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Ffinlo Costain

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Farm Gate
Farm Gate'You can't live off nature's capital forever'Martin's Farm: February. ffinlo Costain finds out about integrated pest management and a hedge-laying competition run by Martin Lines at Papley Grove. Martin and ffinlo are also joined by Peter Craven, head of agriculture at Natural England, who’s talks through Natural England's new strategy and what it means for farmers and food production. ffinlo Costain is the editor of 8point9.com and producer of the Farm Gate podcast.Martin Lines is Chief Executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network.
2026-01-2753 minFarm Gate
Farm GateNature Friendly Farm Gate - Episode 1This is a new series on the Farm Gate podcast channel that we’re calling Nature Friendly Farm Gate.In this series, FFINLO COSTAIN will be joined by MARTIN LINES (Chief Executive of the Nature Friendly Farm Network). The pair will reflect on food and farming policy landscape in each of the four UK nations, and we'll find out about the ups and downs of Martin's farm business in Cambridgeshire.This time, ffinlo and Martin discuss the impact of English farm policy, the need for a strong (but not too strong) Secretary of St...
2025-08-2655 minFarm Gate
Farm GateLeaders - Tim Coates: Co-founder of Oxbury Bank8point9 editor, ffinlo Costain, is joined by Tim Coates, a co-founder of Oxbury Bank, which launched in 2021 as the only UK bank dedicated exclusively to the rural economy. In Farm Gate Leaders, ffinlo talks to someone who's played a defining role in our food and farming system - someone who's helping to deliver lasting and progressive change.
2025-04-1553 minFarm Gate
Farm GateHow can I make money from woodland?In this programme, 8point9.com's ffinlo Costain investigates how farmers and other land stewards can earn money from creating and managing woodland. ffinlo is joined by George Hepburne-Scott, Director, Forest Carbon - by David Robertson, Director of Investment and Business Development, Scottish Woodlands - by David McCulloch, Head of CarbonStore, Tilhill - and by Mark Lee, who farms at Torpenhow Farm in Cumbria.They discuss woodland carbon credits, additionality, biodiversity, nature credits, timber production and input savings resulting from woodland integration.This is the seventh episode in Farm Gate's Filling the Funding Gap...
2025-04-0157 minFarm Gate
Farm GateNew Wheat from the Chaff: SFI⁠8point9.com⁠⁠⁠ editor, ffinlo Costain, is joined by farmer and columnist, Joe Stanley - they discuss the abrupt closure of SFI24, the Sustainable Farming Scheme, and what that means for farmers and the countryside - they look at Paying The Price, a report by the Food Farming & Countryside Commission into UK diets - and they talk about the opportunity to stack natural capital services with food production.(Views expressed in the podcast by Joe and ffinlo do not necessarily represent the views of their respective companies and organisations.)
2025-03-2539 minFarm Gate
Farm GateMonetising water managementIn this programme ffinlo Costain investigates how farmers and other land stewards can earn money from managing water effectively on their land.Interviews and discussion cover:What sort of payments are available to farmers?Where might those payments come from?Maintenance payments focussed on water infiltration The relationship between farmers and water companiesThe future of nutrient neutralityffinlo is joined by:Andy Cato, Co-founder of WildfarmedGabriel Connor-Streich, Chief Executive of Greenshank Environmental
2025-03-0448 minFarm Gate
Farm GateWheat from the Chaff: Gene editing8point9.com⁠ editor, ffinlo Costain, is joined by farmer and columnist, Joe Stanley, for Farm Gate's monthly chat through the big land use topics of the moment.In this podcast the duo discuss the ongoing battle around inheritance tax - the government's land use framework - and ask whether gene editing is a force for good? (Views expressed in the podcast by Joe and ffinlo do not necessarily represent the views of their respective companies and organisations.)
2025-02-2559 minFarm Gate
Farm GateNew Wheat from the Chaff, with Joe Stanley8point9.com editor, ffinlo Costain, is joined by a new co-host, Joe Stanley, for Farm Gate's monthly chat through the big land use topics of the moment. Joe Stanley is a Farmers’ Weekly columnist, author and Head of Sustainable Farming at the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Allerton Project. In this podcast they discuss NFU leadership tactics - whether the ongoing campaign against inheritance tax changes is performative or effective - the UK government's decision to uphold a ban on noenicitinoid use - and new financial incentives to boost on-farm water management. (Views expr...
2025-01-3058 minFarm Gate
Farm GateFarm Gate 102: Can Labour build 1.5m new homes in balance with nature?In Britain, Labour has promised to "build 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament, with the biggest increase in social housing and affordable housebuilding in a generation." ffinlo Costain asks, can these homes be built in the time available - and just as importantly, can this level of house building be achieved in balance with nature and food production? ffinlo is joined by James Ellis, Director of Planning at Rural Solutions - and by Gabriel Connor Streich, the Chief Executive of Greenshank Environmental.
2024-07-1657 minFarm Gate
Farm GateFarm Gate 100: "They belong to this land" - The Reindeer Chroniclesffinlo Costain meets Judith D Schwartz - the author of Cows Save the Planet, Water in Plain Sight and The Reindeer Chronicles. Western civilisation has, for generations, sought to extract itself from its dependency on the natural world. Indigenous knowledge has been devalued and lost. And even now, as our monumental folly becomes clearer with each passing day, those who lead us have little real conception of our innate dependency upon an interconnected natural world. Judith D Schwartz has collected evidence of landscape-scale recovery led by visionaries who have reconnected themselves with nature. ffinlo and...
2024-03-0756 minFarm Gate
Farm GateWheat from the Chaff - Sycamores, Ecocide, the SDP and special guest: Heather WildmanPhil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) discuss the week's news - and are joined by special guest, farm business and succession adviser, Heather Wildman. News stories Phil and ffinlo discuss: Scottish Forestry rejects findings of Royal Society of Edinburgh tree report Non-native Sycamore is third most common British tree European Parliament votes to criminalise ecosystem destruction Government policy “inconsistent” and failing to deliver on farm antibiotic use Food and farming policies “fettered by neoliberal economics” says SDP And,
2024-03-0448 minFarm Gate
Farm GateWheat from the Chaff: Scottish funding, National Parks, and local food with special guest, Rachel JonesPhil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) chew through the week's land news, and talk to special guest, Rachel Jones (Sustain), about local food. News topics discussed: Scotland: Yousaf to continue 70 per cent direct funding, dependent on greening https://8point9.com/scotland-yousaf-to-continue-70-per-cent-direct-funding-dependent-on-greening/ Survey reveals bleak relations between landlords and tenant farmers - FFINLO https://8point9.com/survey-reveals-bleak-relations-between-landlords-and-tenant-farmers/ “Hidden” record of UK’s historic biodiversity to be digitised - PHIL https://8point9.com/hi...
2024-02-1254 minFarm Gate
Farm GateWheat from the Chaff: UPFs, peak nitrogen and a new Secretary of StatePhil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) chew over the week's news. PHIL'S PICKS Higher consumption of UPFs increases the risk of cancer and long-term heart conditions https://8point9.com/higher-consumption-of-upfs-increases-the-risk-of-cancer-and-long-term-heart-conditions/ Investigating the “halo effect” of food claims https://8point9.com/investigating-the-halo-effect-of-food-claims/ Nitrogen fertiliser production outstrips global needs and exceeds planetary boundaries https://8point9.com/nitrogen-fertiliser-production-outstrips-global-needs-and-exceeds-planetary-boundaries/ FFINLO'S PICKS Diverse forests hold huge carbon potential if well managed https://8point9.com/diverse-forests-hold-huge-carbon-potential-if-well-managed/ #GetFairAboutFarming petition hits...
2023-11-201h 04Farm Gate
Farm GateWheat from the Chaff 2 - From 8.9 & NFFNIn Wheat from the Chaff (WFTC) ffinlo Costain (Editor-in-Chief of 8point9.com) and Phil Carson (UK Policy Lead for the Nature Friendly Farming Network) talk through the week's news on 8.9ha. SHOW LINKS - PHIL'S PICKS: Strength in diversity – mapping healthy microbiome relationships M&S Food donates one million meals in new partnership with FareShare Transformational impact of Farms for City Children highlighted by Harper Adams research FFINLO'S PICKS: Nuffield report calls for increased support for Black and People of Colour in agricultur Red Tractor sa...
2023-11-0752 minFarm Gate
Farm Gate8.9ha Newsweek - Is glyphosate critical for regen ag?Today we have two interviews, followed by a fantastic discussion about regenerative agriculture and the use of glyphosate. INTERVIEW 1: The Food, Farming and Countryside Commission has unveiled research, which shows that the British public reject “nanny state” excuses and instead overwhelmingly back state intervention to tackle our health, climate and nature crises. Dr Courtney Scott is the Director of Policy and Research at the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission – ffinlo Costain asks her whether politicians are more interested in the so-called “nanny state” than citizens? INTERVIEW 2: The Global Terrorism Index 2023 shows that the ten countr...
2023-09-291h 03Farm Gate
Farm GateFarmers, Copa Cogeca and the NFUAn investigation by Lighthouse Reports has targeted the powerful European farming lobby group, Copa-Cogeca, which they say “is losing legitimacy even as it stymies the EU’s green agenda and hoovers up public funds.” In this programme we'll explore issues raised by the Lighthouse Reports investigation - and think about the legitimacy and the policy role of the National Farmers' Union, the largest farmers' organisation in the United Kingdom. ffinlo Costain is by Thin Lei Win, a co-author of the report - and by Jimmy Woodrow, the executive director of Pasture for Life in the UK.
2023-07-2146 minFarm Gate
Farm GateSaying NO to a farm-free futureffinlo Costain talks to Chris Smaje about his new book, Saying NO to a farm-free future. Smaje's response to George Monbiot's Regenesis is a well-mannered treatise that outlines coolly and specifically why the Guardian columnist's prescription for the food system is just completely wrong. Smaje, an academic, farmer and author of A Small Farm Future, is one of the few voices to publicly challenge Monbiot on the future of food and farming (and the restoration of nature). Responding to Monbiot’s portrayal of an urban, high-energy, industrially manufactured food future as the answer to...
2023-06-1951 minFarm Gate
Farm GateLive panel: Natural Capital - What farmers and policy makers need to knowIn this panel session we discuss a new report, Natural Capital: what farmers and policy makers need to know, which seeks to understand how new and emerging markets in natural capital fit into a changing landscape for farmers. The report was commissioned by the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission – it was written by Professor Fergus Lyon and Dr Amy Burnett from Middlesex University – and it was supported by the Prince’s Countryside Fund. ffinlo Costain, Chief Editor of 8point9.com, is joined by: Professor Fergus Lyon – author of the report – and director of the Centre for Enterp...
2023-05-2654 minFarm Gate
Farm GateLive panel: Alternative Food SummitAt the UK prime minister’s summit this week a package of measures to support British farming was unveiled. But the summit failed to address the enormous existing and future fragility in Britain’s food system – or its impact on the natural world, public health, global supply chains or indeed the wellbeing of those actually living and working in the countryside. What should have been on the table at the prime minister’s Downing Street Food Summit? Our panel: Martin Lines, Chair, Nature Friendly Farming Network Phil Stocker, Chief Executive, National Sheep Association Natalie Bennett, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, Green Pa...
2023-05-1955 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe one with George EusticeGeorge Eustice has been the Conservative MP for Camborne and Redruth since 2010. He was a Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2015 to 2020 - and served as the Secretary of State at Defra from 2020 to 2022. Mr Eustice has been the longest serving minister at Defra in the post-referendum period, providing a relatively rare point of consistency and stability in what was a time of substantial disruption in British politics. In this podcast Mr Eustice discusses his time in government, with the Chief Editor of https://8point9.com, ffinlo Costain.
2023-04-2854 minFarm Gate
Farm GateOutwintering cattleOutwintering your cattle herd in an agroecological farm system can reduce both costs and environmental impacts - but while ever more producers are taking this approach it's still far from common place. In this programme we discuss how to design an outwintering system that maintains productivity and ensures good cattle health and welfare. ffinlo Costain is joined by Silas Hedley-Lawrence and Clare Hill from FAI Farms in Oxfordshire.
2023-04-2142 minFarm Gate
Farm GateRegen: the next decadeWhile regenerative agriculture itself isn't new, popular interest and the increasingly widespread deployment of regenerative principles, is a product of a global conversation that has taken place largely within the last decade. Despite that, regenerative farming has already become mainstream, with large businesses and corporations investing in research and embedding ambitious regenerative targets, and even government ministers urging producers to take up regenerative methods. So what happens next - what does the next decade look like for regenerative agriculture? ffinlo Costain is joined by Caroline Grindrod, founder of Roots of Nature, Sue Pritchard, chief executive...
2023-03-301h 05Farm Gate
Farm GateWhere the wilder things areWilder Doddington is at the start of a hundred year project to bring more nature back to the Doddington Estate - working to restore ecosystems to benefit people and nature.  In this programme ffinlo Costain is joined by Wilder Doddington's Isobel Wright and the independent farm advisor, Liz Genever, who's working with Isobel and advising on cattle management.  The conversation ranges from the exciting activity at Wilder Doddington to a discussion about some of the more controversial aspects of the rewilding movement.
2023-03-1647 minFarm Gate
Farm GateGrowing a fashion revolutionEnvironmental breakdown and global population rise have led to a strong focus on food supply chains, but the way that we produce fibre is equally important.  At least 60% of our clothes are now made using synthetic, petrochemical-based fabrics - all of which need to be replaced.  Natural animal or plant-based fibres will become resurgent on the cat walks and on the high street - so the need to reform and integrate food and fashion supply chains is urgent. ffinlo Costain talks to Cate Havstad-Casad, farmer and founder of Range Revolution, an Oregon-based company which produces luxury leather pr...
2023-03-0241 minFarm Gate
Farm GateGlamping and campingThe world of glamping may seem remote from the every day toil of working with crops and livestock, but for six months of the year it can provide a hugely important source of income that can be used to underpin other aspects of farming life. ffinlo Costain is joined by Hannah Jefferson from Woodfrys Farm in Dorset and Jessica Allen-Back from Home Farm Glamping in Elstree.
2023-02-1645 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe future of dairy?This is the final programme in our Regen Dairy mini-series. Today we're visiting Germany, and ffinlo Costain talks to two regenerative dairy farmers - Anja Hradetzky, who farms at Hof Stolze Kuh in northeast Brandenburg, and Annabelle Gerard who farms at Hof Tangsehl in Lower Saxony. Regen Dairy is a partnership project of Farmwel and FAI Farms, in collaboration with Arla Foods, Barry Callebaut, Ben & Jerry’s, Unilever, and Woolworth South Africa - you can find out more about the project at regendairy.org 
2023-01-1848 minFarm Gate
Farm GateConscious foodOne of the greatest challenges for global transformation is mindset shift - and because, in terms of food systems, this transformation needs to happen in so many places at once, it can be very difficult for individuals to feel that they're actually making a difference. The Inner Development Goals framework has been developed to support and foster the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Alongside this, the UN Development Programme has established the Conscious Food Systems Alliance. ffinlo Costain talks to Thomas Legrand, author of Politics of Being, and Lead Technical Advisor to the Conscious Food Systems Alliance - and...
2022-12-1448 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe great plant-based conffinlo Costain speaks to Jayne Buxton, author of The Great Plant-Based Con.  Jayne has written novels and non-fiction, published articles in The Independent and The Guardian, and has been an ambassador for the Real Food Campaign and the Public Health Collaboration.   The Great Plant-Based Con, explains why eating a plants-only diet won't improve our health or save the planet - and it's available from all good book stores on-line or on-the-street.
2022-12-0648 minFarm Gate
Farm GateCOP27 and food systems - what happened?COP27 is over. Temperatures continue to rise. There's still no consensus about the role of land use and agriculture. Did anything good emerge from Sharm El-Sheikh in terms of food systems & climate change? ffinlo Costain is joined by three experts:  Patty Fong, Program Director, Climate and Health and Well-being, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Adele Jones, executive director, Sustainable Food Trust, Chantal Wei-Ying Clement, deputy director, IPES Food.
2022-11-2849 minFarm Gate
Farm GateFood forests & vertical real estateThis is the third programme in a series in which I talk to regenerative dairy producers from around the world.  ffinlo Costain speaks to Phyllis Van Amburgh, who farms at Dharma Lea in Sharon Springs, New York, USA, about epigenetics and vertical real estate - and to Charlotte and Russell Heald, from Dunkeld Farm in the Tararua region of the north island in New Zealand, about food forests and circular farming systems. The Regen Dairy project was set up by FAI Farms and Farmwel, in collaboration with Unilever, Barry Callebaut, Arla Foods, Woolworth South Africa and Ben & J...
2022-11-1753 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe one with Prof Sir Dieter Helm CBEffinlo Costain talks to Sir Dieter Helm CBE.  Dieter is Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford and Fellow in Economics at New College, Oxford. He was the Independent Chair of the UK's Natural Capital Committee, and was awarded a knighthood for services to the environment, energy and utilities policy. This discussion is a masterclass for people aiming to influence UK Government policy on agriculture and the environment. Helm is hugely engaging as he sets out his influential thinking and establishes sound criteria for support and opposition.
2022-11-0455 minFarm Gate
Farm GateCarbon tunnel visionCarbon tunnel vision is a nasty disease that can create a strongly distorted perspective on agricultural land use and food production.  This programme will help to remedy the condition, by showing that land use decisions are complex.  ffinlo Costain is joined by Adele Jones, the deputy chief executive of the Sustainable Food Trust, and by Ashleigh Bright, a food systems and sustainability scientist, based in New Zealand.
2022-10-1933 minFarm Gate
Farm GateRegen Dairy round-the-world tour (edited)This is an edited recording of the Regen Dairy round-the-world tour, which took place on 5th October 2022.  We were thrilled to host this opportunity to circumnavigate the globe with four very different regen dairy farmers, all of whom are quite exceptional in their own way.  Our panellists were Blake Alexandre is a fourth generation dairy farmer from Alexandre Family Farm near Crescent City, California, USA.  Richard Park is from Sizergh Farm, near Kendal in the UK, which has probably been farmed since the Vikings colonised Britain.  Mark Anderson is a fifth generation farmer from South Otago, New Zeal...
2022-10-0646 minFarm Gate
Farm GateSmall abattoirsSmall abattoirs are essential infrastructure, but they're in serious decline - seen by the UK Government as a 'nice to have' that serves the middle classes, rather than a 'must have' to deliver climate, biodiversity and soil security - and to support rural economies and farming communities. Another nail was recently hammered into the small abattoir coffin, as Mettrick's abattoir in Glossop closed for business. ffinlo Costain talks to John Mettrick, Master Butcher and chairman of the Abattoir Sector Group, Simon Doherty, former president of the British Veterinary Association, and Hannah Thorogood, an agroecological livestock...
2022-09-3047 minFarm Gate
Farm GateRestoring water, with Walter Jehne & Caroline GrindrodChanging the way we manage hydrology is essential if we're to restore ecological security.  This programme is the recording of a Food & Global Security Network webinar called, Restoring Water Cycles.  It features globally renowned soil microbiologist, Walter Jehne, from Regenerate Earth, and regenerative farming coach, Caroline Grindrod, from Roots of Nature.  The discussion is chaired by ffinlo Costain.
2022-09-2252 minFarm Gate
Farm GateRegeneration, not RegenesisJyoti Fernandes is from the UK Landworkers' Alliance and well-known as a campaigner working for the rights of small farmers and peasant farmers. Jyoti recently wrote an open letter to the Guardian writer, George Monbiot, whose book, #Regenesis, and the articles he's written to promote it, distort public awareness of regenerative solutions to the ecological crisis.   In this programme, ffinlo Costain asks Jyoti why she felt 'duty bound to intervene', and why she thinks Monbiot is undermining the agroecology movement, which provides the most compelling future narrative she has found in 30 years of campaigning.
2022-09-1541 minFarm Gate
Farm GateGetting off the treadmillffinlo Costain talks to Mark Anderson, from Westridge dairy farm, South Otago, New Zealand, and to Sophie and Dai Wilson from Wiltshire in the UK.  Mark sees regenerative farming as an opportunity to decolonialise agriculture and the management changes he's made have put him back in control of his finances.  Meanwhile Sophie and Dai have created a low impact model where they outwinter their dairy herd, improving their profitability and giving them more family time.  This is the second in a series in which ffinlo talks to regenerative dairy producers from around the world - as part of...
2022-09-0142 minFarm Gate
Farm GateManaging water in the landscapeIncreased rainfall and storm intensity are hugely important characteristics of global temperature rises and the way land is managed can have an enormous impact on our ability to reduce flood risk.  In this programme we're talking about natural flood defences and ways to manage water flows in the landscape. ffinlo Costain talks to Chris Uttley, the Stroud Valleys Natural Flood Management Officer for Stroud District Council, and Tom Johnstone, the Strategic Climate Change, Green Infrastructure and Catchments Officer for the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  (The AONB's landscape and nature recovery report ca...
2022-08-1743 minFarm Gate
Farm GateScaling regenerative dairyThis is the first in a series in which we talk to regenerative dairy producers from around the world - as part of the Regen Dairy project, set up by FAI Farms and Farmwel, in collaboration with Unilever, Barry Callebaut, Arla Foods, Woolworth South Africa and Ben & Jerry’s. In this programme, ffinlo Costain talks to Blake Alexandre, from Alexandre Family Farm, California, USA, and Bryce Cunningham, from Mossgiel Farm in Scotland, about the challenges of scaling regenerative dairy. Produced by Farmwel and FAI Farms.
2022-08-0443 minFarm Gate
Farm GateA small farm futureMany governments see farm expansion as the future of agriculture, but there's a grave risk that this will simply embed the challenges inherent in today's food system.  Instead we need diversity - and small farms play a critical a role. ffinlo Costain talks to Chris Smaje, author of A Small Farm Future, published by Chelsea Green.   Produced by Farmwel.
2022-07-2143 minFarm Gate
Farm GateLessons from Ukraine (food systems)What does war in Ukraine, and the global response to conflict, tell us about global food production and food systems more broadly? ffinlo Costain is joined by Chantal Wei-Ying Clément, deputy director of IPES Food, Joona Mikkola from Soil Watch and Sue Pritchard from the UK's Food, Farming and Countryside Commission. Produced by Farmwel, with support from FAI Farms.
2022-07-0857 minFarm Gate
Farm GateUrban foodMost people live in cities, urban conurbations and housing estates rather than in cottages next to farms. How can we shorten supply chains into cities, bring food production to urban areas, and support volunteers and micro business opportunities for citizens, farmers and growers? ffinlo Costain is joined by Jeremy Iles from the Urban Agriculture Consortium and Rachel Hammond from Edge. Produced by Farmwel.
2022-07-0542 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe food price crisisThe war in Ukraine has sparked a food price crisis with devastating impacts being felt around the world - but while Russia lit the touch paper, this crisis was predicted and could have been avoided. ffinlo Costain is joined by Professor Jennifer Clapp, Thin Lei Win and Margot Gibbs. Jennifer is an expert for Brussels-based IPES-Food and the Canada Research Chair in Global Food Security and Sustainability at the University of Waterloo in Ontario - she's also Vice Chair of the High Level Panel of Experts on food security and nutrition of the UN Committee on World...
2022-06-1338 minFarm Gate
Farm GateLocalism & nationalismA regenerative agricultural and environmental transformation depends upon a resurgence of localism - but localism is also championed by far right politicians who pronounce their own vision centred on a tough approach to immigration.  How we can safeguard food systems in a more ecologically chaotic world with accelerating human migration?  Can we find a popular but inclusive vision of national localism? ffinlo Costain is joined by Natalie Bennett of the Green Party of England and Wales, and by Sue Pritchard, the chief Executive of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission. Produced by Farmwel.
2022-05-3053 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe one with Six inches of SoilIn this programme, we discuss a feature film, Six Inches of Soil, which is currently in production in the UK.  The film is being crowd-funded by organisations and individuals, and its producers want to ensure that - even as we are driven towards an ecological precipice fuelled in part by an industrialised food system - we recognise that the dirt beneath our feet is what feeds us and makes our societies strong. ffinlo Costain is joined by Colin Ramsay, the director of Six Inches of Soil, and by Claire Mackensie, the film's producer. Produced by F...
2022-05-0433 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe politics of proteinIn this programme, we're talking about meat, fish and protein alternatives - and the competing claims about sustainability that are made by individuals and vested interests across the food sector and around the world.  IPES Food has released a new report, The Politics of Protein, and to discuss it, ffinlo Costain is joined from the USA by lead author, Phil Howard, and from Brussels by the director of IPES Food, Nick Jacobs. LINKS: https://twitter.com/IPESfood http://www.ipes-food.org/pages/politicsofprotein https://twitter.com/ffinlocostain https://twitter.com/NickJacobs11
2022-04-0744 minFarm Gate
Farm GateForestry & land useDemand for new woodland is growing for everything from timber to carbon sequestration. But forests take up space - and competition for land is increasing. How do we balance the demands of food production, nature, housing and infrastructure, with the need for new woodland and forest products?   ffinlo Costain is joined by Andrew Heald, a consultant specialising in sustainable forests and plantations, and by Martin Lines, the chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network. Produced by Farmwel.
2022-03-2450 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe meat paradoxIn this programme, ffinlo Costain talks to Rob Percival, author of The Meat Paradox.   We are not wild animals and yet we still kill other sentient creatures and eat them in their billions. Rob charts our relationship with meat, from the scavenging of carcasses on an ancient savannah to the industrialised systems that produce much of the meat we consume today. He finds that emotional conflict has challenged human consciousness for many thousands of years. Produced by Farmwel.
2022-03-1042 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe one with HodmedodsIn this programme, ffinlo Costain talks to Josiah Meldrum, co-founder of the successful on-line retailer, Hodmedods. Josiah works with British farms to source top quality beans, pulses and grains - particularly less well-known foods, like the fava bean, grown in Britain since the Iron Age, but now largely forgotten.   We talk about why Josiah thinks of Hodmedods as an agroecological retail business and about the need for strong supplier relationships. We discuss the benefits of scaling out rather than up, and the failure of fellow online food retailer, Farmdrop. Produced by Farmwel.
2022-02-2341 minFarm Gate
Farm GateSoil & satellitesIn this programme we focus on the UK and East Africa and discuss how the carbon market can channel finance from carbon sequestration and storage to help fund broader land regeneration. ffinlo Costain speaks to Thomas Gent, the founder of Gentle Farming who works with the Agreena carbon payment platform, and Joona Mikkola, a regenerative agriculture specialist based in Uganda who founded Soil Watch, which monitors carbon levels and soil health using satellite data. Produced by Farmwel.
2022-02-0833 minFarm Gate
Farm GateCarbon farmingCarbon farming is on the rise - but how does the carbon market work, and how does carbon sequestration and storage help to finance the delivery of other ecosystem services. ffinlo Costain is joined from Scotland by Charlie Davis, a Natural Capital Advisor specialising in the management of natural assets for Savills, the farms, estates and agricultural land agents.  Produced by Farmwel.
2022-01-2637 minFarm Gate
Farm GateGlasgow Food & Climate DeclarationDespite the absence of food systems, soil and agriculture from the top negotiating table at COP26, these subjects did, at last, emerge as key themes at side events inside the COP conference village. The Glasgow Food & Climate Declaration - initiated by Nourish Scotland and IPES Food - was a key factor in pushing this focus on food systems up the policy agenda. ffinlo Costain discusses the purpose, legacy and future of the Declaration with Pete Ritchie, Executive Director of Nourish Scotland, and Chantal Clément, Deputy Director, of IPES Food. Produced by Farmwel.
2021-12-1348 minFarm Gate
Farm GateGood COP, Bad COP?Was COP26 in Glasgow a success? In this programme we do a stock take. What was achieved at COP26 – in terms of global warming and agricultural land use? What was missing? What was fundamentally misunderstood at the top table? And what do we need to do next, to ensure that an agroecological transition is lifted firmly onto the negotiating table at COP27 and beyond? ffinlo Costain, the founder of the Food & Global Security Network, is joined by Sue Pritchard, the chief executive of the Food, Farming & Countryside Commission, and Patrick Holden, the founder of the Sustainable Food Trust.
2021-12-0644 minFarm Gate
Farm GateVicki Hird & Rebugging The Planetffinlo Costain talks to Vicki Hird - a farming expert and author who's been at the heart of environmental, food and agricultural policy discussions for over 30 years.  Her new book, Rebugging The Planet, is set to be the must-buy stocking filler for Christmas this year.  We discuss the new book, which shows us that bugs are beautiful, charismatic and economically valuable.  We also discuss food and farming policy, and how the new post-Brexit farm payments will affect agricultural land use in England.   Vicki Hird is also head of sustainable farming at Sustain. Produced by F...
2021-10-0548 minFarm Gate
Farm GateAre farm animals emotional?Do farm animals experience emotions, or are the behaviours people perceive as emotions purely an instinctive response?  Do cows, for example, feel happy or depressed?  And should a farm animal's ability to react instinctively, or to respond emotionally, affect the way that we care for and handle livestock? ffinlo Costain, the chief executive of Farmwel, is joined by Professor David Main from the Royal Agricultural University, and by Rachel Horler, a cattle farmer from Maundrils Farm in Somerset, UK. Produced by Farmwel.
2021-09-2136 minFarm Gate
Farm GateStacking sheep & solar energyThe best solutions for land use deliver multiple outcomes - especially in places where land is relatively scarce and expensive. What if we could combine the farming of electricity from the sun with land management that regenerates the soil and produces high quality nutrition?   ffinlo Costain talks to Trent Hendricks and Sophy Fearnley-Whittingstall.   Trent is from Cabriejo Ranch in Missouri, USA, where he produces lamb and beef with certification from the American Grassfed Association and the Allan Savory Land to Market programme.  Sophy lives in Wiltshire and provides community engagement and communications advice for the UK solar industry. Produced by Far...
2021-08-1841 minFarm Gate
Farm GateDo we need an IPCC for food?This year's UN Food Systems Summit is being seen by many as an opportunity to define the future of food. The summit may also be the launch pad for a new science & policy interface - what's being described as an 'IPCC for Food'.  But do we really need an IPCC for Food? Shouldn't we simply better fund and better utilise the mechanisms we already have? ffinlo Costain is joined by food systems experts from IPES Food. Jennifer Clapp, from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, is part of the UN's High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition. Molly...
2021-08-0238 minFarm Gate
Farm GateFrom greed to greenIn this programme, ffinlo Costain discusses corporate sustainability and green wash, with Benet Northcote and Ed Gillespie. Is it possible for large companies to become genuinely sustainable - or will greed always triumph over green? Benet is a senior adviser at Seahorse Environmental and the deputy chair of the UK's Conservative Environment Network. Prior to that he was the director of corporate responsibility for the John Lewis Partnership, and worked as deputy private secretary to The Prince of Wales. Ed Gillespie is a facilitator for the Forward Institute and co-founder of the sustainability agency, Futerra.  He is also a co-presenter of...
2021-07-1952 minFarm Gate
Farm GateAward-winning adaptive multi-paddock grazingFAI Farms and McDonald's UK & Ireland have won Compassion in World Farming's prestigious Sustainable Food and Farming Award for their work on regenerative beef.  This is a four year project, centred on Adaptive Multi-paddock Grazing.  The results have been outstanding - so what are they - how have they been achieved - and what has FAI learned along the way? ffinlo Costain talks to FAI's Director of Regenerative Agriculture, Clare Hill, and their assistant farm manager, Silas Hedley-Lawrence. We also introduce new regen ag training, available online at FAI.Academy - and give you a Fa...
2021-07-0834 minFarm Gate
Farm GateFood builds communityThis podcast is about the power and importance of communities.  To address the climate emergency, there is an urgent need to cede power to ordinary people so that they can design and deliver the changes necessary in their neighbourhoods.  Poverty remains a significant barrier for all governments in achieving net zero.  Community-led projects, for example centred on food, can all deliver carbon reductions, while also rewarding people with a lower cost of living, and the experience and confidence to work together for even greater change. ffinlo Costain speaks to James Goodman, Director of Partnerships and Learning for the Local Trust, Bry...
2021-07-0542 minFarm Gate
Farm GateCarbon & waterThe impact of climate change is already being  felt by communities, through flooding and droughts. Farmers are the  first responders to these impacts, as well as being one of the few  economic sectors that can act as a sink,  rather than a source, of carbon. So what are farmers doing happen  differently on farms, and how can the UK speed this change? ffinlo Costain is joined by Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the UK Environment Agency, and Stuart Roberts, the deputy president of the National Farmers' Union.  Land Unlocked features high-level speakers and explores the challe...
2021-06-2842 minFarm Gate
Farm GateOptimism & story-tellingLand Unlocked is a podcast collaboration between Farm Gate and the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission. This occasional series will feature a range of high-level speakers exploring the challenges of delivering real action at this year’s COP26 conference and other major global events taking place in 2021. Programmes will be broadcast on the Farm Gate channel.  In this programme, ffinlo Costain discusses land use, economics, optimism and story-telling, with Christiana Figueres and Professor Tim Jackson. Christiana Figueres is an internationally recognised leader on global climate change. She was Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from 2010 to...
2021-06-1348 minFarm Gate
Farm GateIndigenous with the earthIn this programme we delve into the origins of regenerative agriculture, and what it means to be 'indigenous with the earth'.  What is this knowledge?  Where does it come from?  Can anyone claim ownership over regenerative principles?  ffinlo Costain talks to Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin, President of the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance.  Originally from Guatemala, Regi lives in Minnesota, USA, where he trains farmers in the production of regenerative poultry.  Regi's book, In the Shadow of the Green Man, weaves together stories from his upbringing in revolution-torn Guatemala, with his vision for regenerative farming. Produced by Farmwel.
2021-06-0740 minFarm Gate
Farm GateSaving Sierra Leone's fishIn this programme we visit Sierra Leone.  We discuss how this West African country managed to stop Chinese, Russian, Korean and European vessels plundering their fish stocks, how stakeholders built a sustainable fisheries programme, and the challenges for international organisations such as the World Bank.  We also address the controversy over Sierra Leone's new Chinese-funded harbour project. ffinlo Costain talks to Salieu Sankoh, the co-ordinator of the World Bank-funded West African Regional Fisheries Programme in Sierra Leone, and to Phil Gawne, an advisor to the Program, and a former fisheries minister for Isle of Man Government. ...
2021-05-3145 minFarm Gate
Farm GateMSC Certified - How does it work?The Marine Stewardship Council is an international NGO working to protect oceans and safeguard seafood supplies for the future.  The Netflix film Seaspiracy concluded that sustainable seafood doesn't exist - but the MSC disagrees.  Currently, 16% of the world's wild caught fish is certified and carries its blue MSC ecolabel, and the organisation aims to have 30% engaged in its programme by 2030. ffinlo Costain speaks to George Clark, the MSC's programme director for the UK and Ireland.  They discuss what sustainable seafood is, how it's certified, how managed fisheries can restore fish stocks, and why the MSC refused to tak...
2021-05-2433 minFarm Gate
Farm GateFrom emergency closure to successThe Isle of Man is home to one of the most successful sustainable shell fish fisheries in the British Isles.  Developed over a period of 30 years, their Marine Nature Reserve now accounts for 52% of Manx coastal waters, and their Ramsey Bay scallops are the biggest in Britain.  ffinlo Costain talks to Phil Gawne, former Fisheries Minister of the Isle of Man Government, and to Peter Duncan, IOMG's Senior Marine Environment Officer. Produced by Farmwel.
2021-05-1735 minFarm Gate
Farm GateAquaculture - An insider's viewSince 2013 more seafood has been produced globally in aquaculture systems than from wild caught fisheries.  The farming of fish at scale has come with costs as well as benefits, and as a relatively young industry, aquaculture has followed a steep learning curve. ffinlo Costain speaks to Tony Wall, the founder of the Fish Vet Group (now PHARMAQ), who helped to put fish sentience on the map.  ffinlo asks where aquaculture came from, how it developed, and how the industry can overcome its current challenges? Inspired by Seaspiracy, this programme is part of a mini-series in wh...
2021-05-0538 minFarm Gate
Farm GateWhat next for ocean food?In the wake of Seaspiracy, we're running a series of programmes about the future of wild and farmed seafood.   The vast majority of wild caught fish are now harvested by industrial-scale trawlers using vast and often indiscriminate nets and bottom trawling.  At the same time aquaculture, which has scaled so rapidly, has come under fire for high levels of waste and pollution and for poor welfare.   So, what's next for ocean food? ffinlo Costain is joined by Ruth Layton who, as a former director of FAI Farms, has spent 25 years studying agricultural and aquacultural systems, and by Ashleigh Bright, an exp...
2021-04-2033 minFarm Gate
Farm GateDairy farming - Putting agroecology into practiceThis is the final programme in our recent series about agroecological agriculture.  ffinlo Costain talks to David Finlay from The Ethical Dairy in Dumfries and Galloway, and Bryce Cunningham from Mossgiel Farm in Ayrshire.  The conversation focusses on building a market for direct liquid milk sales, and on cow with calf dairying. This series is produced by Farmwel, supporting the 10 Years for Agroecology campaign run by the Soil Association, and the Food, Farming & Countryside Commission's Farming for Change project. Other episodes focus on beef, mixed farming, vegetables and horticulture, and arable farming. #FarmerAmbassador #agroecology #FarmingforChange
2021-04-1336 minFarm Gate
Farm GateDo we need a new Agroecology Development Bank?Do we need a new state-owned Agroecology Development Bank for Britain?  The Food, Farming & Countryside Commission thinks so.  Their new report, 'Farming Smarter: Investing in our Future', says that an ADB would speed the transition to fair and nature-friendly farming – by filling the current gap in available finance, and building knowledge about agroecological agriculture in the financial sector. ffinlo Costain is joined by report co-author Tony Greenham, and by George Young, an agroecological farmer from Fobbing Farm in Essex and a former banker in the City of London. Produced by Farmwel.
2021-03-3037 minFarm Gate
Farm GateDiversity in agriculture & animal sciencesIn this programme we talk about racism and discuss how to improve diversity in British agriculture and animal sciences.  We consider how to successfully encourage more of our black, Asian and minority ethnic population to enjoy the countryside. ffinlo Costain is joined by Navaratnam Partheeban, a dairy vet who co-founded the British Veterinary Ethnicity & Diversity Society, and Bushra Abu-Helil, a second year PhD student focussed on poultry health & welfare, and vice chair of the BAME Ecologist Network.  Produced by Farmwel.
2021-03-2236 minFarm Gate
Farm GateWhat's the difference?What's the difference between agroecology and regenerative agriculture?  And what about holistic grazing, organic, no-till farming, or adaptive multi-paddock grazing?  In this programme we get to the bottom of the terminology. We also discuss how to get started in regenerative agriculture. ffinlo Costain is joined by Caroline Grindrod from Roots of Nature, and Kelly Watson from FAI Farms. Produced by Farmwel.
2021-03-1537 minFarm Gate
Farm GateVeg & Horticulture - Putting agroecology into practiceThis is the fourth programme in our series about agroecological agriculture.  ffinlo Costain talks to Sinead Fenton from Aweside Farm in East Sussex, and to Joe Rolfe, the general manager at RB Organic Ltd in Norfolk. Sinead and Joe are Agroecology Ambassadors for the Soil Association.  This series is produced by Farmwel, supporting the 10 Years for Agroecology campaign run by the Soil Association, and the Food, Farming & Countryside Commission's Farming for Change project. Other episodes focus on beef, mixed farming, dairy, and arable farming. #FarmerAmbassador #agroecology #FarmingforChange
2021-03-0839 minFarm Gate
Farm GateArable farming - Putting agroecology into practiceThis is the third in our agroecology series. ffinlo Costain talks to George Young from Fobbing Farm in Essex, and Johnnie Balfour from Balbirnie Farm in Fife. George and Johnnie are Agroecology Ambassadors for the Soil Association. This series is produced by Farmwel, supporting the 10 Years for Agroecology campaign run by the Soil Association, and the Food, Farming & Countryside Commission's Farming for Change project. Other episodes focus on beef farming, mixed farming, dairy, and horticulture & veg. #FarmerAmbassador #agroecology #FarmingforChange
2021-02-2339 minFarm Gate
Farm GateALT Meat - A health & food systems perspectiveThis is the first of two programmes investigating the rise of meat alternatives.  ffinlo Costain talks to Raychel E Santo, a senior research programme coordinator at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Liveable Future.  Raychel is the lead author on the research paper, Considering Plant-Based Meat Substitutes and Cell-Based Meats: A Public Health and Food Systems Perspective.  Produced by Farmwel.
2021-02-1524 minFarm Gate
Farm GateMixed farming - Putting agroecology into practiceThis is the second in our agroecology series, and in this episode we're focussing on mixed farming. ffinlo Costain talks to Ben Andrews from Broadward Hall in Herefordshire, and Robert Wilson from Cowbog Farm in the Scottish Borders. Ben and Robert are Agroecology Ambassadors for the Soil Association. This series is produced by Farmwel, supporting the 10 Years for Agroecology campaign run by the Soil Association, and the Food, Farming & Countryside Commission's Farming for Change project. Other episodes focus on beef farming, arable, dairy, and horticulture & veg. #FarmerAmbassador #agroecology #FarmingforChange
2021-02-0836 minFarm Gate
Farm GateRegen Question Time 2 - Arable & livestockIn the second of Farm Gate's Regenerative Agriculture Question Time podcasts, ffinlo Costain is joined by Clare Hill, shepherd and director of regenerative agriculture at FAI Farms, George Young, a regenerative arable producer from Fobbing Farm, Essex, and Caroline Grindrod from the regenerative agriculture consultancy, Roots of Nature.  #Arable #Wheat #Livestock #Ruminants Produced by Farmwel.
2021-02-0138 minFarm Gate
Farm GateFarming Beef - Putting agroecology into practiceThis is the first of five programmes in which we showcase farmers who are putting agroecology into practice.  In this episode we're focussing on beef production.  ffinlo Costain talks to Nikki Yoxall from Howe Mill Farm in Aberdeenshire, and Denise Walton from Peelham Farm in Berwickshire.  Nikki and Denise are Agroecology Ambassadors for the Soil Association. This series is produced by Farmwel, supporting the 10 Years for Agroecology campaign run by the Soil Association and the Food, Farming & Countryside Commission.  Other episodes will focus on mixed farming, arable, dairy, and horticulture & veg. #FarmerAmbassador #agroecology #FarmingforChange
2021-01-2542 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe one with Will HarrisWhite Oak Pastures is a 152-year-old family farm in Bluffton, Georgia, USA.  In 1995, Will Harris began the transition away from industrial agricultural techniques and started redesigning his farm as a living ecosystem.  Will Harris talks to ffinlo Costain about his life as a commodity cattleman and what made him change the way he farms.  He describes the dark early days and reflects on how his success brought his family back home, and breathed new life into his community.  He explains why he gets fed up with scientists, who 'bicker and fight all the time' over how to meas...
2021-01-1932 minFarm Gate
Farm GateRegenerative finance: The one with Robyn O'BrienIn this programme, ffinlo Costain talks to Robyn O'Brien, the best-selling author of The Unhealthy Truth, who in September 2020 was named in the Forbes Impact 50, a list of the top impact investors in the USA.  Robyn's TED talks have received over a million views. The discussion centres on Robyn's new investment fund, RePlant Capital, which is based in the USA and worth $250m.  RePlant’s flagship fund, its Soil Fund, is focussed on the transition of US farmland to regenerative agriculture.  Produced by Farmwel.
2020-12-1733 minFarm Gate
Farm GateRegen Rock StarFarm Gate host, ffinlo Costain, interviews Leontino Balbo Junior (Balbo Group), who produces 35% of the world's organic sugar.  Speaking direct from Brazil, Leontino explains how he transformed his farm (http://www.canaverde.com.br/) from standard agriculture to a high yield regenerative success story.  Produced by Farmwel.
2020-12-0937 minFarm Gate
Farm GateIs a progressive UK trade policy possible?The new UK Trade & Agriculture Commission was set up by the Department of International Trade to guide ministers as they develop a policy that balances the need for independent trade deals with the ambitions of the new Agriculture Act and the coming Environment Bill.   In this podcast we ask, is a progressive UK trade and agriculture policy possible? ffinlo Costain speaks to Tom West, UK Environment Lead at Client Earth, and Angela Francis, WWF UK's Chief Advisor on Economics and Economic Development. Produced by Farmwel.
2020-12-0129 minFarm Gate
Farm GateTackling antimicrobial resistanceIt's World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, so we're doing our bit.  What is antimicrobial resistance - why is it a problem - what are the drivers  - and what can we do about it?   ffinlo Costain is joined by Laura  Higham from Vet Sustain and by Øistein Thorsen the chief executive of FAI Farms. Produced by Farmwel and FAI Farms.
2020-11-2429 minFarm Gate
Farm GateHow green is the new CAP?Despite the early green ambitions, the new Common Agricultural Policy may end up looking rather like business as usual.  But, following policy delays, the CAP will now be delivered under the EU presidency of Ursula von der Leyen.  The new Commission has prioritised environmental action, and the Farm to Fork Strategy is at the heart of the European Green Deal. In this programme I'm crossing the English Channel to find out what's happening with agricultural policy in mainland Europe? ffinlo Costain speaks to Nick Jacobs, the Director of IPES Food, and to Pierre-Marie Aubert, the Co...
2020-11-1736 minFarm Gate
Farm GateEnglish agriculture policy - Where are we now?The UK Agriculture Bill has gone for Royal Assent, but much of the detail remains uncertain.  UK producers are also concerned that food imports won't meet British environmental and farm animal welfare standards.  So, where are we up to with agricultural policy reform? ffinlo Costain speaks to Shadow Farming Minister, Daniel Zeichner MP, Vicki Hird, Head of Sustainable Food and Farming Policy at Sustain, and to Simon Hoare, Conservative MP for North Dorset.  Produced by Farmwel.
2020-11-1029 minFarm Gate
Farm GateRegen Question TimeThis programme is for every farmer who's ever thought about transitioning to regenerative agriculture.  It's our first Regen Question Time and in it our experts set out to answer questions submitted by farmers by Twitter, email, and through the Primal Web forum.   Regenerative agriculture requires a complete mindset shift.  Instead of rules there are principles, which can make transitioning process seem daunting.  To help with this, every six or eight weeks, we'll put your questions to regen experts.  Our intention is to help you make decisions about the future of your farm business.  (The insights will also be interesting for everyo...
2020-10-0543 minFarm Gate
Farm GateScaling regenerative agricultureIn this programme ffinlo Costain discusses Forum for the Future's new report, 'Growing Our Future', with report author, Lesley Mitchell, Forum's Associate Director for Sustainable Nutrition. Growing Our Future concentrates on scaling regenerative agriculture in the United States.  It describes threats and opportunities surrounding regen and makes a series of recommendations for a successful regenerative transformation.  While the report is centred on the USA its findings and recommendations are just as relevant for farmers, investors and policy-makers in other nations. Produced by Farmwel.
2020-09-2227 minFarm Gate
Farm GateWhat's changing at FAI Farms?FAI Farms has worked with big name global food brands to embed sustainability at the heart of their supply chains for more than 20 years.  Recently the FAI brand and business was bought by the management.  In this podcast ffinlo Costain talks to Øistein Thorsen, FAI's Chief Executive, and to Carly Scott, their director of sustainable operations.
2020-09-0928 minFarm Gate
Farm GateWhat's happening to food & agriculture in Wales?Since 2017 the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission has helped to shape the UK's conversation about food - where it comes from, how it's produced, how far it travels, and where and how it gets sold and eaten.  In this programme we discuss the FFCC's Wales Inquiry Report - the Wales Field Guide for Future Generations. Joining ffinlo Costain are Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive of the FFCC, and Jane Davidson, chair of the Commission's Wales Inquiry, and former Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in the Welsh Government. Produced by Farmwel.
2020-08-0440 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe one with the WHO & IPES FoodFarm Gate host ffinlo Costain discusses Covid 19 and the crisis in our food systems with Dr David Nabarro, Special Envoy of the World Health Organization Director-General on Covid-19, and Prof Melissa Leach CBE, a member of the Brussels-based International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems, otherwise known as IPES-Food.  The discussion includes zoonotic spillover, One Health, and the strengths and weaknesses in the global food system. Produced by Farmwel.
2020-07-0629 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe Carbon CowboysIn this podcast, ffinlo Costain talks to Carbon Cowboys producer and director, Peter Byck.  Carbon Cowboys is series of 10 films about regenerative agriculture and adaptive multi-paddock grazing.  They demonstrate the enormous potential of this model of land use and introduce us to some remarkable stories.  Peter Byck is a film-maker and Professor of Practice at Arizona State University, where he's leading a multi-million dollar research project focused on regenerative grazing, soil health & soil carbon storage. Produced by Farmwel.
2020-06-1534 minFarm Gate
Farm GateFarmers unite for global statement on GWP*Farmers from across the world have issued a Joint Statement calling for governments to recognise the importance of the metric GWP*.  Signatories include the National Farmers' Union, CLA, National Sheep Association, and Beef & Lamb New Zealand.  While recognising that climate change is one of the most urgent challenges we face, farmers leaders are calling for the role of agricultural methane to be accurately recognised in policy and accurately accounted for in the foot-printing of agricultural emissions. ffinlo Costain speaks to Andrew Morrison the chairman of Beef & Lamb New Zealand, and to Phil Stocker, the chief executive of the UK's National She...
2020-03-0617 minFarm Gate
Farm GateClimate, food & national securityIt's widely accepted that climate change can impact on food availability in developing countries, potentially leading to conflict.  But what about developed nations such as the UK or the USA?  Could our own food supplies be threatened by climate change?  Could the complexity of our supply chains make us more vulnerable than we realise?   ffinlo Costain speaks to Caitlin Werrell, the co-founder of the Washington-based Centre for Climate & Security, which works closely with the Pentagon, and to Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti, the UK's former Climate, Energy & Security Envoy. Produced by Farmwel.
2020-02-2926 minFarm Gate
Farm GateThe European Chicken Commitment & KFCSignatories to the European Chicken Commitment must move from standard intensive indoor production systems for rearing meat chickens, to more humane, extensive indoor systems by the 1st of January 2026.  The Commitment has attracted widespread attention from broiler producers, and several major brands have already signed up - including KFC. How will the Commitment improve the lives and deaths of chickens reared for meat?  What are the practical implications of delivering the required standards, within the established time-frame? In this programme ffinlo Costain talks to Jenny Packwood, Director of Responsibility & Reputation for KFC UK & Ireland, and to Annie Rayner and Kelly Wat...
2020-02-2330 minFarm Gate
Farm GateLet's help Dominic Cummings! Radical proposals for agricultural reformDominic Cummings, the UK Prime Minister's strategist-in-chief, has said that he wants to shake up Government.  He's asked for ideas - and it would be churlish if we didn’t offer to help. ffinlo Costain has spoken to five big beasts of the UK food & farming community: Patrick Holden (Sustainable Food Trust), Mark Bridgeman (CLA), Sue Pritchard (RSA Food, Farming & Countryside Commission), Guy Smith (NFU), & Vicki Hird (Sustain).  Each has two minutes to pitch their reforms, followed by a conversation about their ideas.   The podcast is bursting with grand plans - and it's the perfect length for Dominic Cummings to listen...
2020-02-1635 minFarm Gate
Farm GateRegenerative farming - making the transitionFAI Farms runs a beef and sheep operation near Oxford, UK, which is currently undergoing a transition from an organic to a regenerative system. With baseline carbon and nature foot-printing in place, progress will be closely monitored. Input costs have already reduced, with livestock now wintering outside on grass. FAI anticipates increasing its herd/flock size while also becoming global warming neutral and boosting biodiversity. In documenting and showcasing the transition in progress, they hope to inspire other farmers and companies to join the regenerative agriculture movement. Farm Gate presenter, ffinlo Costain, talks to farm manager Clare Hill, and regenerative...
2020-02-0738 minFarm Gate
Farm GateFarming & mental illnessA farming life is generally a good life but it can be demanding & stressful.  It's hardly surprising that farmers can feel isolated, depressed, or unable to cope.   ffinlo Costain talks to Graham Morgan MBE, about farming, mental health, & mental illness.  Graham works for the Mental Health Commission for Scotland & volunteers with HUG action for mental health.  Graham's book, Start, describes his life, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.  It is fresh, unguarded, rather joyful, and surprisingly funny.   Graham recently spoke about mental illness to a conference organised by the National Farmers' Union of Scotland.   Produced by Farmwel.
2020-02-0131 minFarm Gate
Farm GateIs vegan a dirty word?Dr Tara Garnett (FCRN) and Caroline Grindrod (Primal Meats) join ffinlo Costain to discuss whether 'vegan' has become a dirty word? Produced by Farmwel.
2020-01-0425 minFarm Gate
Farm GateDiscussion - Vets & sustainabilityIn this panel discussion, ffinlo Costain is joined by Gudrun Ravetz (former president, British Veterinary Association), and Laura Higham (Vet Sustain).  We discuss the link between animal welfare, and good environmental management and farm performance. Produced by Farmwel and FAI Farms.
2019-12-2932 minFarm Gate
Farm GateFarm vets & food sustainabilityFarm Gate host, ffinlo Costain, talks to Laura Higham (FAI Farms/Vet Sustain) and Simon Doherty (British Veterinary Association).  We ask how vets contribute to sustainability - and what’s the link between animal welfare, and good environmental management and performance on farms? Produced by Farmwel and FAI Farms.
2019-11-2224 min