09/12/20 Fishing and its role in Brexit, rules for farming on SSSIs, oil seed rape companion crops

Farming Today

• Episode: 09/12/20 Fishing and its role in Brexit, rules for farming on SSSIs, oil seed rape companion crops
• Website: Farming Today
• Feed URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qj8q/episodes/downloads.rss
• Duration: 00:13:38
• Published: 2020-12-09 07:00

As Brexit talks reach a crucial stage, one of the key sticking points has been fishing rights, even though the sector makes a tiny contribution to the UK's national income. We ask why fishing has become something of an emotional issue. An investigation by the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Forestry Commission is continuing into works carried out on the River Lugg in Herefordshire, where a river bank was cleared completely of vegetation by the landowner. The River Lugg is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and we examine the rules protecting such areas. Oil seed rape is the bright yellow crop which produces oil for cooking, and industrial use. Since neonicotinoid pesticides were banned in 2018, farmers have been struggling to grow it and planting is at a 30 year low. But some have soldiered on, and are using companion crops planted among the rape, to help fights pests. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.