20/06/26: Milk price glimmers, Andy Burnham's rural in-tray, Welsh farming policy.
About this episode
The episode discusses the challenges faced by dairy farmers due to heatwave conditions, the political landscape affecting farming policies, and the evolution of Welsh farming policy during the Royal Welsh Show.
Heatwave conditions are particularly testing for dairy cows, and dairy farmers. Figures from the industry body, the AHDB, showed a 34 million litre reduction in milk arriving at British processors in June this year, compared to the same time last year, with the record temperatures the main cause. The UK is not alone, drops in milk production in Germany and France are bringing one small glimmer of hope. There are signs that the long slump in prices brought about by a global oversupply is starting to reverse. Andy Burnham moves into 10 Downing Street today, as he becomes the UK's 59th Prime Minister, the seventh in ten years. The relationship between Sir Keir Starmer's government and the farming community soured over Inheritance Tax, and England's stop-start sustainable farming incentive. Wildlife and landscape conservation groups were less than enamoured with a shift in emphasis away from protection and towards 'build baby build'. So what's the one thing they want the new Prime Minister to make his priority? The Royal Welsh Show begins today, and all week we're exploring how Welsh farming policy is evolving. Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling
People in this episode
Host: Charlotte Smith
Topics covered
- dairy farming
- milk production
- politics
- farming policy
- climate impact
- sustainable farming
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: AHDB
Places: UK, Germany, France
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- 15/07/26 New UK Swiss trade deal, Farming in Protected Landscapes grants, deer control in Loch Lomond
- 14/07/26 Wildfires on farms, England's environmental farm payments
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