Farm Gate

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.

Coronavirus has generated a monumental response. Political parties philosophically opposed to the Big State have intervened in our lives to an enormous extent. What can we learn from the way that coronavirus has been communicated and the speed of society's response?  How can we apply this knowledge to other public health emergencies, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, which also threaten the existence of human society as we know it. This programme features Jason Wojciechowski, Creative Director at Corelab and a Senior Fellow at the Center for Impact Communication, and Øistein Thorsen, director of FAI Farms. Produced by Farmwel and FAI Farms.

Happy Cow Milk Company, run by Glen Herud, is a cow and calf dairy business based in Christchurch, New Zealand.  It opened in 2014, but after a few years the company ran out of cash.  What happened next was truly remarkable.  Glen's story went viral, and ordinary people from all over the world, chipped in to help keep the business alive.  Now following a fundamental and revolutionary redesign of the distribution system, Happy Cow 2.0 is ready to launch. In this programme Glen Herud tells his story. Produced by Farmwel.

Sheep lameness is a painful symptom that severely reduces mobility.  It's regarded by many as endemic - ever present, regardless of the efforts made to curb new infections.  But is lameness endemic?  Can better monitoring and treatment effectively eradicate it from flocks? In this episode we discuss how to implement the nationally-adopted FAI Five Point Plan - with Ruth Clements, head of veterinary programmes from Benchmark Animal Health, and by Clare Hill, the farm manager at FAI Farms. Produced by Farmwel and FAI Farms.

Coronavirus has led to lock down, the loss of work, jobs and income - it has forced people with little or no savings to turn to charities and institutions - just to be able to eat.  Food aid providers, already working to capacity, have had to swiftly adapt their service models to cope with the influx of new, fearful, hungry, and potentially infected, people.   In this programme, Farm Gate speaks to three people working to provide food at the front line of the social crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic: Dee Woods from Granville Community Kitchen (Kilburn, London), Greg Silverman, Executive Director of the West Side Campaign Against Hunger (New York City), and Mark Game, Chief Executive of The Bread and Butter Thing (Greater Manchester, UK). Produced by Farmwel.

'Food security' is suddenly on the agenda - but what is it?  Was it ever about calories & cheap food for the masses?  And if it was, isn't it time that we redefined food security for the modern world - recognising the essential role that land use, food system resilience, and nutrition play in ensuring that all citizens can eat, and eat well. This programme features Vicki Hird from Sustain, Professor Tim Benton from Chatham House, and Patrick Holden from the Sustainable Food Trust. Produced by Farmwel.