Farm Gate

Interviews with:

Ruth Chambers from the Green Alliance.

Patrick Holden from the Sustainable Food Trust.

And Leonardo Gava from the Climate Bonds Initiative

Phil's choices

UK must double fruit and veg production to divert from “bleak” future

https://8point9.com/uk-must-double-fruit-and-veg-production-to-divert-from-bleak-future/

Genetic discovery promises high-iron vegetables and cereals

https://8point9.com/genetic-discovery-promises-high-iron-vegetables-and-cereals/

Milestone reached in evidencing sustainability credentials of Welsh upland farms

https://8point9.com/milestone-reached-in-evidencing-sustainability-credentials-of-welsh-upland-farms/

ffinlo's choices

Government communication hampering avian flu control measures

https://8point9.com/government-communication-hampering-avian-flu-control-measures/

Free comic book features flood management

https://8point9.com/free-comic-book-to-engage-young-people-around-flood-management/

Government complacent over rural mental health

https://8point9.com/government-complacent-over-rural-mental-health/

Main conversations

Landmark report shifts focus from food system emissions to fossil-fuel reliance

https://8point9.com/landmark-report-shifts-focus-from-food-system-emissions-to-fossil-fuel-reliance/

Historic herbivore densities could be substantially higher than thought

https://8point9.com/historic-herbivore-densities-could-be-substantially-higher-than-thought/

Experts predict “catastrophic ecosystem collapse” of UK forests within 50 years

https://8point9.com/experts-predict-catastrophic-ecosystem-collapse-of-uk-forests-within-50-years/

In 8.9 Newsweek:

Interviews with Patty Fong from the Global Alliance for the Future of Food & Sara Grady from British Pasture Leather.

And a discussion about Patty's new report, Power Shift -Why we need to wean industrial food systems off fossil fuels.

In Wheat from the Chaff (WFTC) ffinlo Costain (Editor-in-Chief of 8point9.com) and Phil Carson (UK Policy Lead for the Nature Friendly Farming Network) talk through the week's news on 8.9ha.

SHOW LINKS - PHIL'S PICKS:

Strength in diversity – mapping healthy microbiome relationships

M&S Food donates one million meals in new partnership with FareShare

Transformational impact of Farms for City Children highlighted by Harper Adams research

FFINLO'S PICKS:

Nuffield report calls for increased support for Black and People of Colour in agricultur

Red Tractor says “sorry” and puts Greener Farms Commitment on hold

Green walls flourish at Dutch Design Week

MAIN CONVERSATIONS:

Petition calls for the proposed EU Soil Health Law to be supported, but tightened

The Guardian questions motives of Dublin Declaration authors

Demand for sustainable fabrics could exceed supply by 130m tonnes by 2030

FURTHER LISTENING:

Farm Gate: Diversity in agriculture & animal sciences

Farm Gate: What does less and better mean?

In this week's programme we hear:

INTERVIEW: With Dr Antje Ahrends from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh about ground-breaking research that shows that rubber is driving deforestation three times faster than previously thought.

DISCUSSION: A new report has warned that demand for sustainable fabrics could exceed supply by 130m tonnes by 2030. To discuss how we meet the rising demand for sustainable fashion, ffinlo Costain is joined by Dr Alana James from Northumbria University - Zoe Gilbertson from the UK Bast Fibre Network - and by Alice Robinson, author of Field, Fork, Fashion, and co-founder of the company, British Pasture Leather.

In Wheat from the Chaff (WFTC) ffinlo Costain (Editor-in-Chief of 8point9.com) and Phil Carson (UK Policy Lead for the Nature Friendly Farming Network) talk through the week's news on 8.9ha.

This is a new format - please bear with us - any feedback welcome!

SHOW NOTES:

Red Tractor’s voluntary environment module available from next April

https://8point9.com/red-tractors-voluntary-environment-module-available-from-next-april/

Budget cut adds to “unprecedented challenges” for Welsh farming

https://8point9.com/budget-cut-adds-to-unprecedented-challenges-for-welsh-farming/

Nature charities publish Nature Markets Principles to help combat greenwashing

https://8point9.com/nature-charities-publish-nature-markets-principles-to-help-combat-greenwashing/

Experts warn of risk of civil unrest in UK due to food shortages

https://8point9.com/experts-warn-of-risk-of-civil-unrest-in-uk-due-to-food-shortages/

World entering uncharted climate territory – Earth’s conditions may be unliveable for half the world’s population by 2100

https://8point9.com/world-entering-uncharted-climate-territory-earths-conditions-may-be-unliveable-for-half-the-worlds-population-by-2100/

Rubber drives deforestation three times faster than previously thought

https://8point9.com/rubber-drives-deforestation-three-times-faster-than-previously-thought/

8.9 TV:

David Webster, Chief Executive, LEAF Marque

https://8point9.com/david-webster-leaf-marque/

Antje Ahrends, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Rubber deforestation

https://8point9.com/antje-ahrends-royal-botanic-garden-edinburgh-rubber-deforestation/

This week ffinlo is joined by four of the new 2024 Nuffield Scholars - by Saba Amir, an academic at Aberystwyth University - Lucy George from Peterston Tea, based in the Vale of Glamorgan - Sophie Gregory, an Arla organic dairy farmer from Dorset - and Dan Jones, a sheep farmer from Great Orme in North Wales.

We also hear interviews with David Webster, the new Chief Executive of LEAF Marque - and with Tim May, from the Kingsclere Estate and the Pitch Up! initiative.

An interview with plant ecologist Dr Ruth Mitchell from The James Hutton Institute about visible and invisible forest diversity.

And this week's 8.9ha Discussion is on Labour party policy on land use, trade and agriculture.

ffinlo Costain is joined by Phil Carson, the UK Policy Lead for the Nature Friendly Farming Network, and by Vicki Hird, author of Rebugging the Planet, and Strategic Lead on Agriculture with The Wildlife Trusts.

The Scottish Government has unveiled its long-awaited Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill. This will replace the Common Agricultural Policy and aims to deliver the adoption and use of sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices. To discuss the bill, I’ll be joined later in the programme, by Nikki Yoxall, a member of Scotland's Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board - by Andrew Connon, the vice president of the National Farmers Union, Scotland - and by Denise Walton, the chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network Scotland.

Before that we’ll hear from Elsie Blackshaw from the Rewildling Law Hub, and from Anna Woodley from Trinity Natural Capital Pro Council.