22/09/23 Tree planting in Wales; Turkeys and avian flu; Rural buses; Local barley for local beer.
The forestry industry says tree planting will be down in Wales this year.
Turkey farmers and avian flu.
Calls for local councils to take charge of rural buses.
Barley for beer.
Fewer trees will be planted in Wales over the next few months than planned says the forestry industry - and they are blaming the Welsh Government for delays to woodland planning and woodland creation grants. Confor, the Confederation of Forest Industries, says it comes just before the planting season and will have a huge impact this winter and beyond.
The British Poultry Council warns that it's only a matter of time before another outbreak of bird flu. Last year it had a devastating effect on some poultry farms and wild bird populations have been badly affected by the illness. Defra, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, says the risk among wild species remains high and poultry farmers are being urged to take extra care to guard their flocks from infection. We hear from one North Yorkshire poultry farming family keeping vigilant, as they prepare their Christmas flock.
Rural councils should have more power over buses - to end the 'spiral of decline' in services. The idea comes from the Local Government Association which wants more councils to have the same powers as mayors so they could then decide fares, routes and the frequency of buses.
We’ve been talking about growing booze all this week, and there is an obvious relationship between growing barley and beer. We speak to a brewer who's making beer from barley grown just three miles from his pub in Cumbria.
Presenter = Charlotte Smith
Producer = Rebecca Rooney
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- Fri 22 Sep 2023 05:45Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
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Farming Today
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