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29/05/20 - Drought, agricultural show cancellations, Solar park and goat meat
Farmers across the country are concerned about the impact of weeks of hot, dry, windy weather on crops, which were already running behind because of the wet winter and spring.
Farmers, water companies and government will meet next week to discuss the weather. The National Drought Group is coming together after one of the driest Mays on record. But the weeks of hot, dry weather have come after an unusually wet winter and spring and farmers across the country are worried it's a double whammy for their crops.
Agricultural Shows across the country have been cancelled or postponed because of the coronavirus, and for some it could take years to recover from the financial hit. The Royal Welsh Agricultural Show - the biggest in Europe - has lost around 拢1.2 million pound and there are fears some smaller shows will never recover.
The UK鈥檚 largest solar park has been given the go ahead. As we discussed on Farming Today earlier this week Cleve Hill Solar Park on the North Kent coast will cover 450 acres with solar panels. It has the potential to produce enough electricity to power up to 91,000 homes. The plans had been criticised by conservation groups but have been approved by the secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy.
And all week we鈥檝e been looking at a small but growing part of British agriculture: goat farming. Today we hear from a Cheshire farmer who buys either retired milking goats or unwanted billy goat kids from other farms, and raises them for meat which is sold mainly to African, Indian and Caribbean communities.
Presented by Charlotte Smith
Produced by Heather Simons
Last on
Broadcast
- Fri 29 May 2020 05:45成人快手 Radio 4
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Farming Today
The latest news about food, farming and the countryside