Bird Flu Consortium launched

The Government has launched a consortium of scientists and researchers to tackle the biggest ever outbreak of bird flu. There have already been more than 100 cases - leading to strict restrictions on poultry earlier this year. It's also now killing some sea birds. The task force aims to find out why this outbreak is so bad, and what can be done to contain it in future. However a recent government report found out that the main lab used by teams to tackle these outbreaks is itself run down, with some facilities described as 'not fit for purpose'.
How do you keep cattle in a field? It may seem an obvious question but the obvious answer – a fence or hedge - is no longer the only one. GPS electric collars keep cattle in the defined area by delivering a small electric shock – less than an electric fence - if the animals stray too close to the digital boundary. The collar also emits a high-pitched tone until they back away. These ‘invisible borders’ are set by farmers using a phone app. We meet a farmer trialling this teach, and hoping it will lead to a much larger regional grazing project.
This week we're also talking about legumes - plants which produce a pod with seeds inside, so anything from peanuts to beans and peas. Today we hear from a farmer growing fava beans in Yorkshire.