County councils are concerned about how rural areas will cope with new housing targets set by the Labour government. It plans to build one and a half million homes by 2029 and is setting mandatory targets for councils. Many of those new homes are to be built on bits of the green belt which will be reclassified as grey belt - what does this mean for rural England? The County Councils Network says planning needs to be strategic, and that infrastructure like local roads and health services need to be in place before new houses are built.

All this week we've been looking at the impact of the expanding renewables industry on the countryside, today we turn to battery storage facilities on farms. They store the energy generated by solar and other renewables. That energy is then sold back to the grid at times of high demand. They also give farmers a guaranteed income, as energy companies pay them to have the batteries on their land. We visit one farmer who's got battery storage on his land in Hampshire.

The farmer who bought a herd of buffalo after inheriting the family farm. Dagan James' idea was to turn what had been an intensive arable farm into a grassland farm, with more space for nature alongside the livestock. That was 24 years ago, the herd's not as big as it once was, but he says the farm's more sustainable, both financially and environmentally.

Presenter = Charlotte Smith

The latest figures out today from the insurers NFU Mutual put the cost of rural crime at just under 53 million pounds last year - up from 50 million in 2022.

The renewable energy options open to farmers are various, and the one that would seem to be tailor made for agriculture is anaerobic digestion - or AD.

This is the process where silage and slurry are processed in a sealed tank to produce gas that is then used as a fuel to power the farm and possibly put energy back into the grid.

And according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board - AHDB - 440 farmers got out of dairy between April 2023 and this April.

However the total number of dairy cows is about the same - suggesting that the trend towards bigger farms continues - there are now 7,130 dairy farms in England, Scotland and Wales.

Presented by Charlotte Smith

Produced by Alun Beach

The family of a famer who took his own life say they believe a farm inspection which found he had used the wrong sort of ear tag on just 18 sheep contributed to his death.

The National Sheep Association welcomed the new farming minister Daniel Zeichner to its biennial show.

And a farmer saves on his electricity bills using the power of water on his farm.

Presented by Caz Graham

Produced by Alun Beach

A survey by the NFU has shown that while there has been some improvement in the provision of superfast broadband, only 34% of farmers who responded have a fibre connection.

A farmer in the depths of his harvest has his fingers crossed that this spell of hot sunny weather will continue.

Solar farms built on farmland are an increasingly controversial topic, one farmer is looking to expand his by over 80 acres.

Presented by Caz Graham

Produced by Alun Beach

Campaigners are calling on the Welsh Government to do more to clean up the River Wye, after people were warned not to swim in a section of the river - which was only recently named the first official river bathing area in Wales.

An expert outlines the challenges of providing rural renewable energy infrastructure without upsetting the people who live there.

And a game processing facility in Berkshire, reported to be the first butchery to open in 40 years, is about to process its first venison.

Presented by Charlotte Smith

Produced by Alun Beach

A special panel programme recorded in front of an audience at the Royal Welsh Show. Charlotte Smith discusses the future of agriculture in Wales with Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, deputy president of NFU Cymru, Abi Reader and Rachel Sharp, director of Wildlife Trusts Wales.

Produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Angling groups have warned that illegal fishing is an "out of control" problem on rivers in Wales with serious impacts for endangered species like salmon, and physical danger for anglers.

Mobile sheep shearers are hard at work on a farm near Edinburgh, before the head woman Una Cameron tries to break the world record for shearing in a few weeks' time.

A Cumbrian flower nursery specialises in wildflowers, and growing them can be a far more complex business than garden varieties.

And the farm dog with a difference - it’s a robot!

Presented by Caz Graham

Produced by Alun Beach

This programme comes from the 120th Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells. 250,000 people are expected to attend across 4 days, with 7000 livestock entries.

It comes during an eventful week in Welsh politics, with the Cabinet Secretary of Climate Change and Rural Affairs in the Welsh Government set to become the new Deputy First Minister. So what does it all mean for future farming policy?

Presented by Charlotte Smith

A report by the National Audit Office into farming published today shows much room for improvement.

A tree nursery in Fife has been working hard to become better for the environment, and is now pushing to become carbon-negative.

The longest running scientific study into the impact of cereal farming on invertebrates, the Sussex Study which is run by the Game and Conservation Trust, has just published a new paper analysing 50 years’ worth of data.

Presented by Caz Graham

Produced by Alun Beach

Three conservation groups say farming budgets need to rise substantially to meet legally binding targets on nature and climate.

Scotland is to have a new national park and Galloway, in the south west of the country, has been chosen as the preferred location. Not everyone is happy, a local farmer gives his views.

Avon and Somerset Police have confirmed it will switch officers from their rural crime team to other roles for the next few months because staffing is so stretched.

UK households spent around £8 billion pounds on gardening products last year according to the Horticulture Trades Association, which is complaining border delays are hitting its industry hard.

Presented by Caz Graham

Produced by Alun Beach