Farm Gate

Wheat from the Chaff: Wye chicken? Unlocking nature finance - And special guest: Rob Yorke Class-action-style claim takes on chicken giant, Avara Report focusses on unlocking finance for nature Updated carbon offsetting principles aim to combat greenwashing SPECIAL GUEST: Rob Yorke Welsh Government: New Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs confirmed “Where is the Land Use Framework?” asks EAC Questions remain over England’s plan for improving soil health Government caps land area used for six key SFI payments

Four conversations today - first, I'll meet David Wright, the Chief Executive of Ecometric, to find out about how exactly soil carbon is measured - then after that I'll talk to Chris D'Agorne from Life to Land about an analysis that shows that the non-native sycamore is now the UK's third most populous tree species. Later I'll discuss the benefits of having more trees on farms with Huw Evans from Three Pools, and we'll round up the programme with a conversation about the Westminster government's proposals for mandatory method of production labelling with Peter Stevenson and Catherine Jadav from Compassion in World Farming.

ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) and Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss the week's land use news - and meet special guest, Chris Smaje, author of "Saying NO to a farm-free future" This is a re-edit of the original podcast, which contained inaccuracies in the first section (soil carbon intro). NEWS ARTICLES DISCUSSED: New paradigm in soil science shows vast potential for carbon storage Good soil management reduces the “high risk of conventional grazing” White paper connects regenerative agriculture with nutrient density "They belong to this land" - The Reindeer Chronicles INTERVIEW: CHRIS SMAJE “Cities, like feedlots, need to import food and water from afar" THIRD SECTION No single stretch of river in England in “good ecological health” Hedgerow regulations will be brought into English law Farmers look to help rivers by cutting plough use in maize trials River restoration key to saving Scotland’s disappearing salmon

ffinlo Costain meets Judith D Schwartz - the author of Cows Save the Planet, Water in Plain Sight and The Reindeer Chronicles. Western civilisation has, for generations, sought to extract itself from its dependency on the natural world. Indigenous knowledge has been devalued and lost. And even now, as our monumental folly becomes clearer with each passing day, those who lead us have little real conception of our innate dependency upon an interconnected natural world. Judith D Schwartz has collected evidence of landscape-scale recovery led by visionaries who have reconnected themselves with nature. ffinlo and Judith discuss what we can learn from reindeer, green colonialism, prey and predator cultures, donkeys in Western Australia, natural capital and economic growth, and the transformation of the Loess Plateaux. Find Judith at https://www.judithdschwartz.com/ and on X Buy Judith's book, The Reindeer Chronicles, here.

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) discuss the week's news - and are joined by special guest, farm business and succession adviser, Heather Wildman. News stories Phil and ffinlo discuss: Scottish Forestry rejects findings of Royal Society of Edinburgh tree report Non-native Sycamore is third most common British tree European Parliament votes to criminalise ecosystem destruction Government policy “inconsistent” and failing to deliver on farm antibiotic use Food and farming policies “fettered by neoliberal economics” says SDP And, NFFN Cymru unveils five-point plan for Welsh Government Special guest Heather Wildman is from Saviour Associates - visit her website

ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) and Phil Carson catch up on the week's land use news - and meet forestry expert, Andrew Heald. News items they discuss: Highland estate to generate biodiversity credits with SLR and RePlanet https://8point9.com/highland-estate-to-generate-biodiversity-credits-with-slr-and-replanet/ How will BNG affect the UK biodiversity credit market? Max Bodmer, RePlanet https://8point9.com/how-will-bng-affect-the-uk-biodiversity-credit-market-max-bodmer-replanet/ Call for “radical rethink” to reap benefits of UK organic market for farmers https://8point9.com/call-for-radical-rethink-to-reap-benefits-of-uk-organic-market-for-farmers/ 40 projects to benefit from £25 million funding for natural flood management https://8point9.com/40-projects-to-benefit-from-25-million-funding-for-natural-flood-management/ African Development Bank policies “undermining biodiversity” https://8point9.com/african-development-bank-policies-undermining-biodiversity/ “China and Brazil can lead harmonised criteria” for green agriculture https://8point9.com/china-and-brazil-can-lead-harmonised-criteria-for-green-agriculture/ SPECIAL GUEST Is the UK facing a timber crisis? https://8point9.com/is-the-uk-facing-a-timber-crisis/ Wood-based construction can reduce emissions and store carbon long-term https://8point9.com/wood-based-construction-can-reduce-emissions-and-store-carbon-long-term/ LONGER CONVO - Liberal Democrats promise £1bn extra for English farmers https://8point9.com/liberal-democrats-promise-1bn-extra-for-english-farmers/ Prime Minister “needs to map a realistic future for farmers” https://8point9.com/prime-minister-needs-to-map-a-realistic-future-for-farmers/ Welsh Government says “We are listening” https://8point9.com/welsh-government-says-we-are-listening/ AND Embrace the canopy – Wales’ Sustainable Farm Scheme https://8point9.com/embrace-the-canopy-wales-sustainable-farm-scheme/

Interviews with: Max Bodmer from RePlanet - 1'05'' Elina Body from Vet Sustain and The George Farm Vets - 14'45'' Dr Kelly Hemmings from RAU - 24'50'' Navaratnam Partheeban from IVC Evidensia Farm Vets - 30'50''

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) are joined by regenerative farming expert, Niels Corfield. Stories discussed: Fluke control & prevention, beyond testing & treatment River Action taking government to court over River Wye pollution First Milk announces acquisition of BV Dairy Cost of living crisis causing loneliness epidemic for young people  New housing developments to deliver a boost for nature in landmark move Labour pulls ahead in crucial battle for the countryside vote

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) chew through the week's land news, and talk to special guest, Rachel Jones (Sustain), about local food. News topics discussed: Scotland: Yousaf to continue 70 per cent direct funding, dependent on greening https://8point9.com/scotland-yousaf-to-continue-70-per-cent-direct-funding-dependent-on-greening/ Survey reveals bleak relations between landlords and tenant farmers - FFINLO https://8point9.com/survey-reveals-bleak-relations-between-landlords-and-tenant-farmers/ “Hidden” record of UK’s historic biodiversity to be digitised - PHIL https://8point9.com/hidden-record-of-uks-historic-biodiversity-to-be-digitised/ UK-wide exhibition spotlights regenerative food producers - FFINLO https://8point9.com/uk-wide-exhibition-spotlights-regenerative-food-producers/ Traceability markers to deliver transparency in recycled cotton supply chain - PHIL https://8point9.com/traceability-markers-to-deliver-transparency-in-recycled-cotton-supply-chain/ Cairngorms awarded £10.7 million to become first net zero UK National Park https://8point9.com/cairngorms-awarded-10-7-million-to-become-first-net-zero-uk-national-park/ National Parks must work for everyone https://8point9.com/national-parks-must-work-for-everyone/

Four interviews today: Rowan Phillimore from The Gaia Foundation about the We Feed The UK arts project Pete Ritchie from Nourish Scotland about the country's progress towards being a Good Food Nation Jon Parker from the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission in Wales talking about Welsh farm policy And Ignas van Schaick, the co-producer of a new movie, Planet Soil, which delves deep into the earth, turning invertebrates into stars.