09/10/26 Drought aftermath, Cornish hedges, SNP conference, AI and farming

The official estimates for England's harvest 2026 are in, and they don't make happy reading. Provisional figures from the government show that it's the smallest harvest of both barley and oats since 2012. Wheat saw a small increase with losses in the south and east offset by a better harvest further north, and oilseed rape had a better year with a 6% increase in yield.

All week we're talking about boundaries, the fences and walls which define farms and fields. Traditional Cornish hedges are an earth bank sandwiched between two stone walls - not what you might expect from the word 'hedge'. Many of these hedges were lost to make fields bigger during the mid-twentieth century push for food production. Others have collapsed into disrepair, but there’s now a push to restore and appreciate Cornish hedges anew.

The Scottish National Party insists that its plan to introduce a price cap on some essential foods will go ahead; the initiative has been described as 'a potty gimmick' and criticised by retailers, farmers and food and drink manufacturers. The SNP holds its annual conference in Aberdeen next week. The minister for agriculture, marine and the islands Jim Fairlie says capping food prices won't impact farmers.

Artificial intelligence which is beginning to transform many aspects of our lives - so what's its potential for farmers? Producers are facing more challenges than ever, from drought and heatwaves to labour shortages and the spiralling price of fuel and fertiliser. We visited a robotic dairy on the Somerset/Devon border to ask if AI will bring the fourth agricultural revolution.

Presenter: Charlotte Smith
Producer: Rebecca Rooney