The government's farm business incomes forecast for this year makes grim reading: in England dairy farmers are expected to earn 78% less than last year, largely due to falls in the milk price; cereal farmers face a 77% cut, though prices have been high and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs says the fall reflects a return to more normal levels as well as a reduction in the amount of arable crops grown; while mixed farms will see a 49% cut in income. Only those grazing livestock or rearing pigs are expected to see their income rise, and there is no forecast for the poultry sector as DEFRA says there is too much uncertainty. A 'destructive and disproportionate attack' - that's landowners' reaction to the Scottish Government's new Land Reform Bill. The proposed legislation would mean that the sale of estates of more than 1,000 hectares could be stopped by ministers and split into smaller lots, and the owners of large estates would have to show how they use land and how that contributes to key policies like net zero. The Scottish Government says the bill will make land ownership more transparent and will mean communities have more involvement in the land where where they live and work. That view is not shared by Scottish Land and Estates, which represents landowners.All week we're focusing on shellfish. The industry has had a torrid time. We speak to a professor of fisheries conservation about some of the challenges which range from labour shortages and pollution, to climate change and trade rules. Presenter = Charlotte Smith
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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18/03/24 Forecast for farm incomes; Scottish land reform; Shellfish.

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