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Farming Today

BBC Radio 4
Drought
Flooding
DEFRA
Climate Change
Sustainable Farming Incentive
Agriculture
Animal Welfare
Farming
Artificial Intelligence
Biodiversity
Northern Ireland
European Union
Food Security
Dairy Farming
Agroforestry
Milk Prices
Scotland
Environmental Regulation
Animal Feed
Farming Profitability

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside

PublishesDailyEpisodes110Founded19 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Science

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Artwork for Farming Today

Latest Episodes

We hear calls for more ‘cooperative working’, to give farmers a louder voice in the food supply chain.

When is a Hereford cow not a Hereford cow? How a dispute about breed purity has ended up in the High Court.

And cultivating hemp and flax for bui... more

The number of bluetongue cases since the first of July in the UK has now topped a thousand. That’s nearly three times the number of positive cases for the whole of the previous year to that date. How are farmers feeling about the UK’s largest ever ou... more

The number of bluetongue cases since the first of July in the UK has now topped a thousand. That’s nearly three times the number of positive cases for the whole of the previous year to that date. How are farmers feeling about the UK’s largest-ever ou... more

UK dairy cows produce around 15 billion litres of milk every year and each litre comes with an environmental cost: methane and greenhouse gas emissions; energy and water use; and potential pollution. Scotland’s Rural College, SRUC, has completed a st... more

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Recent Guests

Alex Armitage
Scottish Green Party councillor for Shetland South
Scottish Green Party
Episode: 09/09/2026 UK's self-sufficiency in food; bio-gas production on farm; Shetland's food.
Tom Hawthorne
Owner/manager at Florborough Farms, biomethane crop producer
Florborough Farms
Episode: 09/09/2026 UK's self-sufficiency in food; bio-gas production on farm; Shetland's food.
Michael Jarmas
Feedstock Development Lead for Future Biogas
Future Biogas
Episode: 09/09/2026 UK's self-sufficiency in food; bio-gas production on farm; Shetland's food.
Nick Primmer
Head of Policy and Environmental Social Governance at Future Biogas
Future Biogas
Episode: 09/09/2026 UK's self-sufficiency in food; bio-gas production on farm; Shetland's food.
Jack Watts
NFU Chief Economist
National Farmers Union
Episode: 09/09/2026 UK's self-sufficiency in food; bio-gas production on farm; Shetland's food.
Paul Baker
The Experimental Farmer
Self-employed / The Experimental Farmer
Episode: 08/09/2026: Spy in the tractor cab? Surrey hops, The Experimental Farmer
James Windridge
Head of farming at Hampton Estate
Hampton Estate
Episode: 08/09/2026: Spy in the tractor cab? Surrey hops, The Experimental Farmer
Bill Bedell
Chief Executive
Hampton Estate
Episode: 08/09/2026: Spy in the tractor cab? Surrey hops, The Experimental Farmer
Bridget Spiddell
Managing Farm Partner
Hampton Estate Farms
Episode: 08/09/2026: Spy in the tractor cab? Surrey hops, The Experimental Farmer

Hosts

Caz Graham
Host of Farming Today; frequently covers farming and countryside topics for BBC.
Charlotte Smith
Host of Farming Today and This Week programs; regular presenter on rural affairs.
Anna Hill
Host of Farming Today; covers farming news and countryside topics.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 522 ratings
  • Good questions

    I really appreciate how much the journalists on Farming Today push guests on the show. They actually asked them difficult questions and challenge them.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Aye11111111
    United Kingdom6 months ago
  • Left leaning and urbanised views

    Still a very left leaning and urban view of the countryside. Typical of the BBC sadly. Doesn’t want to truly understand that the countryside is a working place not an urban playground and won’t talk about the issues the BBC feel are inappropriate

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Billy the Kid!
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Great podcast

    Great podcast, but not always uploaded everyday. The last show was 6 days ago. Please can we get back to daily uploads. And no I don’t want the bbc sounds app

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    AdamjBrad
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Great mix of topics

    Don’t listen to the vocal whingers and culture warriors who moan about political bias and compare Farming Today to Countryfile. This is a great little podcast with an interesting range of issues on land use/management (not just farming but also the environment, fishing and planning etc). Perhaps it’s name should be changed though to reflect the greater breadth of coverage beyond just agriculture. That may stop the grumbling farmers (who already have the Farmers Weekly podcast if they really want... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gulvain1
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Stop adverts

    It’s annoying.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Imnotlistening
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Criticism centers on perceived political bias and urban-centric perspectives by some listeners.
Many describe it as essential, educational, and a reliable digest of UK farming news.
Listeners praise the show for asking tough questions and delivering concise, informative updates.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Spotify
#28
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#21
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#207
Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts
#45
Argentina/Science
Apple Podcasts
#95
Ireland/Science
Apple Podcasts
#124
South Africa/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

07/09/26 Government call for evidence on gamebirds, farming without oil
Q: What is the one thing that would really tip farmers toward changing their practices?
Money and the economic incentives of moving away from fossil fuels, since the current farming systems operate on razor-thin margins and any transition needs to be financially viable for farmers.
09/09/2026 UK's self-sufficiency in food; bio-gas production on farm; Shetland's food.
Q: What needs to happen to turn things around so that we are producing more of the food we eat and relying less on imports?
The guests advocate for a long-term national plan, a clear production target, protection of core standards to create a level playing field, and investment at the farm level, complemented by policy reforms that recognize the value of biomethane and decarbonisation initiatives.
18/08/2026 Bluetongue, solar farm row, vineyards
Q: What are the local concerns about solar farms in Staffordshire?
Residents and officials are worried about land coverage, road suitability for heavy traffic, groundwater stability, and the long-term impact on farming livelihoods and local communities.
24/08/2026: bluetongue, future foods, farm app
Q: Why did you decide to set up Farm Flow at a young age?
Ben explained that moving to a more intensive farming environment prompted him to seek efficiencies and help family farms run like small businesses.
04/08/26 Wheat harvest, waste whey, sheep farmers at risk from disease
Q: What problem does salty whey pose for the dairy industry?
Salty whey is produced in large volumes during cheese production, is high in salt and acidity, and is expensive to treat; it also harms water quality, so finding a way to convert it into a usable energy source could reduce disposal costs and environmental impact.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Farming Today

What is Farming Today about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Roughly 15 minutes per episode, this show concentrates on farming news, policy, and rural life in the UK, with a strong emphasis on how climate pressures, land use, and government programs shape day-to-day farming. Across recent episodes, themes include drought relief, water management, on-farm energy projects like solar installations, disease management in livestock, and the economics of farming under weather stress. Guests routinely combine farmer perspectives with input from industry bodies, researchers, and policymakers, offering practical insights alongside broader strategic context. A notable strength is the program's ability to pair on-the-ground narratives with policy and science commentary, making it useful for listeners who want t... more

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How many listeners does Farming Today get?

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What are the audience demographics for Farming Today?

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How many subscribers and views does Farming Today have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Farming Today has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Farming Today?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Farming Today:

1. The Farmers Weekly Podcast
2. FED by Farmers Podcast
3. Open Country
4. Radical
5. The Food Programme

How many episodes of Farming Today are there?

Farming Today launched 19 years ago and published 110 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Farming Today?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Farming Today?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Farming Today from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Farming Today?

Recent guests on Farming Today include:

1. Alex Armitage
2. Tom Hawthorne
3. Michael Jarmas
4. Nick Primmer
5. Jack Watts
6. Paul Baker
7. James Windridge
8. Bill Bedell

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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