It may be time for our live page to close, but there’s still more to come from Farmwatch 2025.

Tune in to any one of our BBC Local radio stations in England now to join Clarkson’s Farm star Harriet Cowan and the Great British Bake Off star Mike Wilkins for Farmwatch: Job Swap.

You can listen live - and also catch up later - via BBC Sounds.

From 22:00 BST, it’s the Late Show with Becky Want who’ll be sharing highlights from our coverage throughout the day.

And the BBC's Farmwatch Sounds page has a great selection of stories from farmers all over the country - you can subscribe and listen anytime on BBC Sounds.

Thank you for joining us – and don’t forget to listen out for tonight's episode of The Archers, when Farmwatch even makes its way to Ambridge.

It's nearly time for us to end our coverage, but before we do, here's a flavour of some of the stories we heard today:

• We jumped aboard a combine harvester with our combine cam and joined farmer Robin Aird on the wheat harvest
• Clarkson's Farm's Harriet Cowan hopped in the combine cab, while other famous farm faces Gabrielle Aplin and Mike Wilkins held a Q&A from the field
• On average, it's been a very sunny summer so far, which is bad news for pea growers - one farmer told us to expect pea shortages after the earliest harvest in 14 years
• In good news, however, there's an alpaca boom rocking the nation, while one farmer of the fluffy camelids is takes his on day trips to local residential homes
• It's tough work out on the farms, as one family told us about 100-hour work weeks, while young farmer Bethany Sharpe talked about taking over the family business
• We also heard about the dangers of farm work - farmer James Bannister shared his story of losing his arm in a potato harvest accident, while Henry Moreton spoke of close calls when cars overtake his tractor
• While many reporters were out in the field (literally), we kept our data team at the keyboard, crunching the numbers on rural crime, what the average farmer looks like, where to find nation's farming capital and how businesses are faring

De-Graft Mensah
BBC Newsround presenter

As someone who's only ever stepped foot on a British farm on a school trip many moons ago, it's safe to say that I’m a farming novice.

So when I was getting ready to meet 10-year-old Jacob on his family's beef and lamb farm to get stuck in on a day of work, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

However, for Jacob, he's been around farm work his whole life – and has made a bit of a name for himself while documenting his work on social media.

Jacob comes from a long line of farmers and is learning everything (as well as balancing school) from his dad Neil.

"Farming is very important," Neil tells me as we watch the sheep.

"It produces food for people to eat. Aside from that – everywhere you look from maintained hedges to fields, everything looks nice. Without farming, that wouldn’t happen."

For Jacob, Neil and the family, farming isn’t just personal. It’s about providing for society at large.

For me however, it’s a trade that some people really have the skill set for and quite frankly, I think I am a better journalist than farmer.

• Listen to the full story here: 'Come and spend the day with me on my farm'

People do not understand the hard work that goes into producing food, two young farmers say.

Terri Taylor, from Devon, is studying agriculture at college and was raised in a family of farmers while Ms Radford stumbled into farming after she was offered a job on a smallholding a few years ago.

"You're on your own most of the time - you really have to love it,” says Ms Taylor.

"It's a lot of long hours and hard work.

"People think tractor driving is easy, but it can be lonely."

Ms Radford adds: "I didn't realise how much there was to it until I started studying."

• Read the full story: 'You are on your own – but I still love farming'

We approached the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) for an interview about what sort of support they offer farmers but they declined.

However, they sent a statement.

"Food security is national security, and Farmwatch is a valuable initiative reminding everyone of the vital role farmers play in sustaining our nation," said Environment Secretary Steve Reed.

"Our commitment to farming and food security is steadfast, which is why we've allocated a record £11.8bn to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament.

“We are slashing costs and red tape for food producers to export to the EU, have appointed former NFU president Baroness Minette Batters to recommend reforms to boost farmers’ profits, and we’re ensuring farmers get a bigger share of food contracts across our schools, hospitals, and prisons.”

• You can read more in the government's spending review on farming, external

Olivia Midgley
Editorial director, Farmers Guardian

For generations, agricultural estates were exempt from inheritance tax, allowing family farms to pass seamlessly from parent to child. Now, farmers will have to pay a 20% levy on bequeathed assets more than £1m, starting in April 2026.

Most working farms are worth well over £1 million due to land values and assets such as machinery, buildings and livestock. But the government mistakenly seems to think that assets equal wealth.

Image source, EPA

A typical family farm in the UK might be worth £2m to £3m on paper, but it would generate relatively modest annual profits – with many generating as little as 1%.

When the farm owner dies, their children suddenly face a tax bill of hundreds of thousands of pounds - money they simply don't have in cash.

To pay the tax, families may be forced to sell portions of their land or the entire farm. While for many businesses it has been a wake-up call to look at succession planning for their businesses, those in their 70s and 80s are left with little time to plan.

The mental health strain on families has been widely reported and lobby groups - including the National Farmers' Union and others - continue to call on the government to make some concessions to protect elderly farmers before April.

This would protect some of the most vulnerable people but would save Sir Keir Starmer’s government the embarrassment of another full policy U-turn.

Ewan Murrie
Political reporter, BBC Westminster

The Labour government has faced no shortage of fallouts with those on the sharp end of its many difficult decisions over tax and spend.

But few have vented as furiously as the nation’s farmers, who have turned up multiple times in their thousands to protest in Westminster – often with tractors.

At the heart of their bitter dispute with the Treasury is a simple question - should farmers be taxed when passing down land and machinery to their kids?

For decades, farm assets have mostly been excluded from inheritance tax – based on the principle that farmers should be supported to keep feeding the nation.

Image source, PA Media

But ministers argue that with public finances under pressure, nobody should be fully exempt – although agricultural property will still qualify for a discounted rate.

Farming leaders say families will be forced to sell land to cover their tax bills because farms often yield only modest profits – while ministers insist only the wealthiest will be affected.

The Conservatives, Reform UK and Liberal Democrats all oppose the government's plans – while several Labour MPs with rural seats have also voiced their concerns in public.

The proposals could face a vote in Parliament after the summer – before coming into effect from April 2026.

Pamela Tickell
Reporter

It's not just more extreme weather events farmers are dealing with - there's more paperwork too.

"There's change and it's not change for the better," Simon Bainbridge in Northumberland says.

Mr Bainbridge's pastoral farm is one of many hit by this years' drought, which he says have gone from occurring every few decades to every year.

"We haven't a clue what we're going to get, what things are going to yield," he says.

"There's so many things out of our control, basically we're gamblers."

He says inheritance tax, national insurance and minimum wage changes were also piling on the pressure.

"When we first started, there was very little paperwork," he tells the BBC.

"We are very much at the whims of government policy."

He describes it as a perfect storm but went on to say: "We get too many perfect storms now."

• You can listen to the full story here: How modern change is impacting Northumberland farm

A cheesemaker from Gloucestershire says her daughter, who is interested in being her successor, has been "disillusioned" by inheritance tax proposals.

In last year's Budget, the government announced inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1m, which were previously exempt, will be liable to inheritance tax at 20%, half the usual rate, as of April 2026.

Liz Godsell runs a dairy farm in Frocester and said her family was "quite alarmed" by the announcement.

"There are so few young people that actually want to come into farming... we've got to make it exciting and encourage them," she says.

"The inheritance tax it's not encouraging people to carry on.

"It's a long day, not very good pay, but we've got passion and we need to be rewarded with some profit."

Ms Godsell says she does not think the tax takes into consideration the cost of land, which is "very expensive".

Farming goes back five generations in Lucinda Bird's family.

From dairy, to arable, to rearing cattle - their farm in County Durham was constantly changing.

By the time she took over, she had added looking after horses and teaching dressage to the services on offer.

And during the Covid-19 pandemic, they diversified again and invested in wool.

Benridge Woolworks washes, dries and processes the fabric, which is mainly sold to saddle fitters.

Ms Bird says British agriculture is going through a tough time.

"You've got to have the positive mentality that there will be a future.

"We have always forged our own future," she says.

Image source, Norfolk Fire and Rescue

Norfolk Fire and Rescue tell us farmers across the county have faced an unusual number of farm machinery fires today.

It's not an uncommon issue at this time of year, as harvesting machinery flicks up small stones and flints which can then spark fires in crops.

But today, Norfolk crews have had to attend straw bales and stubble on fire at Grimston near King's Lynn, as well as a fire in the open at Lessingham in the north of the county, and a combine harvester fire at Hopton.

Image source, Norfolk Fire and Rescue

"So far today we have attended three fires involving farmland and machinery," says Emyr Gough from the service.

"The impact of these can be devastating to the livelihoods of farmers and to the land itself.

“We do sometimes see an increase in farming fires during harvest season, as hot, dry ground can increase the risk of fires being accidentally started by flints, causing a spark which sets fire to equipment and land.

People are encouraged to call 999 if they see fires on farmland.

The fictional setting of The Archers - Ambridge - is based on the Worcestershire village of Inkberrow, with local residents telling the BBC people visit the village from all over the world because of its connection to the programme.

Resident Marion Bleney, who has a 300-acre farm, says: "There's a long history of farming in this area and a great many families are tied up with farming and the land in one way or another."

Marion respects the programme makers' take on the industry, saying: "I think they've got their handle on what is going on in farming and the huge difficulty farmers have."

Tom Gretton, who trains race horses, has lived in Inkberrow his whole life and knows how agriculture is embedded in the heart of the village.

“Everyone around here locally works on the land and what people need to remember is it's 24/7, seven days a week, there's no days off,” he says.

"You're in it because it's a way of life and you appreciate that way of life," he adds.

• Listen out for tonight's episode of The Archers when Farmwatch even makes its way to Ambridge!

The Archers - a radio drama which has entertained audiences for 75 years - was dreamt up as a creative way to inform farmers about new farming methods.

A lot of care is taken by The Archers team to accurately and realistically reflect rural life, at a time when audiences are becoming increasingly interested in where our food comes from.

The Archers makes sure any countryside sounds and references listeners hear are accurate, so when you listen in the height of summer, Ambridge sounds like the height of summer too.

The studio has several different rooms. One is a dead sound room, where any countryside atmosphere is added in by the producers as the actors perform.

There is also a working kitchen, a studio kitted out like a living room, and a polished wooden-floored room with high ceilings which acts as a village hall, church or restaurant.

As the actors perform, a woman called Ness, the spot effects guru, weaves around them, adding in lots of the sound effects in real time; the clinking of glasses, the shutting of a gate, or rustling of hay.

• Listen out for tonight's episode of The Archers when Farmwatch makes its way to Ambridge.

Following on from the robots we discussed earlier... other robots are being used to do (somewhat cleaner) jobs on farms across England.

George and Heather Clarke run a herd of more than 100 cows at Chesterton House Farm in Harbury, Warwickshire.

Their robots, named after their children, are used to help feed the cows.

"As the cows eat they tend to nose the food away from the feed fence and they can't reach it," says George.

"So this robot comes out every hour, every 45 minutes and just pushes the food back in for them so they can reach it again.

"It works really well, it saves my back having to push it all in with a fork," he adds.

The farm also has a vending machine where visitors can buy fresh milk, all part of a bid to help the farm diversify and survive, the couple say.

• .Listen to the full story here: The robot which is feeding cows

Andy Martindale
Radio Shropshire

And innovation in farming doesn't stop there.

A research project is experimenting with goats wearing sensor technology to improve their health, welfare, and management.

It works well - until the goats headbutt each other.

The project is led by Harper Adams University researcher Dr Holly Vickery, who admits the technology support team had been struggling to understand why the tags kept on resetting.

“I'm surprised the goats haven't eaten them," she says.

"It's a bit like a Fitbit... it's got an accelerometer in it, and it's tracking movement," she explains.

Behaviours which can be detected include lying down time, rumination, eating behaviours and general activity.

Listen below for more on the project, including how the technology has been used on cows before.

We've heard from so many farmers right across England today, so we thought we should give you another roundup to make sure you don't miss any:

• We've heard farmers tell us their animals are their best friends, while one alpaca farmer is spreading the love around, taking his herd to residential homes to bring a smile to the elderly
• Our reporters checked out the Burwarton show where thousands of attendees were treated to all sorts, including livestock parades, shearing competitions and produce and equipment displays
• Meanwhile, over at the Stoneleigh livestock auction, we heard about a sheep's journey from lamb to sale
• While some may have turned their noses up at the idea, one Wiltshire farm is turning turn poo into power
• Farmer Tom told us about his passion for rare horses, breeding the critically endangered Suffolk Punch
• And we won't be accused of land bias in our coverage - we spoke to a trout farmer who says the job is getting more difficult and an oyster farm that's opened up tours to the public

Sophie Parker
BBC News, Wiltshire

Animal waste can already be used as manure - but one farm has yet another innovative use for it.

Home Farm, based on a Wiltshire College and University Centre campus, has invested £275,000 in technology to turn poo into power.

When about 100 cows at the farm walk into automated milking bays each day, robots sweep up about five tonnes of slurry. This is then delivered to an anaerobic digester, where it is converted into electricity and heat.

Farm manager Phlip Steans says the digester is a “great investment” due to its “relatively small” payback time.

He says it also helps the college farm’s sustainability, which he says now has to be a “major part” of teaching and farming.

“Most farmers now will assess the carbon footprint of their farm, then aim to reduce it with a huge amount of different methods. There’s a lot of technical things we need to do,” he says.

• Read the full story here: Poo power introduced to college teaching farm

George King
BBC News

If you’re familiar with the farming world in Suffolk, you will more than likely have come across a true Suffolk boy – Tom Walne, or Farmer Tom, as he is affectionately known.

Having grown up on a farm near Ipswich, the 91-year-old has spent close to a century immersed in the world of agriculture.

As a toddler, he would often be wrapped up in straw so he could drift off to sleep.

"It was a different life altogether back then,” he tells BBC Radio Suffolk.

Image source, Sarah Lilley/BBC

He has become a well-respected farmer, known for his dedication to the critically-endangered Suffolk Punch horse breed.

He developed a passion for them after attending competitions.

"One thing led to another,” he says. “I got myself a working horse, a really steady old plodder.”

Since then, he and his wife Sandy have bred just shy of 20 foals — one of which they proudly donated to Queen Elizabeth II in 2003.

For farmers Jo and Derek Jenkin from Manaccan, Cornwall, their animals are their “best friends”.

We spent the day with them at Stithians Show, while their cow Mimosa was getting show ready.

“I put the soap on Mimosa and comb her up so it helps to fill her out and make her look really nice,” Jo says.

The couple say their herd hasn’t been affected by recent heatwaves.

“The animals seem to cope with it well out in the field and they’ve got hedges and trees they can go under," Derek says.

Jo says her daughter wants to follow in her parents' footsteps because she loves the animals.

“She’s proud of them and would do anything for them,” she adds.

Listen to our full interview with them here.

David Gregory-Kumar
Rural affairs correspondent, BBC Midlands Today

Let's get back to what's happening around England today. The Burwarton Show is currently under way in Shropshire, with around 15,000 people expected throughout the day.

From tractors, cows, and vegetables, to motorbike displays, shearing competitions and livestock parades, the show is packed to the brim with all the best parts of the agricultural industry.

"It’s a really nice agricultural show – it’s one of the few that’s only taking place on a weekday," says BBC Midlands rural affairs correspondent David Gregory-Kumar.

"Others are spread into the weekend to try and maximise their audience, but here the focus is very much on farmers and people associated with farming," he says.

"A lot of them are taking a break from harvest to make the day trip here just for a bit of relief from a very busy time on the farm," David adds.