Welcome to “We Need to Talk About Farming” – a new spin-off series from myself Will Evans and the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission.
There's a lot of noise in farming right now. For many, the future feels uncertain. This series is about having better conversations about the biggest issues facing agriculture. In each episode, we'll take on a topic that's making headlines and dividing WhatsApp groups. We'll go beyond the buzzwords, cut through the cliches, and work out what really matters.
In this episode, we're talking about nature.
About 70% of the UK is farmland. British farmers have a massive role to play in maintaining clean rivers and fresh air and helping wildlife to thrive. But there are nagging worries about the impact of taking land out of production, for nature as well as energy and housing. And farmers who want to support wildlife are concerned that government support may be falling away. How do we maintain momentum for farming that works with nature? How do we make smart decisions about how to use our limited land?
https://ffcc.co.uk/we-need-to-talk-about-farming
14 Oct 2025TRANSCRIPT
Organised Chaos
We head to Cumbria for episode four of Goodyear Farm Tires’ Talking Crop podcast to meet the British Farming Family of the Year of 2024.
The Ladds Family, headed up by Andrew and Cath and supported by sons Chris, Richard and Thomas, claimed the coveted award after a hugely successful 12 months at Benson Hall Farm in Scalthwaiterigg
Operating a mixed farm including more than 200 Holstein cows, R & E Ladds also has a farm contracting service covering forage harvesting, round baling, slurry work and GPS-controlled fertiliser spreading, as well as a 45-site static caravan park established post-foot-and-mouth disease.
Additionally, they partner with Kendal College, hosting practical classes and providing valuable hands-on experience for students.
The Talking Crop podcast is produced by Goodyear Farm Tires.
View our range of tires for vintage, classic and modern tractors at
https://www.goodyearfarmtires.eu/ (https://www.goodyearfarmtires.eu/)
1 Oct 2025TRANSCRIPT
The Genetics of a Survivor
Episode three of Goodyear Farm Tires’ Talking Crop podcast takes us to Crewe to meet the Hughes family. Clayhanger Hall Farm has been in the family for more than a century, with current owners Dennis and Rachel Hughes taking the helm in 2002.
Some 16 years later, their two children - Andrew and Emma - returned to the farm with their families to further strengthen the team. Their dairy operations see them have a milking herd of more than 300 cows, with a specific focus on genetics, maximising herd size and improving milk production.
The Hughes contingent were finalists in the Family Farming Business of the Year category at the British Farming Awards last year.
The Talking Crop podcast is produced by Goodyear Farm Tires.
View our range of tires for vintage, classic and modern tractors at
https://www.goodyearfarmtires.eu/ (https://www.goodyearfarmtires.eu/)
Inside a recent episode
We need to talk about.. Nature
Published 16 Oct 2025 · Transcript excerpt
[…] I think it's really tricky because the blame is often felt personally rather than thinking that it's policy led, it's circumstance led, you know, as an industry we've gone down that that road. And it's not, it's not always the responsibility of that individual farmer. […]
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