Over The Farm Gate

This week on Over The Farm Gate we’re discussing vertical farms and finding out if they are really better for the planet? Vertical farming - does all the hype stack up? Can these systems really save input costs? Do they offer viable diversification opportunities? Or will they always be the preserve of big-time farmers and investors? And of course, are they really better for the planet, and what contribution can they make to our food system? To find out, Jez Fredenburgh talks to Sarah...

This week on Over The Farm Gate we’re discussing the new National Food Strategy. The strategy has prompted mixed reactions from the industry. A recommendation to introduce new salt and sugar taxes and a call for a 30 per cent reduction in meat consumption over the next 10 years have garnered particular criticism. But other proposed measures in the report, such as guaranteeing the farm payments budget until at least 2029, and defining minimum standards for food imports, have been broadly...

This week on Over The Farm Gate we’re discussing whether the pandemic has brought on a greater appreciation for farming. Last week more than 100 farms opened their gates for the first time since the pandemic began as part of Leaf’s Open Farm Sunday - a key date in the diary that helps to connect consumers with food and farming. So, were visitors still as keen to come as normal and how did farmers handle it? Jez Fredenburgh is joined by mixed arable and sheep farmer Anne Mair Chapman,...