05/02/21 - Tomato sensors, land-sharing, holistic grazing and Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

Tomato growers can lose some of their crop to Blossom End Rot and splitting - both caused by problems with water flow through the plant. Now, it's hoped tiny sensors attached to individual plants could be used to help growers keep their crops healthy. A farmer-led trial being run by ADAS and the Innovative Farmers project is using sensors that measure stem diameter and sap flow.

We hear from a farm in Wiltshire where cows, sheep, goats and pigs are grazed in a rotational system.

And the Welsh Government’s recent decision to introduce stricter rules for farmers to protect water from pollution isn’t proving all that popular with farmers. But a similar decision was made in Northern Ireland back in 2007, when the whole area was designated as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone. We hear from the Ulster Farmer's Union about what it has meant for the industry.

Presented by Charlotte Smith
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons