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07/02/2023 River pollution and poultry farming; Peat; Eco homes.

The biggest producer of chickens in the Wye Valley and its plans for poultry manure. Growing without peat in the commercial horticulture sector. Eco homes for locals.

A major chicken producer claims it will clean up its use of manure alongside the River Wye but its plan won't be fully implemented till 2025. Avara Foods has 120 farms producing 16 million chickens for it within the River Wye catchment. It's faced criticism for failing to ensure the farms do not contaminate the river by spreading chicken manure on their land. Now the company says it will bring in a new regime which will regulate the use of the farms' manure much better and will not "contribute to excess phosphate in the Wye" by 2025. Nicola Cutcher from the Guardian has had exclusive access to Avara - she told us what the new company plan is.

All week we're talking about peat. Commercial growers are still allowed to use it for now, but from next year, domestic gardeners won't be able to buy it. Retail sales are being banned to help the government reach its net zero targets, as peatlands are the UK's largest carbon store. Organic growers would like to be ahead of any mandatory targets but for commercial nurseries that rely on machines to plant blocks of plants, it's going to be a challenge.

A farmer from Nottinghamshire hopes he's found a solution to the lack of affordable housing in the rural area where he lives. He’s built one of the most energy efficient groups of dwellings in the country and they’re only available for local people to rent.

Presenter = Anna Hill
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

13 minutes

Broadcast

  • Tue 7 Feb 2023 05:45

Podcast