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BVD, Space for Nature project and Pillar 2 funding, Drought

With large parts of the country being affected by very low rainfall, Anna Hill meets a farmer struggling to break-up the ground. Charlotte Smith presents.

Garry Mitchell from the National Farmer's Union of Scotland explains why he thinks farms that are affected by Bovine Viral Diarrhea should be named and shamed.

Pillar 2 funding is money from the common agricultural policy put towards rural development or the environment - Emily Hughes meets the people behind the Marlborough Downs Space for Nature Project, which has used Pillar 2 money to form a collaborative, landscape scale conservation project covering over 10, 000 hectares between Swindon, Marlborough and Avebury. Richard Winspear from the RSPB explains how Pillar 2 money has transformed their Hope Farm, but says that the scheme is far from perfect.

With large parts of the country being affected by very low rainfall, Anna Hill visits Ed Ford on his farm near Basildon in Essex who demonstrates how digging into the ground at the moment is more like hitting a brick wall, than weeding a field of beans.

Presenter: Charlotte Smith
Producer: Toby Field.

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13 minutes