17/08/2024: Wildfires; drought; craft skills; UK border dry stone walls

Farming Today

After all the wet weather this year there is talk of both drought and wildfires.

Two separate reports out this week have highlighted the threat that they pose to people and the environment, both in the UK and further afield.

The Shropshire and Herefordshire countryside is peppered with traditional farmhouses and cottages dating back hundreds of years, homeowners are being taught the skills to maintain them for the future.

Plant breeders are worried that UK border rules mean new seed varieties, which need to be trialled in fields in England, are being delayed.

Dry stone walls are an integral part of our landscape from Orkney to Cornwall.

It is estimated that there are about 180,000 miles of them - but that as many as 85% are in need of repair.

Presented by Caz Graham

Produced by Alun Beach