02/03/24 Welsh farmers' protest; UK rivers' health

Thousands of discontented farmers gathered outside the seat of the Welsh Government, the Senedd, in Cardiff Bay, this week in what was probably the biggest farmer protest seen in the UK in recent years. They’re unhappy about various aspects of agricultural policy including the new Welsh Sustainable Farming Scheme, which is heading into its final week of consultation. The scheme is to replace the system of subsidies that operated under the EU’s common agricultural policy, and to claim it farmers need 10% of their land under tree cover and a further 10% used for wildlife habitat. Farmers say it's unworkable, but conservationists say it'll protect farming as well as nature.
We also look at the state of British Rivers. It coincides with the publication of the Rivers Trust's annual report, which shows that no single stretch of river in England or Northern Ireland is in good overall health. We hear about projects by charities and farmers that are aiming to improve the situation. Presented by Caz Graham