In this episode we gain press access to Diddley Squat farm ahead of the new series of Clarksons farm. We heard about the trials and tribulations in the cast met in their new ventures. 
 
Jeremy and Kaleb have gone their separate ways in farming practice to see who can make the most, and spend it too! This has been done to show the changes that the current government are inflicting upon UK farming practices.  
 
What will happen to the cows is unsure after the various obstacles the farm, shop and newly opened restaurant have faced.  
 
The day involved a shop tour from Lisa, a guided tour and a pint with Kaleb, a tractor ride with yokle Gerald, who is a bit easier to understand in person and discussing the intricate farm details with Cheerful Charlie and Dilwyn the Vet.
 
Catch up on the down low on season 3, and a q&a with the duo that has stole the nations hearts, Jeremy Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper.

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On this week's podcast, Farmers Guardian reporter Chris Brayford is joined by the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland's executive director Neil Wilson and Aberdeenshire auctioneer Ellis Mutch from the ANM Group. Chris was at Thainstone Specialist Auctions in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, to talk to Neil and Ellis about life as an auctioneer, the value of auction marts to farmers, the unique relationship which exists between farmer and auctioneer, the challenges the industry faces and the passion auctioneers have to work with farmers.

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Liz Fletcher has truly found a home in the farming community. In this week's Farmers Guardian podcast episode, online editor Emily Ashworth talks to Liz about how she has truly become embedded in the rural community, and how all of a sudden, 10 sheep quickly became 240. 
Coming from a non-farming background, the idea when moving to their 240-acre farm in the Peak District was only ever meant to be a lifestyle move, but three years later, along with her husband, Kelvin, and their four young children, they have seriously fallen in love with the industry and hope to inspire others - inside and out the sector - to celebrate it. 

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Ahead of this year's Cultivate conference, Hillsgreen's Andy Venables speaks to the Farmers Guardian podcast about digital marketing, growing your business and diversification. Tom Warner, from Warner's Gin, talks about building their farm gin brand, top tips for farmers diversifying and growing new and exciting crops on farm to flavour their spirits.

For more information or to book tickets to Cultivate visit https://cultivateconference.co.uk/

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A farmer’s son from Yorkshire, Young farmers has been an integral part of John Houseman’s upbringing.

While sat in a tractor on his placement year with Harper Adams in 2019, he heard the news that the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs (https://www.nfyfc.org.uk/) had decided to cancel their annual AGM. After setting up a Facebook event to create his own event, it snowballed and he became the founder of the Young Farmers Community DIY AGM. (https://youngfarmerscommunity.co.uk/ )

In this episode, John tells Ellie Layton, FG’s livestock reporter, all about what the event is, why it is held and the money they raise for charity.

Farmers Guardian Editor Olivia Midgley also joins the chat to discuss FG’s new presence at the event as we are set to hold the inaugural FG Live event, a conference which is putting the MEETING back in Annual General Meeting. The conference is designed to support the next generation of farmers navigate their way through key aspects of farming life such as grants, mental health, SFI and social media. 

Register for the event at: https://www.farmersguardian.com/fglive-agm24

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As an upland tenant farmer the NFU’s new vice-president Rachel Hallos will be a powerful voice as the union navigates unprecedented change.She may be new to the role, but NFU vice president Rachel Hallos was keen to let members know she was not afraid to ‘speak openly', promising to bring some 'straight-talking northern charm' to the leadership team. Ms Hallos runs an upland beef and sheep farm in Ripponden, West Yorkshire, working in partnership with her husband, Stephen, as well as her son, Sam, and daughter, Anna, on a Yorkshire Water tenanted farm.  Over the last 20 years the family farm has evolved from a dairy unit, to now a beef herd and hill flock with a focus on environmental outcomes. Ms Hallos said there had been many ‘tough times' along the way, but she was keen to draw upon the journey as part of her new role.

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Shadow Defra Secretary Steve Reed admits previously the Labour party had lost connection with the countryside and farming communities and said he hoped to turn it around in the next General Election later this year, adding he wanted to 'give farmers their future back', recognising that Labour was started to 'get a hearing' in rural seats, but acknowledging that the job 'was not done yet'. 

Mr Reed talks about his five point plans to get farming back on track including, EU veterinary agreements, public procurement, slashing planning times, a sustainable energy company GB energy and created a flood resilient taskforce. But what about budget? Mr Reed would not commit to increasing the farming budget but said the Labour party's so called 'new deal' was already fully funded and was putting 'billions of pounds' back into the bank accounts of farmers and producers.

He said a Labour Government would look to publish an impact assessment straight away to assess issues around food security and tenant farmers as a result of the new agri-schemes and believes establishing a landuse framework would be key. When it comes to bovine TB policy, Mr Reed said he would follow the Godfray review, adopting a multi-pronged approach. He committed to keeping existing badger cull licences, but said there was 'not scientific evidence' that the badger cull was effective, and a Labour Government would focus down on getting a vaccine over the line to tackle the disease.

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Newly elected council chair of National Federation for Young Farmers clubs (NFYFC), Drew Bailey is from a non-farming background and joined NFYFC when he was 15 years old. 
In his new role he is passionate about ensuring NFYFC is a place for everyone who wants to be involved regardless of their background, sexuality or ethnicity. The sense of belonging, the community, and the friendships he has gained from being part of NFYFC he wants others to experience too.

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Farmers Guardian editor Olivia Midgley speaks to Soil Association chief executive Helen Browning and Overbury Farms regenerative farming manager Jake Freestone who were speaking at the Low Carbon Agriculture show, organised by Farmers Guardian's parent company Agriconnect. 

The two-day conference and expo saw a range of high-profile speakers debate hot topics from the benefits of adding sheep into the arable rotation and selling carbon credits, to how reframing the conversation around climate friendly farming could help more farmers to engage in net zero. 

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Sophie Gregory is a dairy farmer in Dorset, and over the years her thousands of followers - all 12k of them - have followed her on her journey into agriculture. Not from farming, she called herself 'farmer in training' and has used her platform to talk about farming, milk and her life as an organic Arla dairy farmer.

This year she has become a Nuffield Scholar, opting to research the organic milk market. In this Farmers Guardian podcast episode, online editor Emily Ashworth talks to Sophie all about her upcoming travels, her passion for the dairy industry and how we can look forward to a sustainable farming future.

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