and Prof Melissa Leach CBE, a member of the Brussels-based International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems, otherwise known as IPES-Food.  The discussion includes zoonotic spillover, One Health, and the strengths and weaknesses in the global food system. Produced by Farmwel.

In this podcast, ffinlo Costain talks to Carbon Cowboys producer and director, Peter Byck.  Carbon Cowboys is series of 10 films about regenerative agriculture and adaptive multi-paddock grazing.  They demonstrate the enormous potential of this model of land use and introduce us to some remarkable stories.  Peter Byck is a film-maker and Professor of Practice at Arizona State University, where he's leading a multi-million dollar research project focused on regenerative grazing, soil health & soil carbon storage. Produced by Farmwel.

Regenerative agriculture has captured the imagination of producers and citizens around the world.  But the focus is almost exclusively on land.  In this programme we ask whether regenerative farming principles can be transposed to the ocean - and if so, at what scale? Featuring Dylan Walker, chief executive of the World Cetacean Alliance, and Alex Tomlinson, a vet and regenerative agriculture specialist. Produced by Farmwel.

Regen agriculture for kids Farm Gate has gone all #homeschool.  In this short programme we explain the basics of regenerative agriculture for primary school age kids.  We answer questions about the sun, the rain, dandelions and cow poo - and we ask what's the most important animal in the world?  There are even a couple of experiments you can try at home. The programme features Alex Tomlinson - an amazing mine of information who's working on regenerative farming projects right across Britain. Produced by Farmwel.