Leaders - Andy Cato: Steward of complexity

Defra Secretary of State, Steve Reed, has been catapulted into the Dept of Housing, Communities and Local Government - Farming minister, Dan Zeichner, is out - and instead, in come Emma Reynolds and Angela Eagle.Is there an opportunity for farmers in the chaos? Could this Defra defenestration offer light at the end of a dark tunnel?With Labour struggling in the polls, what does Kier Starmer's reshuffle tell us about his attitude to food and farming?In a conversation, live at the Agroforestry Show, FFINLO COSTAIN meets EMILY NORTON (AHDB), STEPHEN BRIGGS (Agroforestry pioneer), MARTIN LINES (NFFN) and VICKI HIRD (Wildlife Trusts).COMING NEXT WEEK: More Farm Gate in-the-field at the Agroforestry Show

👩‍🌾 🚜 Can community-facing farm enterprises be more successful? CHARLOTTE HOLLINS (Fordhall Community Land Initiative) and JON THORNES (South Ormsby Estate) join FFINLO COSTAIN to discuss the benefits of welcoming people and communities onto farms - as shareholders, businesses and for pleasure.👩‍🌾 What are the benefits of community-facing agriculture?🦋 What are the options?🌿 What will the neighbours think?🐂 Could this make farm businesses more resilient?😊 Can working with the community make farming more enjoyable?👉 Find out more about Fordhall Community Farm [https://www.fordhallfarm.com/]👉 Find out more about South Ormesby Estate [https://www.southormsbyestate.co.uk/]👉 Find out about Babbinswood Farm [https://www.babbinswoodfarm.co.uk/]👉 Buy Babbinswood community shares [https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-babbinswood-farm]👉 Find out about Plunkett UK [https://plunkett.co.uk/]👉 Find out about Co-operatives UK [https://www.uk.coop/]

The UK Agroforestry Show takes place at Woodoaks Farm in Hertfordshire on the 10th and 11th of September - and in this programme, FFINLO COSTAIN is joined by BEN RASKIN from the Soil Association - by CAROLINE HARRISON, Technical Policy Manager at the Institute of Chartered Foresters - by TOM KEMP, the director of Working Woodlands Cornwall CIC - and by JOHN PAWSEY, from Shimpling Park Farm.They discuss:🐂 Coming highlights of the Agroforestry Show🌳 The purpose of agroforestry 🚜 The role of bonding and camping🤔 And recommend key sessions 👉 Find information about funding and grants for agroforestry in ENGLAND https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funding-and-grants-for-agroforestry👉 Find information about funding and grants for agroforestry in SCOTLAND https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/forestry-grant-scheme/agroforestry/👉 Find information about funding and grants for agroforestry in WALES https://www.gov.wales/rural-grants-payments👉 Find information about funding and grants for agroforestry in Northern Ireland https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/topics/grants-and-funding👉 Find Woodland Trust fundinghttps://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/trees-for-landowners-and-farmers/morewoods/* To watch the rough-cut video of this audio podcast - search for 'Farm gate podcast' on YouTube* Farm Gate is Britain's top-ranked regenerative agriculture podcast - globally ranked 2nd for food security; 3rd for regen.* Farm Gate is part of 8point9.com, the land use news channel, which is sponsored by First Milk, Pelican Ag, Rural Solutions, the Usk Catchment Partnership, Agrolo and individual donors.

FFINLO COSTAIN (8point9.com) and JOE STANLEY (GWCT Allerton Project), are joined by TOM PYCRAFT (Ark Summit), who's producing Land Alive at The Dairy Show this October 1st. This time:🚜 Harvest 2025🌱 Is BNG report good news for farmers?🐄 Land Alive at The Dairy Show🌿 AI and biotech aims for climate resilient crops🐑 Helping farmers tackle liver flukeFind out more about Land Alive at The Dairy Show:Website: https://www.arkce.com/land-alive-dairy-showBooking link: https://ark.artsvp.com/a61e08* To watch the rough-cut video podcast version of this podcast, search for 'Farm Gate podcast' on YouTube.* Farm Gate is Britain's top-ranked regenerative agriculture podcast - globally ranked 2nd for food security; 3rd for regen.* Farm Gate is part of 8point9.com, the land use news channel, which is sponsored by First Milk, Pelican Ag, Rural Solutions, the Usk Catchment Partnership, Agrolo and individual donors.

This is a new series on the Farm Gate podcast channel that we’re calling Nature Friendly Farm Gate.In this series, FFINLO COSTAIN will be joined by MARTIN LINES (Chief Executive of the Nature Friendly Farm Network). The pair will reflect on food and farming policy landscape in each of the four UK nations, and we'll find out about the ups and downs of Martin's farm business in Cambridgeshire.This time, ffinlo and Martin discuss the impact of English farm policy, the need for a strong (but not too strong) Secretary of State at Defra - and we hear about the harrowing possible future for Martin's farm.* To watch this podcast instead, search for 'Farm Gate podcast' on YouTube.* Farm Gate is Britain's top-ranked regenerative agriculture podcast - globally ranked 2nd for food security; 3rd for regen.* Farm Gate is part of 8point9.com, the land use news channel, which is sponsored by First Milk, Pelican Ag, Rural Solutions, the Usk Catchment Partnership, Agrolo and individual donors.

FFINLO COSTAIN talks to ANDY CATO, who as one half of Groove Armada, gave us classic dance anthems such as I See you Baby and At The River - but who gave it all up to farm regeneratively in France, and who now, back in Britain, is the face and founder of Wildfarmed bread. A 'steward of complexity,' who has risen to become an icon of agroecological farming.Key moments:* Cato's time with the Grimethorpe Colliery Band* The Miners’ Strike (1984/'85) and the Criminal Justice Bill ('94)* The trombone, the DJ and the sound of Groove Armada?* The decision to farm in France* How baking bread became the answer to Cato's problems* The genesis of Wildfarmed bread* Defining the Wildfarmed approach?* Fusing old knowledge with new tech* Wildfarmed standards?* Balancing practices and outcomes* Scaling regenerative supply chains * Is it possible to feed people well, at the prices they currently pay?* Farm Gate is Britain's top-ranked regenerative agriculture podcast - globally ranked 2nd for food security; 3rd for regen.* Farm Gate is part of 8point9.com, the land use news channel, which is sponsored by First Milk, Pelican Ag, Rural Solutions, the Usk Catchment Partnership, Agrolo and individual donors.* To watch instead, search for 'Farm Gate podcast' on YouTube.

Towards the end of last year, the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales made a recommendation to Welsh Government: nature should have a voice in decisions about flood policy and infrastructure.Today we ask, why? How? And what difference would it make - if nature had a voice?ffinlo Costain is joined by Dr David Clubb, Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales, and Eurig Salisbury, a poet and lecturer at Aberystwyth University.

Can removing the preference for on-site biodiversity net gain (BNG) delivery accelerate market growth and nature recovery?As the government considers the future of the BNG policy, new research has identified opportunities to strengthen delivery, accelerate market growth and achieve greater benefits for nature, developers and communities.FFINLO COSTAIN joined by the report's lead author, DAVID HILL, former Deputy Chair of Natural England and Founder of the Environment Bank, and by contributor, ROB HINDLE, the Executive Director of Rural Solutions.* Farm Gate is Britain's top-ranked regenerative agriculture podcast - globally ranked 2nd for food security; 3rd for regen.* Farm Gate is part of 8point9.com, the land use news channel, which is sponsored by First Milk, Pelican Ag, Rural Solutions, the Usk Catchment Partnership, Agrolo and individual donors.* To watch instead, search for 'Farm Gate podcast' on YouTube.

Wheat from the Chaff is Farm Gate and 8point9.com's monthly discussion programme. Regulars, ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) and Joe Stanley (GWCT Allerton Project), are joined by Nikki Yoxall, Technical Director at Pasture for Life, and Rhys Evans, NFFN Cymru's Sustainable Farming Lead.This time:🌳 The new Welsh Sustainable Farming Scheme🌱 A new capital fund for agroecology in Scotland🐑 How sheep can deliver improved ecology🧑‍🌾 And Joe and Nikki discuss their different routes and approaches to regenerative farmingTo watch this podcast instead, search for 'Farm Gate podcast' on YouTube.More land-use news at 8point9.com

A farmers' jury has found that carbon tunnel vision is alienating many farmers and slowing action to address the nature crisis. ffinlo Costain is joined by Dr Amy Jackson (University of Nottingham), Adrian Ivory (Strathisla Farms in Perthshire), and Liz Warner (Green Shoots Farm Consultancy).Key moments:* The motivation behind the farmers’ jury* Key takeaways* Views on net zero and how it's been applied to farming* The dangers of carbon tunnel vision* Metric used to assess farm impact* Changing the way that we measure methane* The dangers of offshoring emissions reduction from food production* Net zero has created resistance in the farming community* Motivating farmers to address the climate and nature crisesFarm Gate is Britain's top-ranked regenerative agriculture podcast - globally ranked 2nd for food security; 3rd for regen.To watch this podcast instead, search 'Farm gate podcast' on YouTube.#netzero #climate #regenfarming #farming #food #methane #GWP* #AFNNetwork+