03/08/2011

Sarah Swadling hears how this year's drought and last December's cold snap will affect the harvest. Predictions are for this to be the best year ever for oil seed rape, but winter barley isn't looking for good for the parts of the country that suffered from drought.

The Farming Today team are in Lincolnshire to help bring in the harvest on Mark Ireland's farm. Yields are expected to be down by as much as 50% on some of their crops because of the drought - but now they are concentrating on bringing in as much of the harvest before rain comes.

The flea potato beetle is in danger of entering the UK and causing havoc to farms, gardens and allotments. Richard McIntosh from the Food and Environment Research Agency estimates that it could cause £40 million of damage each year.

And there is still time to send in nominations for the Food and Farming Awards 2011 through the website www.bbc.co.uk/foodawards

Presented by Sarah Swadling. Produced by Emma Weatherill.