Farmers Weekly Podcast Episode 12: Online machinery sales take off

In this week’s podcast, – one million people have now signed an NFU petition calling on the government to ensure all imported food meets UK standards.

Farm leader Minette Batters explains how they NFU is determined that UK farmers will not be undermined by substandard food imports.

Re-thinking arable rotations – we examine why more growers are ditching traditional break crops in favour of a two-year sown legume fallow.

We speak to Suffolk farmer Tom Jewers, seed specialist Ian Gould of Oakbank, Strutt & Parker farm consultant George Badger and Natural England agronomist Richard Whiting.

See also: Pros and cons of alternative breakcrops to OSR

We have our usual market round-up – including a look at farmland with rural specialist Andrew Shirley of land agents Knight Frank.

We preview what promises to be one of the country’s biggest farm machinery dispersal sales – with tractors and implements from across 30,000 acres.

Auctioneers James Durrant of Clarke & Simpson, Bill Pepper of Cheffins and Harvey Pile of Stags say online sales of machinery have really taken off.

In livestock, MPs and peers say small abattoirs should be recognised and eligible for capital payments in any future agricultural support framework.

Patrick Holden, of the Sustainable Food Trust, explains why smaller slaughterhouses have a vital role in the rural economy.

East Sussex farmer Frank Langrish and Derbyshire organic producer Nick Adams give their take on the future for the local meat sector.

And in a special interview, Kenyan-born pig producer Flavian Obiero, who arrived in the UK as a teenager, says it is time to call out casual racism in farming.

This episode co-hosted by Farmers Weekly chief reporter Johann Tasker and Surrey farmer Hugh Broom, with Farmers Weekly senior machinery reporter Edd Mowbray.