21/02/2026 Farming Today This Week: farm vets, sheep shearer visas, 25 years since Foot and... скачать в хорошем качестве

21/02/2026 Farming Today This Week: farm vets, sheep shearer visas, 25 years since Foot and...

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak, which caused devastation to thousands of farms across the country. Around 6.5 million animals were culled, with a cost to the UK economy of £8 billion. Charlotte Smith meets a farmer whose animals were destroyed in the outbreak, and speaks to UK Chief Vet Christine Middlemiss about the risk of another outbreak - and whether the response would be different. The issue of biosecurity at our ports has been in the spotlight in recent months. Dover Port Health Authority announced its highest ever monthly total of seizures of illegal meat - finding 34 tonnes of it in January. We hear from chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee Alistair Carmichael MP, who gives us his reaction to the latest figures. Sheep shearing is an international business, with skilled shearers travelling the world to work across different countries. Many shearers who come to the UK are from Australia and New Zealand and have previously been allowed entry into the country each year via a special concession for highly skilled workers. This year, the UK Home Office has decided not to give this special temporary access. The National Association of Agricultural Contractors say these shearers are essential to the farming industry, and are warning that sheep welfare may be compromised without them. Farm vets are vital to any livestock business, but there's a shortage of vets wanting to work on farms. We join a cattle vet on a visit to a Wiltshire farm to hear about her role and Charlotte speaks to BVA president Rob Williams, who explains some of the reasons behind the shortage. Farming Today This Week was presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Jo Peacey. A BBC Audio Bristol production. Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/3178766... #FarmingToday #farming #farming best