08/09/2026: Spy in the tractor cab? Surrey hops, The Experimental Farmer

A Westminster think tank has warned that internet-connected technology has the potential to be used by China to spy on the UK food system. The Coalition on Secure Technology describes itself as a cross-party group of policymakers and experts. It says that components which allow devices like tractors and crop monitoring drones to connect to mobile networks could present a security risk, with the majority of these 'Internet of Things' modules being made in China.

Think of English hop growing and you might think of Kent or Herefordshire, but Surrey was once famous for its hops, too. Now the only remaining commercial hop garden in Surrey has finished its final harvest. Climate change and economic pressures have made it unviable for Hampton Estate, at Puttenham, to carry on producing the traditional Fuggles hops that add bitterness to real ales.

All week we're exploring whether agriculture could become fossil-free, and asking how much progress farmers are making to reduce their fossil fuel use. Paul Baker icalls himself The Experimental Farmer on social media. He's been looking at soil microbes and how they can be made to work harder, so their nutrients are more available to crops, cutting the need for artificial fertilisers.

Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Sarah Swadling