10/10/20 - Farming Today This Week: An in depth look at farming policy post CAP

Caz Graham takes an in depth look at the future of British farming policy. Why should you care? Because what farmers do affects all of us, via the food on our plates, the state of our wildlife and the very look of the countryside around us.

The biggest shake up of farming in nearly fifty years starts in the New Year when UK farmers will no longer be governed by the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Currently, in simple terms, the CAP pays farmers based on the amount of land they have, which on average in the UK makes up more than half of a farm’s income. There are other payments too which can be earned by doing good things for the environment under stewardship schemes.

We hear what policies might look like in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Caz visits a trial site for the new Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) that will replace the CAP in England. We hear from the DEFRA Secretary, George Eustice, about how ELMS could work, and from the Shadow DEFRA Secretary.

Presented by Caz Graham
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons