Meet the Farmers

In the final episode of series one of The Big Debate Ally, Sophie, and producer Ben look back on a year of farming discussions, reflecting on the industry’s challenges, what they’ve learned, and what could bring resilience and optimism for the future.

Sophie Gregory and Ally Hunter Blair discuss the fast-closing SFI application window, UK potato crop losses, and new investment in Scotland’s beef sector, alongside updates from their own farms. They also explore how farming films can shape public understanding of agriculture.

The rain has returned, but after two incredibly challenging summers, can farming afford to simply move on? Ally and Sophie discuss this and more in this week's Big Debate episode.

If someone handed you £1 million to invest in your farm, what would you spend it on? That's the question Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory tackle in this week's Big Debate. From buying land and securing the future of the business to investing in water storage and diversification, they explore whether £1 million is really enough to transform a modern farm – and whether they're investing for themselves or the next generation.

Join Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory for the first-ever in-person episode of The Big Debate. They discuss the UK's worsening drought, the spread of bluetongue, harvest pressures, life on their own farms, and the challenge of juggling farming with family life during the school holidays. They also explore how British farms are adapting through diversification and changing farming practices as the climate continues to shift.

Ben will be away for a little while and shares some news in this short update.

For this emergency episode Ben is joined by a panel to discuss wild fires and how land management can help

Ally and Sophie are joined by Ben Briggs to discuss the Farming Roadmap and the government response to the Farm Profitability Review. Also chat about the dry weather, Ally's experience so far of harvest 2026 and Farm Safety Week.

Derek v Derek is a 2026 documentary about two neighbouring Devon farmers whose opposing approaches to managing the land make sparks fly between them! Here we meet the Dereks and see how they are actually more similar in their views than may at first appear.

Do you have questions about viticulture or diversification? In this bonus episode of The Big Debate, hosts Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory put some listener questions to Annabelle Rout, a lawyer from Birketts LLP.