Farming Today This Week: food industry whistleblowers, red diesel, disease resilience, apprenticeships, Shetland wool, demo farm
An anonymous group of senior executives from retailers and food suppliers is warning that 'short term thinking' in the industry is driving up food prices and that farmers are being left to face the financial risks of an increasingly umpredictable supply chain. Diesel prices hit an all time high this week, with drivers paying almost £2 a litre, according to the RAC. The conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt supplies of fuel, pushing up prices. Farmers don’t get their fuel from filling stations, they buy it in bulk and use what’s called “red diesel” - it’s dyed red and is much cheaper - with less fuel duty to pay because it’s only for use in off-road machinery. However, industry surveys estimate farmers are paying an average of 40% more for their red diesel than this time last year. The new president of the British Veterinary Association is calling for more resilience against disease outbreaks. As the UK battles a huge outbreak of the livestock disease Bluetongue, Dr Gwen Rees says as a profession, vets need to make sure they are ready to act. Apprenticeships are a popular route into agricultural careers, especially for students from farming families who are needed to work in the family business but also need to develop their knowledge and skills. FarmED in the Cotswolds is a demonstration farm experimenting with different crops, techniques and rotations. It wants people to explore how we can produce enough food, while restoring nature, adapting to climate change and keeping farmers in business. Knitters from around the world have flocked to Shetland for a celebration of wool, knitting and textiles. The star of the show: the Island's unique Shetland sheep. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney