Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft - he's a good guy, right? Africa's food system has been a major recipient of Gates' $59bn philanthropy. But is Gates helping African food systems - or destroying them? Is he ending hunger - or depleting land resilience and contributing to food insecurity and societal instability? I'm joined by Tim Schwabe, autho…

Seven conversations today, focussed on Land Alive, a new British regen farming event at the end of November; the findings of three Nuffield Farming Scholars; the potential to integrate bast fibre production within organic farm systems; and the perils faced by earthworms when the land floods. ffinlo Costain speaks to: Professor Mark Hodson, from the…

There's an ever-bigger regen farming community at all scales of production - but there are also farmers who say that they've tried regen ag, but it hasn't worked and they've given up. Why are these farmers failing to deliver a regenerative transition on their farms and in their businesses? ffinlo Costain is joined by two regen farming experts, Tim …

The Farm Gate news channel is part of 8point9.com Today we're frontloading the programme with conversations about baselining, banking and funding the transition - we'll hear from Lee Reeves from Lloyds, Adam White from Barclays and Doug Wanstall who wants to bring integrity into carbon markets. Later, Andrew Whiteford will explain a little of the b…

Well, the summer's over, but for the last week in the southwest of England the sun's been shining while autumn's been gently easing itself into the air - and Newsweek is back with a full, ripe crop of six conversations. ffinlo Costain speaks to: Emma Toovey from the Environment Bank - 1'10'' Leona McDonald, the director of Golden Hooves - 9'12'' An…

ffinlo Costain speaks to Alpha Lo, the founder of the Climate Water Project, a series of podcasts and articles in which Alpha investigates how to restore the water web. Farm Gate is part of https://8point9.com/ To find out more about the Climate Water Project just visit https://climatewaterproject.substack.com/…

Forests are super important - they have enormous environmental, economic, cultural and amenity value as well as being sources of food and nutrition, medicines, habitats, fuel and, of course, building materials. In this programme, we discuss what timber can do - why forests are so important - how public support for commercial forestry could be impro…

* Pat Thomas from A Bigger Conversation - 1'00'' * Emily Bull from FAI Farms - 14'18'' * Professor Sebastian Dötterl from ECH Zurich - 31'08'' * Million Belay from IPES Food and the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa - 42'11'' * Vicki Hird from The Wildlife Trusts - 55'32'' * Alun Thomas from the Beacons Water Group - 1,05'23''…

In Britain, Labour has promised to "build 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament, with the biggest increase in social housing and affordable housebuilding in a generation." ffinlo Costain asks, can these homes be built in the time available - and just as importantly, can this level of house building be achieved in balance with nature a…

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) discuss Labour's landslide general election victory, and what it means for food, farming and nature. This is Phil's last WFTC, as he moves on to a new role in Northern Ireland. A BIG thank you for all his knowledge and expert conversation.…

In this week's programme we'll hear interviews with candidates from three of the parties standing across Britain in next week's UK general election - the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives and the Green Party. The Labour party were unable to make anyone available for a conversation. Julia Aglionby, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Penrith and S…

Phil Carson and ffinlo Costain discuss what's on offer in the Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green and Labour manifestos, in terms of food, farming and nature.

Peter Byck talks about his new documentary series, Roots so Deep - 0'40'' John Gilliland talks about the ARC Zero project - 13'56'' Tom Johnstone from the Usk Catchment Partnership talks about giving nature a voice - 27'17'' Sarah-Jane Laing from Scottish Land & Estates talks about Scottish land reform - 41'22'' Robert Hindle from Rural Solutions o…

We'll hear from Jerry Alford from the Soil Association, Beth Metson from the Soil Association Exchange - and Lauren Baker from the Global Alliance for the Future of Food will tell us that we need to respect farmer experience and indigenous knowledge as much as we do peer-reviewed science. I'll talk to Neil Nicholas from Coleg Sir Gar about slurry s…

Farming at its best - agroecological or regenerative farming - can deliver a broad range of positive environmental and social outcomes. But at its heart, farming is a business. To scale the positives we need to scale the business of regenerative and agroecological agriculture - and for that we need investment. Pelican Ag is a venture capital busine…

Six Inches of Soil is the hit UK film that traces the trials and tribulations of three young farmers who are each trying to work regeneratively with their land. Anna Jackson, farms an 800 acre mixed farm in Lincolnshire with her dad, Andrew - (0'50") Beef farmer Ben Thomas has 75 acres of field and agroforestry in Cornwall - (16'24") And Adrienne G…

What exactly do the Soil Association mean by a Worm Hunt, and why do they want us to dance for these wriggly ecosystem warriors? Can venture capital really help to scale the transition to regenerative agriculture? Why has deer management become such a divisive issue in Scotland? And the latest UK Peatland Code revision is now open for consultation.…

Do we seriously need to chop down more trees to address the climate crisis? What about food? Is it possible to make a living from a third of an acre of land? In a world struggling with antimicrobial resistance - what's the WHO doing downgrading a whole class of antibiotics? And what about my farm - regenerative agriculture - it's a great idea, but …

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) discuss the week’s land use news - including:Government must deliver promised flood support, says CLA “Slurry pollution as damaging as sewage” NFFN unveils UK general election manifesto Farmers demand Universal Basic Income Research finds ten times more pests in insectic…

Five interviews today - on topics ranging from the constant struggle for tenant farmers to dangers of slurry pollution. 1'08'' Martin Lines from the Nature Friendly Farming Network discusses the NFFN's general election manifesto, which includes a call for a fit-for-purpose farming budget 12'29'' Peter Powell from the Welsh Dee Trust talks about the…

Wheat from the Chaff: Wye chicken? Unlocking nature finance - And special guest: Rob Yorke Class-action-style claim takes on chicken giant, Avara Report focusses on unlocking finance for nature Updated carbon offsetting principles aim to combat greenwashing SPECIAL GUEST: Rob Yorke Welsh Government: New Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs confirmed…

Four conversations today - first, I'll meet David Wright, the Chief Executive of Ecometric, to find out about how exactly soil carbon is measured - then after that I'll talk to Chris D'Agorne from Life to Land about an analysis that shows that the non-native sycamore is now the UK's third most populous tree species. Later I'll discuss the benefits …

ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) and Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss the week's land use news - and meet special guest, Chris Smaje, author of "Saying NO to a farm-free future" This is a re-edit of the original podcast, which contained inaccuracies in the first section (soil carbon intro).NEWS ARTICLES DISCUSSED:New paradigm in so…

ffinlo Costain meets Judith D Schwartz - the author of Cows Save the Planet, Water in Plain Sight and The Reindeer Chronicles. Western civilisation has, for generations, sought to extract itself from its dependency on the natural world. Indigenous knowledge has been devalued and lost. And even now, as our monumental folly becomes clearer with each …

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) discuss the week's news - and are joined by special guest, farm business and succession adviser, Heather Wildman. News stories Phil and ffinlo discuss: Scottish Forestry rejects findings of Royal Society of Edinburgh tree report Non-native Sycamore is third most common B…

ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) and Phil Carson catch up on the week's land use news - and meet forestry expert, Andrew Heald. News items they discuss: Highland estate to generate biodiversity credits with SLR and RePlanet https://8point9.com/highland-estate-to-generate-biodiversity-credits-with-slr-and-replanet/ How will BNG affect the UK biodiversit…

Interviews with: Max Bodmer from RePlanet - 1'05'' Elina Body from Vet Sustain and The George Farm Vets - 14'45'' Dr Kelly Hemmings from RAU - 24'50'' Navaratnam Partheeban from IVC Evidensia Farm Vets - 30'50''

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) are joined by regenerative farming expert, Niels Corfield. Stories discussed: Fluke control & prevention, beyond testing & treatment River Action taking government to court over River Wye pollution First Milk announces acquisition of BV Dairy Cost of living crisis causin…

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) chew through the week's land news, and talk to special guest, Rachel Jones (Sustain), about local food. News topics discussed: Scotland: Yousaf to continue 70 per cent direct funding, dependent on greening https://8point9.com/scotland-yousaf-to-continue-70-per-cent-direc…

Four interviews today: Rowan Phillimore from The Gaia Foundation about the We Feed The UK arts project Pete Ritchie from Nourish Scotland about the country's progress towards being a Good Food Nation Jon Parker from the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission in Wales talking about Welsh farm policy And Ignas van Schaick, the co-producer of a new …

ffinlo and Phil talk through the week's land use news and are joined by special guest, Rhys Evans, from the Nature Friendly Farming Network, Wales. News stories discussed: High-tech aerial mapping reveals England’s hedgerow landscape Economists calculate multi-trillion dollar opportunity to fix global food system UK-Canada trade talks halted over s…

Regular hosts Phil Carson and ffinlo Costain are joined by Stephen Alexander from the Nature Friendly Farming Network in Norther Ireland. News we discuss: NFU and AHDB to commission independent review of farm assurance Scottish Government publishes long-awaited Good Food Nation plans Supermarkets accused of “acting like a cartel” Farmers aim to sav…

A bumper programme, with five interviews covering everything from natural capital markets available to farmers to the fact that climate change is happening faster than predicted in Scotland. We'll hear from the Food Ethics Council about their proposals for UK dairy, from the head of the RSPB's Fair to Nature, and from a farmer who's successfully in…

Breed is critical to any livestock operation and an active breeding programme helps farmers to develop their herd around particular beneficial traits. In the run up to the British Cattle Breeders Club conference this January, we've been taking an in-depth look at how the traits and characteristics needed for regenerative farming differ from mainstr…

This week Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) are joined by Rob Havard from Phepson Angus. Links to news stories discussed: Up to £25,000 for farmers affected by flooding Nuffield report investigates carbon farming and soil carbon markets A whole-sector approach needed to create resilience in UK dairy sect…

ffinlo Costain (8.9) and Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss the week's news - and welcome special guest, Clare Hill from Planton Farm. Links to topics discussed: First Milk farms revolutionising biodiversity and soil health assessmentChanges to Woodland Carbon Code threaten UK timber suppliesWoodland regeneration increases by 25%…

In Field, Fork, Fashion, Alice V Robinson takes readers on a journey into the afterlife of Bullock 374, to help people understand the origin story of leather and its intrinsic connection to food and farming. ffinlo Costain is joined by Alice V Robinson - and by Sara Grady - who, with Alice, recently established British Pasture Leather, which source…

ffinlo Costain (8.9) and Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss the week’s land use news. Tree equity map shows less affluent areas have lower tree cover Commoning and pastoralism central to Dartmoor land management British Sugar fails to deliver on 3 year plan to end use of banned neonicotinoids OF&G white paper highlights benefits …

Interviews with: Lesley Lambert from the Sustainable Food Trust - in advance of COP28 - talking about the opportunities Andrew Mahon from the Bromborough Estate Company on agroforestry Amy Bateman, the photographer behind Forty Farms - and coffee table book and now a farm trail photography exhibition Patrick Holden on COP28 - his reflections from t…

ffinlo Costain (8.9) and Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss the week's land use news. Clash of world views: Parliamentary push back against regen farming based on “outdated world view” Green Alliance: Failure to support farmers to cut carbon could cost £100 billion by 2050 Cost of poor food policy: Annual cost of UK obesity soars…

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) chew over the week’s news. News picks from our discussion: Upland farms worse off under current ELMs offer Farmers treating insects as “livestock” in trial to fight pests More research and innovation needed to make insect farming a success Virgin flies world’s first tran…

Interviews with: Nicole Pita from IPES Food (cities and regions leading the way on climate and food systems), Xander Mahony from Tilhill (learning to love Sitka), Jo White from Human Behaviour Change for Life (benefits of switching from a trade in live animals to a trade in meat), And Dominic Elsworth from Whistlebare farm (Britain's wool trade).…

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) chew over the week’s news. SHORT PICKS Adapting to climate change needs our "urgent, unswerving attention" says National Trust Cities and regions lead the way on real food and climate action Forestry leaders must improve public perception of Sitka LONGER CONVERSATIONS Bu…

Features interviews with: John Willis from Planet Tracker, Chris Uttley from Stroud District Council, And Tom Munro from Dorset National Landscape. More land news at 8point9.com

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) chew over the week's news. PHIL'S PICKS Higher consumption of UPFs increases the risk of cancer and long-term heart conditions https://8point9.com/higher-consumption-of-upfs-increases-the-risk-of-cancer-and-long-term-heart-conditions/ Investigating the “halo effect” of f…

Interviews with: Ruth Chambers from the Green Alliance. Patrick Holden from the Sustainable Food Trust. And Leonardo Gava from the Climate Bonds Initiative

Phil's choices UK must double fruit and veg production to divert from “bleak” future https://8point9.com/uk-must-double-fruit-and-veg-production-to-divert-from-bleak-future/ Genetic discovery promises high-iron vegetables and cereals https://8point9.com/genetic-discovery-promises-high-iron-vegetables-and-cereals/ Milestone reached in evidencing sus…

In 8.9 Newsweek: Interviews with Patty Fong from the Global Alliance for the Future of Food & Sara Grady from British Pasture Leather. And a discussion about Patty's new report, Power Shift -Why we need to wean industrial food systems off fossil fuels.

In Wheat from the Chaff (WFTC) ffinlo Costain (Editor-in-Chief of 8point9.com) and Phil Carson (UK Policy Lead for the Nature Friendly Farming Network) talk through the week's news on 8.9ha. SHOW LINKS - PHIL'S PICKS: Strength in diversity – mapping healthy microbiome relationships M&S Food donates one million meals in new partnership with FareShar…

In this week's programme we hear: INTERVIEW: With Dr Antje Ahrends from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh about ground-breaking research that shows that rubber is driving deforestation three times faster than previously thought. DISCUSSION: A new report has warned that demand for sustainable fabrics could exceed supply by 130m tonnes by 2030. To d…