Farming Today This Week 11/07/2026 Crops in a mine, hot livestock, agriculture & water report, scallops, school farm visits.
About this episode
The episode explores innovative underground farming, the impact of agriculture on water resources, livestock health during heatwaves, and the significance of school farm visits.
How practical would it be to grow our food underground? It’s a question being investigated by researchers at the University of Shefffield who are growing crops more than a kilometre below ground-level in a working mine near Whitby. The Environment Agency has produced its first ever annual report into agriculture and water in England. Taking data from the last five years, it assesses the impact of agricultural pollution from farms, and how water availability is being managed. Non-compliance with water regulations has dropped, but 40% of farmers are still breaking the rules. We’ve been taking a close look at commercial fishing all this week. Ten years on from the Brexit vote leading to the UK leaving the EU, some in the industry say that decision has had a lasting impact on their businesses, and not a good one. We hear from a scallop business in Scotland which says the industry needs more support. Many of us have been sweltering in the third official heatwave of the summer. For farmers with livestock, there's the continual worry that their animals might be overheating, or not drinking enough water. We speak to a farm vet about the impact heat stress can have on the health of…
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of Sheffield, Environment Agency
Places: England, Whitby, Scotland, Kendal
More episodes of Farming Today
- 21/07/26 Farm fatalities, dry potatoes, Welsh farm subsidies, Lake District guide
- 20/06/26: Milk price glimmers, Andy Burnham's rural in-tray, Welsh farming policy.
- 18/07/26 Farming Today This Week: Wildfires, hot harvest, the Great Yorkshire Show
- 17/07/26 The Great Yorkshire Show
- 16/07/26 'Critical situation' for chicken site as water restricted, farm payments for wildlife, the price of chocolate
- 15/07/26 New UK Swiss trade deal, Farming in Protected Landscapes grants, deer control in Loch Lomond
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