As England is now the one part of the UK allowed to grow gene edited crops, what does that mean for trade with partners like the EU? We discuss the latest promises on legislation with Northern Ireland's Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs...and a farmer who's growing precision bred crops.

Twenty years ago the idea of robotic milking for cows may have seemed far-fetched, but today it's not uncommon, with an estimated 10% of UK dairy farms using automated systems. We visit a farm in Wales to see the kit in action.

And the creation of new, small abattoirs to replace those we've lost should be supported by Government funding - that's according to the Rare Breed Survival Trust. It comes as Newman's Abattoir in Hampshire is now set to shut its doors at the end of January - the latest in a long line of closures.

Presented by Anna Hill

Farming Today This Week comes from Oxford where two big conferences have been taking place: the Oxford Farming Conference and the Oxford Real Farming Conference. The first is traditionally seen as attended by the established and larger farms, and the Real Farming Conference has wider scope with more smaller farms, organic producers and artisan food producers. Both together represent UK farming as a whole.

A convoy of tractors and farmers with placards staged a protest in Oxford City Centre as Defra Secretary Steve Reed gave his speech to the Oxford Farming Conference. They're angry at plans to change the rules around inheritance tax. This wasn't the focus of Steve Reed's speech; instead he promised a plan for change. He told delegates this must have three things: food production at its core, diversification of income, and restoration of nature as part of farming. He also announced speeding up the planning process for farm buildings. Agriculture's a devolved issue, and farming ministers for the devolved nations gave speeches about what's happening in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

We also report from The Oxford Real Farming Conference, where have similar concerns about the future of their businesses. We speak to the manager, interview an upland farmer about whole farm profitability, and drop in on a session about inheritance tax.

Presenter = Anna Hill

With tractors protesting outside the Oxford Farming Conference, what will the Defra Secretary say to farmers?

In contrast to the more established OFC which has been representing the industry since 1936, the Real Farming Conference, which started 15 years ago, attracts a huge range of farming enterprises. Its conference has 2000 delegates meeting across 19 venues, and has wider scope with more smaller farms, organic and artisan food producers.

Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Anna Hill is in Oxford for two major conferences: the Oxford Farming Conference and the Oxford Real Farming Conference. The first is traditionally seen as attended by the established and larger farms, and the Real Farming Conference has wider scope with more smaller farms, organic producers and artisan food producers. Both together represent UK farming as a whole.

The theme at the OFC this year is 'facing change, finding opportunity'. With farmers under pressure with new farm payment schemes, challenging harvests and changes to inheritance tax, Anna asks what's the mood at the conferences.

Produced by Beatrice Fenton.

A stronger vision for farming and more money - that's the call from the Wildlife Trusts in a new report which makes the case for investment in nature to protect the UK's food security. It says that at a time when climate change impacts are starting to bite, the restoration of nature is critical to feeding the country.

Mike Wilkins is an arable farmer from Wiltshire - and was also a contestant on the latest season of The Great British Bake Off. We've been to meet him and try one of his latest bakes.

And, over the past few years artificial fertilisers have got a lot more expensive. Along with their environmental impact, that's concentrated minds on how to reduce their use without seeing a big impact on yields. We visit a research project in Leicestershire were new nitrogen fixing technology is being used.

Presented by Charlotte Smith

It's been a frozen and wet start to 2025 with widespread snow and flooding. For many farmers it's all a bit too much like last winter - the wettest on record - which saw crops drowned and delayed much planting simply because the land was too wet to get onto it.

We hear from farmers along the cancelled northern leg of HS2, who say they still face uncertainty. The high speed railway line from Birmingham to Manchester was cancelled in October 2023 - but land remains set aside for major infrastructure.

And we hear from two innovative companies about what they think the future holds for food and farming.

Presented by Charlotte Smith

Bird counts reveal a drop in numbers around Lough Neagh - could the algal blooms be to blame?

Whisky distilleries and producers are becoming more alive to the fact that every stage of the whisky-making process is being affected by the climate Scotland is experiencing.

Robot dogs sound like they are the stuff of science fiction, but they are starting to be used in the countryside right now.

Presented by Helen Mark and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

20 ancient barns in the Lake District are being restored thanks to a fund of just over 3 million pounds. Caz Graham joins an architect and a farmer to find out how the work is being done. Solomon is a Shorthorn bull, and he’s a bull with a job title. He’s the Department Bull. Owned by the Scottish Government, Solomon is one of a number of bulls available to small-scale crofters in the Highlands and Islands who want to choose a mate for their beef herds. We visit the Isle of Lewis to find out more. And the Derby Tup is a traditional Derbyshire folk play, performed in the winter months. We hear from a family keeping the tradition alive.

Presented by Helen Mark and produced by Chris Ledgard at BBC Audio Bristol

How Hilda, a newborn dairy calf, has been bred to help tackle climate change.

Experts in animal behaviour and welfare are conducting experiments at Scotland's Rural College pig research unit aimed at finding practical solutions to some of the biggest challenges faced by the pig industry.

Presented by Helen Mark and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Cleaning and disinfecting dairy milking equipment, whether robotic or manual, uses large amounts of energy and significant quantities of chemicals. It’s a necessary but expensive process. So farmers are watching with interest the team developing a system that claims to do away with both those things. Scientists at the UK Agri-Tech Centre are collaborating with a company called Oxitech on a method that uses electricity and oxygen instead.

Theft of machinery, fly tipping, cattle rustling, hare coursing; these are all crimes farmers might have to face. Even though budgets are tight, some police forces have been bolstering their rural teams to help combat crime in the countryside. One area which has seen an increase in resources is Warwickshire. Our reporter joins officers there out on patrol.

For the first time gene-edited tomato plants have been developed specifically for a vertical farm operation, where they have to produce a significant amount of fruit, from a very small plant, adapted for growing under artificial light. The miniaturised version of the gardener's favourite, Ailsa Craig, has been developed by Phytoform Labs at Rothamsted Research, but they are still at the development stage so not on supermarket shelves.

Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.