Should we be more upbeat about farming? New Landscape Recovery scheme, risk v reward – latest wheat varieties, rebel Labour MP suspended over IHT, and African swine fever hits Spanish pig exports

In this episode, experts voice concern at a get-out clause in government plans for a £500m Landscape Recovery scheme for farmers.

We look at the opportunities for growers and livestock producers from Defra's Environmental Improvement Plan – and ask: is it fatally flawed?

How much risk should you accept when chasing high yields? We get to grips with the new recommended list for cereals and oilseeds.

African swine fever reaches Spain: we examine the impact on UK pig producers.

And should we be more optimistic about agriculture? We speak to former NFU president Sir Peter Kendall and "Cheerful" Charlie Ireland, star of Clarkson's Farm.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast was recorded live on Thursday 4 December 2025 at the Ceres Rural Agri-Strategy Conference in Cambridgeshire.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker, Louise Impey and Hugh Broom.

Contact or follow Johann (X): @johanntasker

Contact or follow Louise (X): @louisearable

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