03/01/24 Blind farmer; Wet weather; New rules on bottling wine; Upland farmers.

The Oxford Real Farming Conference and the Oxford Farming Conference take place this week. They attract hundreds of people, connected to farming, conservation and rural policy-making. This year, the Oxford Farming Conference's theme is diversity and all week we'll be exploring how agriculture is bringing more diversity into the industry. Today we speak to Mike Duxbury who set up Inclusive Farm in Bedfordshire. It's thought to be unique in the UK, as the only one being run by a blind farmer. As the latest storm sweeps across the UK, farmers are counting the cost of months of wet weather. In Yorkshire some winter crops are already rotting, while many with livestock have seen grazing land turned to mud. We hear from a sheep farmer who's worried about the health of his flock - and the impact the weather could have on pregnant ewes. New rules have come in governing the packaging of English sparkling wine, meaning bottles will no longer have to have a mushroom-shaped cork with wire and foil closures, if the wine is semi-sparkling. However some manufacturers say they will stick with tradition, because customers still want to hear that pop. This year will see farmers receiving between 50 and 75 per cent less of their direct payments from government, as the transition from the pre-Brexit payment system switches to the new payments under the Environmental Land Management schemes. Even though farmers can apply for payments under the new scheme, many are still falling short. We hear from two farming families in the uplands who've diversified to help them overcome that. Presenter = Anna Hill

Producer = Rebecca Rooney