Farming Today

03/10/24 - Crisis in dairy recruitment, deer damage to trees, imported carrots


Listen Later

Dairy farmers are finding it a real struggle to recruit new staff, according to the farmer-owned dairy coop Arla. They spoke to nearly 500 UK dairy farmers and just under 90% of them said they had advertised jobs and had few or no applicants at all. So what’s holding young people back from a life working with dairy cows in a career that can also involve robotics, veterinary science and data analysis to mention just a few of the skills involved in modern milk production?

The UK is 97% self-sufficient in carrots, according to the British Carrot Association, but poor weather over the last year has meant supermarket shelves stocked with bags of carrots imported from China, Israel and other countries. Is that a trend that’s likely to continue?

We’re talking about deer all this week, their impact on the environment and how to manage their growing population. Trees and woodlands are a key tool for combating climate change, improving biodiversity, building flood resilience and increasing the UK’s supply of homegrown timber. But rising numbers of deer make planting more trees, and maintaining existing woodlands, a challenge because deer both graze on them and cause damage with their antlers.

Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Farming TodayBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

54 ratings


More shows like Farming Today

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,640 Listeners

The Archers by BBC Radio 4

The Archers

1,089 Listeners

The Archers Omnibus by BBC Radio 4

The Archers Omnibus

399 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

893 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,062 Listeners

Money Box by BBC Radio 4

Money Box

36 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,475 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,802 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,881 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,747 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,045 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,087 Listeners

Gardeners' Question Time by BBC Radio 4

Gardeners' Question Time

288 Listeners

The Food Programme by BBC Radio 4

The Food Programme

266 Listeners

Ramblings by BBC Radio 4

Ramblings

157 Listeners

The Bottom Line by BBC Radio 4

The Bottom Line

35 Listeners

The Plodcast by Our Media

The Plodcast

106 Listeners

Open Country by BBC Radio 4

Open Country

85 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,202 Listeners

The Farmers Weekly Podcast by Farmers Weekly

The Farmers Weekly Podcast

12 Listeners

The Knepp Wilding Podcast by Knepp.co.uk

The Knepp Wilding Podcast

14 Listeners

Cyber Hack by BBC World Service

Cyber Hack

1,605 Listeners

Rewilding the World with Ben Goldsmith by Ben Goldsmith

Rewilding the World with Ben Goldsmith

57 Listeners

Rare Earth by BBC Radio 4

Rare Earth

12 Listeners

FED by Farmers Podcast by FED by Farmers

FED by Farmers Podcast

27 Listeners