Published by Ben Eagle, RuralPod Media
Meet the Farmers profiles farmers and gives you an insight into food and farming and the people behind it. Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate covers farming news, current affairs and discussion on the big issues that matter for rural people in Britain and across the world.
Listen on Apple Podcasts46 min
Summer wildfires are happening all over the UK, France, Spain, Europe and the rest of the world. Can anything be done to prevent or manage them? In this emergency podcast episode Ben is joined by Alex Crawley (Director, Grazing Management Ltd), Michael Priestley (Policy Manager, National Sheep Association), Craig Hope (National Resilience Wildfire Capability Advisor for the National Fire Chiefs Council) and Emma Douglas (grazier from the Gower Peninsula in south Wales) to debate whether grazing or rewilding parts of the landscape could be part of the solution in the uplands. We also hear from Eleanor Gilbert (Berkshire farmer; 'aka Berkshire Farm Girl') about an experience with fire she had recently while harvesting in Berkshire. 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @mtf_podcast for more content. Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. By accessing this Podcast, you acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. The views of the presenters, guests and any other contributors to this podcast are personal and RuralPod Media Limited or its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors, does not take any responsibility for these views. Such views are not the views of RuralPod Media Limited or any of its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors. RuralPod Media Limited does not verify the accuracy of the information contained in the podcast, and RuralPod Media Limited takes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of the podcast. Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social media Instagram @mtf_podcast X @mtf_podcast TikTok Meet the Farmers Podcast Please join our mailing list at Sign-up to our newsletter – RuralPod Media
56 min
In this episode of Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate Ally and Sophie are joined by Ben Briggs to discuss politics, the new Burnham government, the Farming Roadmap and the response to the Farm Profitability Review. Ally also gives his thoughts on his harvest experience so far and they discuss the weather and Farm Safety Week 2026. Hosted as always by farmers Sophie Gregory and Ally Hunter Blair. Link to newsletter sign up - Sign-up to our newsletter – RuralPod Media 🎧 Please subscribe to the show and follow us on social media @MTF_podcast Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate is produced by RuralPod Media. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found below. With thanks to our podcast partners: Headline Sponsor: Virgin Money Virgin Money is proud to support the launch of The Big Debate with Rural Pod Media, a timely initiative for British agriculture. Virgin Money is a trading name of Nationwide Building Society. To discover more about Virgin Money visit Agriculture | Business | Virgin Money UK Associate Partner: TELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods Explore smarter farming tools from TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods: telus.com/BigDebate Associate Partner: Birketts LLP You can find out more about Birketts and their leading agriculture team by heading to their website: Agricultural Lawyers | Agricultural Law Solicitors — Birketts Podcast Disclaimer By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, RuralPod Media Limited does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. Any third-party materials or content of any third-party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of RuralPod Media Limited. RuralPod Media Limited assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. The views of the hosts and guests are personal and RuralPod Media Limited or its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors, does not take any responsibility for these views. Such views are not the views of RuralPod Media Limited or any of its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors. RuralPod Media Limited does not verify the accuracy of the information contained in the podcast, and RuralPod Media Limited takes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of the podcast. The information contained on the podcast is provided on an ‘’as is’’ basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. Any action you take based on the information contained in the podcast is strictly at your own risk, and RuralPod Media Limited will not be liable for any losses of damages in connection with the use of the podcast. None of the hosts, guests or contributors to the podcast will be responsible for your use of the information contained therein. The inclusion of third-party advertisements does not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, warranty, or recommendation of, and the author makes no representations and/or warranties about, any product or service contained therein. Under no circumstances will RuralPod Media Limited or their affiliates, partners, suppliers, licensors or guests appearing on the podcast be liable any losses (whether direct, indirect or consequential) suffered as a result of your doing (or not doing) anything as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. Neither RuralPod Media Limited nor any of its hosts or guests appearing on the podcast shall at any time be liable for any content covered causing offence, distress or any other unforeseeable reaction suffered as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of RuralPod Media Limited. Contact Please email us at hello@ruralpodmedia.co.uk to contact us about any issues.
34 min
In this episode Ben speaks to Derek Banbury and Derek Gow - two Devon farmers who star in a new documentary film called Derek v Derek, made by James Dawson. Each Derek takes a different approach to managing their land - Derek Banbury is a dairy farmer and Derek Gow a rewilding and species reintroduction advocate. However as we see in this interview there is more that brings them together than may at first appear. Ben also speaks to the film's producer James Dawson. 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @mtf_podcast for more content. Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice and the . Our podcast disclaimer can be found here . By accessing this Podcast, you acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. About Ben and RuralPod Media Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social media Instagram @mtf_podcast Twitter @mtf_podcast Watch us on Youtube Please join our mailing list here.
26 min
In this episode, host farmers Sophie Gregory and Ally Hunter Blair put some listener questions about farm diversification and viticulture, to Annabelle Rout, a lawyer from Birketts LLP. Annabelle is also Birkett's Head of Viticulture. 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @MTF_podcast Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate is produced by RuralPod Media. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found below. With thanks to Birketts, who are an associate partner this year for Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate. Associate Partner: Birketts You can find out more about Birketts and their leading agriculture team by heading to their website: https://www.birketts.co.uk/sector/agriculture/ Podcast Disclaimer By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited and its contributors make no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, RuralPod Media Limited does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. Any third-party materials or content of any third-party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of RuralPod Media Limited. RuralPod Media Limited and its contributors assume no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. The views of the hosts and guests are personal and RuralPod Media Limited or its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors, does not take any responsibility for these views. Such views are not the views of RuralPod Media Limited or any of its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors. RuralPod Media Limited does not verify the accuracy of the information contained in the podcast, and RuralPod Media Limited takes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of the podcast. The information contained on the podcast is provided on an ‘’as is’’ basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. Any action you take based on the information contained in the podcast is strictly at your own risk, and RuralPod Media Limited and its contributors will not be liable for any losses of damages in connection with the use of the podcast. None of the hosts, guests or contributors to the podcast will be responsible for your use of the information contained therein. The inclusion of third-party advertisements does not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, warranty, or recommendation of, and the author makes no representations and/or warranties about, any product or service contained therein. Under no circumstances will RuralPod Media Limited or their affiliates, partners, suppliers, licensors or guests appearing on the podcast be liable any losses (whether direct, indirect or consequential) suffered as a result of your doing (or not doing) anything as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. Neither RuralPod Media Limited nor any of its hosts or guests appearing on the podcast shall at any time be liable for any content covered causing offence, distress or any other unforeseeable reaction suffered as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of RuralPod Media Limited. Contact Please email us at hello@ruralpodmedia.co.uk to contact us about any issues.
44 min
Ben is joined by Sophie Gregory and Tom Gregory, Dorset farmers alongside Alex Pearson from DLF Seeds to discuss cover crops and the trials that Tom and Sophie are undertaking on their farm. This episode was sponsored by DLF Seeds. #AD 🎧 If you enjoyed this episode and want us to make more, please subscribe to the show and follow us on socials @MTF_podcast. Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found at Podcasts Disclaimer – RuralPod Media By accessing this Podcast, you acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. Please join our mailing list at Sign-up to our newsletter – RuralPod Media
40 min
In this LIVE version of The Big Debate Sophie and Ally are joined by Suffolk based organic farmer John Pawsey to discuss the future of organic farming. How does John see the future of his farm? Hosted as always by farmers Sophie Gregory and Ally Hunter Blair. With thanks to the Sustainable Food Trust for hosting the podcast tent at Groundswell where this was filmed. It was made possible by Groundswell Festival and the Rothschild Foundation. Link to newsletter sign up - https://www.ruralpodmedia.co.uk/newsletter/ 🎧 Please subscribe to the show and follow us on social media @MTF_podcast Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate is produced by RuralPod Media. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found below. With thanks to our podcast partners (AD): Headline Sponsor: Virgin Money Virgin Money is proud to support the launch of The Big Debate with Rural Pod Media, a timely initiative for British agriculture. Virgin Money is a trading name of Nationwide Building Society. To discover more about Virgin Money visit https://uk.virginmoney.com/business/agriculture/ Associate Partner: TELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods Explore smarter farming tools from TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods: www.TELUS.com/BigDebate Associate Partner: Birketts LLP You can find out more about Birketts and their leading agriculture team by heading to their website: www.birketts.co.uk/sector/agriculture/ With thanks also to episode sponsor DLF Seeds. Podcast Disclaimer By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, RuralPod Media Limited does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. Any third-party materials or content of any third-party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of RuralPod Media Limited. RuralPod Media Limited assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. The views of the hosts and guests are personal and RuralPod Media Limited or its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors, does not take any responsibility for these views. Such views are not the views of RuralPod Media Limited or any of its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors. RuralPod Media Limited does not verify the accuracy of the information contained in the podcast, and RuralPod Media Limited takes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of the podcast. The information contained on the podcast is provided on an ‘’as is’’ basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. Any action you take based on the information contained in the podcast is strictly at your own risk, and RuralPod Media Limited will not be liable for any losses of damages in connection with the use of the podcast. None of the hosts, guests or contributors to the podcast will be responsible for your use of the information contained therein. The inclusion of third-party advertisements does not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, warranty, or recommendation of, and the author makes no representations and/or warranties about, any product or service contained therein. Under no circumstances will RuralPod Media Limited or their affiliates, partners, suppliers, licensors or guests appearing on the podcast be liable any losses (whether direct, indirect or consequential) suffered as a result of your doing (or not doing) anything as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. Neither RuralPod Media Limited nor any of its hosts or guests appearing on the podcast shall at any time be liable for any content covered causing offence, distress or any other unforeseeable reaction suffered as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of RuralPod Media Limited. Contact Please email us at hello@ruralpodmedia.co.uk to contact us about any issues.
40 min
In this special Live at Groundswell special episode Ben Eagle speaks with Tom McVeigh, a 13th generation farm who farms at Kenton Hall in Suffolk. Tom describes his journey coming back to the family farm, and also his ambitions to grow hazelnuts. With thanks to the Sustainable Food Trust, Groundswell and the Rothschild Foundation for enabling the Podcast tent at Groundswell. 🎧 If you enjoyed this interview and want us to make more, please subscribe to the show and follow us on socials @MTF_podcast. Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found at https://www.ruralpodmedia.co.uk/podcasts-disclaimer/ By accessing this Podcast, you acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. Please join our mailing list at https://www.ruralpodmedia.co.uk/newsletter/
1 hr 3 min
Lots to cover in this week's Big Debate episode from record breaking heat to political upheaval, the publication of the Farming Roadmap and government response to Minette Batters' Farm Profitability Review, farm safety and an interview with Nicola Appleton, Deputy Director for Agriculture and Land at the Environment Agency covering the relationship between the Environment Agency and farmers. Hosted as always by farmers Sophie Gregory and Ally Hunter Blair. Link to newsletter sign up - Sign-up to our newsletter – RuralPod Media 🎧 Please subscribe to the show and follow us on social media @MTF_podcast Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate is produced by RuralPod Media. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found below. With thanks to our podcast partners: Headline Sponsor: Virgin Money Virgin Money is proud to support the launch of The Big Debate with Rural Pod Media, a timely initiative for British agriculture. Virgin Money is a trading name of Nationwide Building Society. To discover more about Virgin Money visit Agriculture | Business | Virgin Money UK Associate Partner: TELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods Explore smarter farming tools from TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods: telus.com/BigDebate Associate Partner: Birketts LLP You can find out more about Birketts and their leading agriculture team by heading to their website: Agricultural Lawyers | Agricultural Law Solicitors — Birketts Podcast Disclaimer By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, RuralPod Media Limited does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. Any third-party materials or content of any third-party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of RuralPod Media Limited. RuralPod Media Limited assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. The views of the hosts and guests are personal and RuralPod Media Limited or its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors, does not take any responsibility for these views. Such views are not the views of RuralPod Media Limited or any of its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors. RuralPod Media Limited does not verify the accuracy of the information contained in the podcast, and RuralPod Media Limited takes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of the podcast. The information contained on the podcast is provided on an ‘’as is’’ basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. Any action you take based on the information contained in the podcast is strictly at your own risk, and RuralPod Media Limited will not be liable for any losses of damages in connection with the use of the podcast. None of the hosts, guests or contributors to the podcast will be responsible for your use of the information contained therein. The inclusion of third-party advertisements does not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, warranty, or recommendation of, and the author makes no representations and/or warranties about, any product or service contained therein. Under no circumstances will RuralPod Media Limited or their affiliates, partners, suppliers, licensors or guests appearing on the podcast be liable any losses (whether direct, indirect or consequential) suffered as a result of your doing (or not doing) anything as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. Neither RuralPod Media Limited nor any of its hosts or guests appearing on the podcast shall at any time be liable for any content covered causing offence, distress or any other unforeseeable reaction suffered as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of RuralPod Media Limited. Contact Please email us at hello@ruralpodmedia.co.uk to contact us about any issues.
58 min
Baroness Minette Batters DL is arguably one of the most influential voices in British agriculture in a generation. In 6 years as President of the NFU she worked with four Prime Ministers and six Secretaries of State at Defra. She faced Brexit, Covid, the War in Ukraine and many other challenges. But what was it really like to lead the NFU, especially as the first woman to be President? What does leadership mean to her and what does she think about progress regarding her Farm Profitability Review? Listen to the full interview here. 🎧 If you enjoyed this interview and want us to make more, please subscribe to the show and follow us on socials @MTF_podcast. Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found at https://www.ruralpodmedia.co.uk/podcasts-disclaimer/ By accessing this Podcast, you acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. Please join our mailing list at https://www.ruralpodmedia.co.uk/newsletter/
25 min
Farming has never been more complex. More decisions, more data and less time. Ally Hunter Blair headed to Cereals 2026 to ask farmers a simple question: what does smarter farming actually mean for you? This episode explores the vision, the reality and the opportunity. How can tech and data help farmers hit their goals, reduce the load and free up time for what matters most? With thanks to featured farmers Rebecca Roper, Ed Horton and Graham Potter. With thanks to our sponsor TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods. Explore smarter farming tools from TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods: https://www.telus.com/FarmSmarter Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found at https://www.ruralpodmedia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Podcasts-Disclaimer-generic-for-RuralPod-Media-Limited.pdf Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social media Instagram @mtf_podcast Twitter @mtf_podcast Watch us on Youtube lease join our mailing list at https://www.ruralpodmedia.co.uk/newsletter/
45 min
In the latest Big Debate episode with Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory, they discuss tech, farm safety, regen ag, World Milk Day and NEETS (young people not in employment, education or training) and how agriculture can help – that’s in the light of the publication of the interim report from Alan Milburn about young people and work. Could farming be part of the answer? Also featuring special guest Charlotte Kingham, Head Butcher at the Farmers Dog Pub in the Cotswolds. Link to newsletter sign up - Sign-up to our newsletter – RuralPod Media 🎧 Please subscribe to the show and follow us on social media @MTF_podcast Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate is produced by RuralPod Media. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found below. With thanks to our podcast partners: Headline Sponsor: Virgin Money Virgin Money is proud to support the launch of The Big Debate with Rural Pod Media, a timely initiative for British agriculture. Virgin Money is a trading name of Nationwide Building Society. To discover more about Virgin Money visit Agriculture | Business | Virgin Money UK Associate Partner: TELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods Explore smarter farming tools from TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods: telus.com/BigDebate Associate Partner: Birketts LLP You can find out more about Birketts and their leading agriculture team by heading to their website: Agricultural Lawyers | Agricultural Law Solicitors — Birketts Podcast Disclaimer By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, RuralPod Media Limited does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. Any third-party materials or content of any third-party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of RuralPod Media Limited. RuralPod Media Limited assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. The views of the hosts and guests are personal and RuralPod Media Limited or its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors, does not take any responsibility for these views. Such views are not the views of RuralPod Media Limited or any of its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors. RuralPod Media Limited does not verify the accuracy of the information contained in the podcast, and RuralPod Media Limited takes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of the podcast. The information contained on the podcast is provided on an ‘’as is’’ basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. Any action you take based on the information contained in the podcast is strictly at your own risk, and RuralPod Media Limited will not be liable for any losses of damages in connection with the use of the podcast. None of the hosts, guests or contributors to the podcast will be responsible for your use of the information contained therein. The inclusion of third-party advertisements does not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, warranty, or recommendation of, and the author makes no representations and/or warranties about, any product or service contained therein. Under no circumstances will RuralPod Media Limited or their affiliates, partners, suppliers, licensors or guests appearing on the podcast be liable any losses (whether direct, indirect or consequential) suffered as a result of your doing (or not doing) anything as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. Neither RuralPod Media Limited nor any of its hosts or guests appearing on the podcast shall at any time be liable for any content covered causing offence, distress or any other unforeseeable reaction suffered as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of RuralPod Media Limited. Contact Please email us at hello@ruralpodmedia.co.uk to contact us about any issues.
40 min
Today Ben is in the Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire borderlands meeting Tom Hawthorne who is farm manager for Flawborough Farms, farming 3200 hectares of cereals, forage maize and whole crop silage both for the home farm and contracting for 13 other landowners. The Hawthorne family have been farming at Flawborough since 1956 when Tom’s grandfather Charles inherited the farm from his godfather. With heavy land winter crops are the mainstay for the farm including Oilseed rape, Wheat, and Beans. Minimal cultivations have been used since the 1960s. Over time, the business has gradually increased its arable area through contracting. 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice and the . Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. By accessing this Podcast, you acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. About Ben and RuralPod Media Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social media Instagram @mtf_podcast Twitter @mtf_podcast Watch us on Youtube Please join our mailing list here
30 min
Today on Meet the Farmers host Ben Eagle is joined by Michael Sly who heads up the Park Farm team which farms 2000 hectares in north Cambridgeshire and south Lincolnshire. They grow wheat, peas, sugar and mustard. Michael was awarded an MBE in 2022. Michael has served as the chairman of English Mustard Growers and the NFU Sugar board. Michael has also welcomed tens of thousands of people through the farm gates since he started doing Open Farm Sunday in 2006. 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here About Ben and RuralPod Media Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social media Instagram @mtf_podcast Twitter @mtf_podcast Watch us on Youtube Please join our mailing list.
50 min
This week Ally and Sophie cover several different stories from fuel prices to trade deals, drought in the US, golden eagles to chicken campaigns and agricultural shows to Tractor Ted. Hosted as always by dairy farmer Sophie Gregory and arable farmer Ally Hunter Blair. Link to newsletter sign up - Sign-up to our newsletter – RuralPod Media 🎧 Please subscribe to the show and follow us on social media @MTF_podcast Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate is produced by RuralPod Media. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found below. With thanks to our podcast partners: Headline Sponsor: Virgin Money Virgin Money is proud to support the launch of The Big Debate with Rural Pod Media, a timely initiative for British agriculture. Virgin Money is a trading name of Nationwide Building Society. To discover more about Virgin Money visit Agriculture | Business | Virgin Money UK Associate Partner: TELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods Explore smarter farming tools from TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods: telus.com/BigDebate Associate Partner: Birketts LLP You can find out more about Birketts and their leading agriculture team by heading to their website: Agricultural Lawyers | Agricultural Law Solicitors — Birketts With thanks also to episode sponsor DLF Seeds. Podcast Disclaimer By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, RuralPod Media Limited does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. Any third-party materials or content of any third-party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of RuralPod Media Limited. RuralPod Media Limited assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. The views of the hosts and guests are personal and RuralPod Media Limited or its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors, does not take any responsibility for these views. Such views are not the views of RuralPod Media Limited or any of its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors. RuralPod Media Limited does not verify the accuracy of the information contained in the podcast, and RuralPod Media Limited takes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of the podcast. The information contained on the podcast is provided on an ‘’as is’’ basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. Any action you take based on the information contained in the podcast is strictly at your own risk, and RuralPod Media Limited will not be liable for any losses of damages in connection with the use of the podcast. None of the hosts, guests or contributors to the podcast will be responsible for your use of the information contained therein. The inclusion of third-party advertisements does not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, warranty, or recommendation of, and the author makes no representations and/or warranties about, any product or service contained therein. Under no circumstances will RuralPod Media Limited or their affiliates, partners, suppliers, licensors or guests appearing on the podcast be liable any losses (whether direct, indirect or consequential) suffered as a result of your doing (or not doing) anything as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. Neither RuralPod Media Limited nor any of its hosts or guests appearing on the podcast shall at any time be liable for any content covered causing offence, distress or any other unforeseeable reaction suffered as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of RuralPod Media Limited. Contact Please email us at hello@ruralpodmedia.co.uk to contact us about any issues.
58 min
Today we’re in Nottinghamshire and Ben is meeting 5th generation farmer Joe Howard – his family have been farming their current farm since 1888. The Howards operation is diverse and consists of growing carrots, parsnips and cereals on a mix of owned, rented and contracted land alongside finishing 1,600 dairy-bred Aberdeen Angus and Hereford-cross cattle. The family also runs a hill farm near Ambleside in the Lake District. Joe is responsible for the carrot and livestock enterprises. With thanks to our sponsor TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods. Explore smarter farming tools from TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods: telus.com/FarmSmarter 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here About Ben and RuralPod Media Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social media Instagram @mtf_podcast Twitter @mtf_podcast Watch us on Youtube Please join our mailing list.
29 min
Big Debate hosts Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory are joined by Virgin Money's UK Head of Agriculture Brian Richardson and Head of Agriculture in Scotland Stephen Buchan to take a broad look at UK agriculture over the past few months. 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @MTF_podcast Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate is produced by RuralPod Media. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found below. With thanks to our Headline Sponsor: Virgin Money. Virgin Money is proud to support the launch of The Big Debate with Rural Pod Media, a timely initiative for British agriculture. Virgin Money is a trading name of Nationwide Building Society. To discover more about Virgin Money visit Agriculture | Business | Virgin Money UK Podcast Disclaimer By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, RuralPod Media Limited does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. Any third-party materials or content of any third-party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of RuralPod Media Limited. RuralPod Media Limited assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. The views of the hosts and guests are personal and RuralPod Media Limited or its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors, does not take any responsibility for these views. Such views are not the views of RuralPod Media Limited or any of its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors. RuralPod Media Limited does not verify the accuracy of the information contained in the podcast, and RuralPod Media Limited takes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of the podcast. The information contained on the podcast is provided on an ‘’as is’’ basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. Any action you take based on the information contained in the podcast is strictly at your own risk, and RuralPod Media Limited will not be liable for any losses of damages in connection with the use of the podcast. None of the hosts, guests or contributors to the podcast will be responsible for your use of the information contained therein. The inclusion of third-party advertisements does not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, warranty, or recommendation of, and the author makes no representations and/or warranties about, any product or service contained therein. Under no circumstances will RuralPod Media Limited or their affiliates, partners, suppliers, licensors or guests appearing on the podcast be liable any losses (whether direct, indirect or consequential) suffered as a result of your doing (or not doing) anything as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. Neither RuralPod Media Limited nor any of its hosts or guests appearing on the podcast shall at any time be liable for any content covered causing offence, distress or any other unforeseeable reaction suffered as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of RuralPod Media Limited. Contact Please email us at hello@ruralpodmedia.co.uk to contact us about any issues.
35 min
Today we’re in New Zealand meeting self styled Canterbury Cowboy George Dodson who in 2024 was crowned FMG Young Farmer of the Year, which for anyone who doesn’t know, is an extremely prestigious competition. He’s the Founder of the Canterbury Young Dairy Farmers Leaders Network and to give you an idea of his passion and drive for the dairy sector he was already managing a farm by the age of 20. We hear about his farming journey, dairy farming in New Zealand in general and his hopes for the future. With thanks to our sponsor TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods. Explore smarter farming tools from TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods: telus.com/FarmSmarter Image courtesy of George Dodson. 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here . About Ben and RuralPod Media Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social media Instagram @mtf_podcast Twitter @mtf_podcast Watch us on Youtube Please join our mailing list here.
47 min
This week Ally and Sophie are asking whether farming in Wales has a bright future? They are joined by two Welsh farmers Abi Reader and James Powell. Also on the agenda is a discussion on wool prices, a stolen egg stand, the farmer choir on Britain's Got Talent and of course news from Ally's and Sophie's farms. Hosted as always by dairy farmer Sophie Gregory and arable farmer Ally Hunter Blair. Link to newsletter sign up - Sign-up to our newsletter – RuralPod Media 🎧 Please subscribe to the show and follow us on social media @MTF_podcast Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate is produced by RuralPod Media. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found below. With thanks to our podcast partners: Headline Sponsor: Virgin Money Virgin Money is proud to support the launch of The Big Debate with Rural Pod Media, a timely initiative for British agriculture. Virgin Money is a trading name of Nationwide Building Society. To discover more about Virgin Money visit www.virginmoney.com/business/agriculture/ Associate Partner: TELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods Explore smarter farming tools from TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods: www.Telus.com/BigDebate Associate Partner: Birketts LLP You can find out more about Birketts and their leading agriculture team by heading to their website: www.birketts.co.uk/sector/agriculture/ Podcast Disclaimer By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general informational purposes only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, RuralPod Media Limited does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. Any third-party materials or content of any third-party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of RuralPod Media Limited. RuralPod Media Limited assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, RuralPod Media Limited makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. The views of the hosts and guests are personal and RuralPod Media Limited or its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors, does not take any responsibility for these views. Such views are not the views of RuralPod Media Limited or any of its sponsors, affiliates, employees or contractors. RuralPod Media Limited does not verify the accuracy of the information contained in the podcast, and RuralPod Media Limited takes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of the podcast. The information contained on the podcast is provided on an ‘’as is’’ basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. Any action you take based on the information contained in the podcast is strictly at your own risk, and RuralPod Media Limited will not be liable for any losses of damages in connection with the use of the podcast. None of the hosts, guests or contributors to the podcast will be responsible for your use of the information contained therein. The inclusion of third-party advertisements does not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, warranty, or recommendation of, and the author makes no representations and/or warranties about, any product or service contained therein. Under no circumstances will RuralPod Media Limited or their affiliates, partners, suppliers, licensors or guests appearing on the podcast be liable any losses (whether direct, indirect or consequential) suffered as a result of your doing (or not doing) anything as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. Neither RuralPod Media Limited nor any of its hosts or guests appearing on the podcast shall at any time be liable for any content covered causing offence, distress or any other unforeseeable reaction suffered as a result of listening or viewing (or inability to access) the podcast. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of RuralPod Media Limited. Contact Please email us at hello@ruralpodmedia.co.uk to contact us about any issues.
46 min
Host Ben Eagle is joined by Brussels based agri-food journalist Natasha Foote to discuss how the Common Agricultural Policy may change in 2027 and what farmers across Europe should be aware of. 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found at ruralpodmedia.co.uk. Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social media Instagram @mtf_podcast Twitter @mtf_podcast Watch us on Youtube here Please join our mailing list here - Sign-up to our newsletter – RuralPod Media
37 min
Ben Eagle is joined by Jez Pile from Telus Agriculture & Consumer Goods to discuss his entrepreneurial journey of founding, growing and exiting from his start up business Muddy Boots. With thanks to our sponsor TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods. Explore smarter farming tools from TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods: telus.com/FarmSmarter Image credit: Jez Pile 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found at ruralpodmedia.co.uk. About Ben and RuralPod Media Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social media Instagram @mtf_podcast Twitter @mtf_podcast Watch us on Youtube here Please join our mailing list here - Sign-up to our newsletter – RuralPod Media
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