Farm Gate

In this programme, ffinlo Costain talks to two storytelling giants from the world of farming - Graham Harvey, former scriptwriter and farming story editor for the long-running BBC Radio drama, The Archers - And Ben Eagle who runs the podcast agency RuralPod Media and is the host of two farming podcasts: Rural Business Focus and Meet The Farmers.

They talk about the public perception of farming, the stories the industry chooses to tell, and how storytelling helps to shape the political, scientific and practical choices of farmers and policymakers.

They also talk about The Archers and the role that it's played in shaping the public and political perception of farming issues.

Graham's book, Underneath the Archers can be found at Waterstones and on Amazon. RuralPod Media can be found here.

In this programme, Farm Gate addresses the challenge of growing regenerative cereals in Britain. Is it possible? How can farmers deliver regeneration while producing the yields and profits necessary for viable farm businesses and a healthy food system?

ffinlo Costain talks to Tim Parton from Brewood Park Farm, who's passionately championed regenerative agriculture for 15 years - and to Joe Stanley, the Head of Sustainable Farming at the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust's Allerton Project and a Farmers' Weekly columnist.

The trio discuss soil-building rotations, livestock integration, the impact of climate change, glyphosate and the cost of Wildfarmed bread.

ffinlo Costain is joined by Charlie Bennett, author of Down the Rabbit Hole - The misadventures of an unlikely naturalist.

They discuss the nature, language, heritage and history that Charlie showcases in his book - which is a perfect stocking filler.

Down the Rabbit Hole is now available in Northumberland bookshops - across the UK in Waterstones - and for international listeners, direct from CharlieBennettauthor.co.uk.

ffinlo Costain speaks to Dougald Hine, author of 'At Work in the Ruins: Finding our place in the time of climate crisis and other emergencies'.

We talk about his new book, and about the role of agriculture and food production in taking humanity through ecological, social and economic collapse.

You can buy Hine's book - At Work in the Ruins - at all good book shops, on the street, or online.

In this programme, we're previewing LandAlive - the regenerative agriculture conference taking place at the Bath & West Showground on the 22nd and 23rd of November.

ffinlo Costain is joined by:

And to claim the exclusive half-price discount for Farm Gate and 8point9.com readers and listeners:

Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft - he's a good guy, right? Africa's food system has been a major recipient of Gates' $59bn philanthropy. But is Gates helping African food systems - or destroying them? Is he ending hunger - or depleting land resilience and contributing to food insecurity and societal instability?

I'm joined by Tim Schwab, author of the new book, The Bill Gates Problem - and by Million Belay, the co-founder of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa.

Seven conversations today, focussed on Land Alive, a new British regen farming event at the end of November; the findings of three Nuffield Farming Scholars; the potential to integrate bast fibre production within organic farm systems; and the perils faced by earthworms when the land floods.

ffinlo Costain speaks to:

Professor Mark Hodson, from the University of York - 0'34''

Graham Harvey, from Land Alive - 10'40''

Carol Paris, from the Royal Bath & West Society, and Tamara Giltsoff, from Land Alive - 16'25''

Zoe Gilbertson, a fashion ecologist - 27'14''

Kendra Hall, Nuffield Farming Scholar - 36'02''

Chris Taylor, Nuffield Farming Scholar - 46'08''

Ruth Grice, Nuffield Farming Scholar - 56'20''

There's an ever-bigger regen farming community at all scales of production - but there are also farmers who say that they've tried regen ag, but it hasn't worked and they've given up.

Why are these farmers failing to deliver a regenerative transition on their farms and in their businesses?

ffinlo Costain is joined by two regen farming experts, Tim Williams and Clare Hill, and together they flesh out some of the hurdles and identify some possible solutions.

The Farm Gate news channel is part of 8point9.com

Today we're frontloading the programme with conversations about baselining, banking and funding the transition - we'll hear from Lee Reeves from Lloyds, Adam White from Barclays and Doug Wanstall who wants to bring integrity into carbon markets. Later, Andrew Whiteford will explain a little of the business-case for tree-planting in Scotland - Valentin Pitiot will extol the virtues of giant kelp - and Dan McAlpine will talk to us about why Compassion in World Farming has turned the spotlight onto UK retailers' chicken supply chains.

ffinlo Costain speaks to:

Adam White from Barclays Business Banking - 0'54''

Lee Reeves from Lloyds Banking Group - 12'00

Doug Wanstall from Beyond Zero - 24'40''

Valentin Pitiot from Kelp Blue - 37'25''

Andrew Whiteford of Ulzieside Farm - 51'26''

Dan McAlpine from Compassion in World Farming - 1,00' 58''

Well, the summer's over, but for the last week in the southwest of England the sun's been shining while autumn's been gently easing itself into the air - and Newsweek is back with a full, ripe crop of six conversations.

ffinlo Costain speaks to:

Emma Toovey from the Environment Bank - 1'10''

Leona McDonald, the director of Golden Hooves - 9'12''

Andrew Barbour from Mains of Fincastle - 15'58''

Bishop Takalani Mufamadi from the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute - 25'46''

Emma Bell from The Open University - 40'22''

Alice Groom from the RSPB - 53'24''