Welcome to this special episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast – the Farmers Weekly Question Time Event at Plumpton College in East Sussex

Recorded in front of a live audience on Thursday, 20 February 2025, farmers and other conference delegates quiz industry leaders on topical agricultural issues.

Our panel is:

- James MacCleary, Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes & Lib Dem Europe spokesperson

- Flavian Obiero, the Kenyan Pig Farmer, of Tynefield Farm

- Kelly Hewson-Fisher, head of rural research, Savills

- Amy Jackson, agricultural communications specialist, Oxtale PR

- Mark Lumsdon-Taylor, found and president, The Rural Policy Group

This Farmers Weekly Question Time is sponsored by Savills and Lantra, the skills and training organisation for the land-based sector.

Farmers Weekly Question Time is hosted by Farmers Weekly Podcast editor Johann Tasker. To attend future Farmers Weekly Question Time events, visit fwi.co.uk/questiontime.

In this episode, we discuss the possible outcomes after government finally agrees to talks with farm leaders on inheritance tax.

Have things gone too far? Were farming protestors right to force Keir Starmer to cut short a prime ministerial visit to Milton Keynes?

And should farming be higher or lower on the government's pecking order?

We speak to Aberdeenshire farmer Andrew Connan – NFU Scotland's newly president – and ask him about his priorities.

And Louise meets the aerospace engineer who finds out that farming is harder than rocket science.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker, Louise Impey and Hugh Broom.

Follow Johann (X): @johanntasker

Follow Louise (X): @louisearable

Follow Hugh (X): @sondesplacefarm

For Farmers Weekly, visit fwi.co.uk or follow @farmersweekly

To contact the Farmers Weekly Podcast, email [email protected]. In the UK, you can also text the word FARM followed by your message to 88 44 0.

In this episode, we look at the LEAF Marque - the farm assurance scheme that delivers benefits for consumers and the environment – as well as for farmers.

We find out what makes it work, why it is becoming so popular – and why supermarkets are so keen to work alongside LEAF food producers.

We speak to Oxbury Bank – the latest lender offering a special deal to farmers who want to farm more sustainably.

We visit an upbeat DairyTech event at Stoneleigh – and talk to the winner of the NMR Gold Cup, presented by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers.

We've all the latest market prices – and we discover why it's so important to join this month's Big Farmland Bird Count.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker, Louise Impey and Hugh Broom.

Follow Johann (X): @johanntasker

Follow Louise (X): @louisearable

Follow Hugh (X): @sondesplacefarm

For Farmers Weekly, visit fwi.co.uk or follow @farmersweekly

To contact the Farmers Weekly Podcast, email [email protected]. In the UK, you can also text the word FARM followed by your message to 88 44 0.

In this episode, we look at government plans to reduce the area of UK farmland – and use it instead to restore nature and create wildlife habitats.

The government's Land Use Framework for England – which is out for consultation – will earmark different areas of land for different uses.

Objectives include food production, building 1.5 million homes this parliament, and helping to mitigate climate change.

We examine what this means for key areas such as the Fens, with a visit to the Fenland Soil Conference in Ely, Cambridgeshire.

With beef prices reaching record highs, we look at the prospects for the sector for farmers – and the price of steak for consumers.

And as the battle over inheritance tax continues, we look at how banks say they are trying to support growers and livestock producers.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker, Louise Impey and Hugh Broom.

Follow Johann (X): @johanntasker

Follow Louise (X): @louisearable

Follow Hugh (X): @sondesplacefarm

For Farmers Weekly, visit fwi.co.uk or follow @farmersweekly

To contact the Farmers Weekly Podcast, email [email protected]. In the UK, you can also text the word FARM followed by your message to 88 44 0.

In this episode, we look at how a group of 'Pulse Pioneers' are sowing the seeds for a revival of Britain's pea and bean crops.

Pulse crops have many benefits. They include better soil health, less reliance on chemical fertilisers and lower dependency on pesticides.

But inconsistent performance can make them difficult to grow profitably. We look at possible answers – and the bigger picture.

For more information about the pea and bean project, visit the Pulse Pioneers and the Nitrogen Smart Climate initiative website.

The long-awaited farm assurance review says there needs to be a change in leadership culture at Red Tractor. Can it really happen?

We've a look at the market for spring fertiliser – and the latest on the inheritance tax battle, including the Farming Day of Unity.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker, Louise Impey and Hugh Broom.

Follow Johann (X): @johanntasker

Follow Louise (X): @louisearable

Follow Hugh (X): @sondesplacefarm

For Farmers Weekly, visit fwi.co.uk or follow @farmersweekly

To contact the Farmers Weekly Podcast, email [email protected]. In the UK, you can also text the word FARM followed by your message to 88 44 0.

In this episode, we discover how machinery manufacturers are making it easier for farmers to get their hands on the latest kit and technology.

We visit the 2025 LAMMA farm machinery show – the two-day extravaganza bringing 40,000 visitors to the Birmingham NEC.

We speak to farmers, machinery manufacturers and auctioneers – and get the lowdown on the prospects for the sector for the year ahead.

As Morrisons backs farmers against the government on inheritance tax, we look at plans for further farm protests.

And we find out how shadow Defra secretary Victoria Atkins is tackling government ministers on behalf of family farmers.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker, Louise Impey and Hugh Broom.

Follow Johann (X): @johanntasker

Follow Louise (X): @louisearable

Follow Hugh (X): @sondesplacefarm

For Farmers Weekly, visit fwi.co.uk or follow @farmersweekly

To contact the Farmers Weekly Podcast, email [email protected]. In the UK, you can also text the word FARM followed by your message to 88 44 0.

In this episode, UK environment secretary Steve Reed pledges a better future for Britain's farmers. Is it a New Deal? Or is it a raw deal?

Mr Reed's speech to this year's Oxford Farming Conference made much mention of food security and the need to increase agricultural productivity and profitability.

Meanwhile, farmers say they will ramp up protest against government plans to impose 20% inheritance tax on farm asset worth more than £1 million.

As the UK's first case of glyphosate-resistant weeds are confirmed on a farm in Kent, we look at the implications for growers – especially regenerative farmers.

This episode is co-hosted by Farmers Weekly podcast editor Johann Tasker, arable specialist Louise Impey and Surrey farmer Hugh Broom.

To contact the Farmers Weekly Podcast, please email [email protected]. In England, you can also message us by texting the word FARM followed by your message to 88 44 0.

Welcome to this special episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast – the Farmers Weekly Question Time Event at the 2025 Oxford Farming Conference.

Recorded in front of a live audience on Wednesday the 8th of January 2025, farmers and other conference delegates quiz industry leaders on topical agricultural issues.

Our panel is:

- Minette Batters, cross-bench peer & immediate past president, NFU

- Graham Wilkinson, chief executive, Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board

- Alice Groom, head of sustainable land management, RSPB

- Matt Lobley, professor of rural resource management, Exeter University

- Oli Fletcher, farmer, rural historian & Farming Explained YouTube channel host

Farmers Weekly Question Time is hosted by Farmers Weekly Podcast editor Johann Tasker. To attend future Farmers Weekly Question Time events, visit fwi.co.uk/questiontime.

In this episode, we look at the prospects for farming in 2025 – and discuss the opportunities for growers and livestock producers.

We examine the outlook for profitable UK food production, ways to generate income from the farmed environment and the likely direction for government policy.

First, though, we preview the Oxford Farming Conference (8-10 January) – which has a reputation for setting the political agenda for the farming year.

This year's conference will see a keynote speech by Defra secretary Steve Reed following a series of controversial policy announcements.

Does the (still) fledgling Labour government really understand farming? And, if so, why has it imposed inheritance tax on farm assets worth more than £1 million?

Contributors include:

• Oxford Farming Conference chairman Geoff Sansome
• Policy analyst Emily Norton, Farm Foresight
• Graham Redman, The Andersons Centre
• Tim Isaac, Ceres Rural

Listeners in England can obtain free farm support advice until March 2025 under Defra's Farm Resilience Fund – subject to eligibility criteria.

This episode is hosted by Johann Tasker.

To contact the Farmers Weekly Podcast, please email [email protected]. In England, you can also message us by texting the word FARM followed by your message to 88 44 0.

In this episode, we visit the AgriTechE REAP conference – the annual showcase for the latest innovations in agriculture.

We find out how simple innovations can make farming more profitable – enabling farmers to work smarter rather than harder.

From completing Sustainable Farming Incentive applications at the push of a button to using semen analysis to breed better livestock.

We talk to start-up agri-tech entrepreneurs and some of the biggest global names in farming who are embracing big ideas to boost productivity.

We get together with the Silicon Valley expert who explains how artificial intelligence is available now – and how farmers can get involved.

And we meet the co-founder of a fledgling business on a quest to brew the perfect cup of coffee from UK-grown ingredients.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker

To contact the Farmers Weekly Podcast, email [email protected]. In the UK, you can also message us by texting the word FARM followed by your message to 88 44 0.