Meet the Farmers
Meet the Farmers
Ben Eagle, RuralPod Media
Meet the Farmers profiles farmers and gives you an insight into food and farming and the people behind it. Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate covers farming news, current affairs and discussion on the big issues that matter for rural people in Britain and across the world.
EMERGENCY EPISODE - Farmers React to the UK Autumn Budget
In this emergency Meet the Farmers episode recorded straight after the budget, Ally Hunter Blair, Sophie Gregory and Ben Briggs analyse the UK government's Autumn Budget from a farming and rural perspective.
Oct 28
27 min
BIG DEBATE BONUS: Biodiversity Net Gain and Natural Capital: What do Farmers Need to Know?
A Big Debate Bonus episode with Birketts. A practical conversation explaining how biodiversity net gain and natural capital agreements work, what long-term legal and financial commitments they can create, and what farmers, landowners, and tenants should consider before committing land.
Oct 16
24 min
Reviewing the farming (and podcast) year - BIG DEBATE EP24
In the final episode of series one of The Big Debate Ally, Sophie, and producer Ben look back on a year of farming discussions, reflecting on the industry’s challenges, what they’ve learned, and what could bring resilience and optimism for the future.
Oct 12
41 min
Farming Under Pressure: SFI Closes in 6 Hours (Big Debate ep23)
Sophie Gregory and Ally Hunter Blair discuss the fast-closing SFI application window, UK potato crop losses, and new investment in Scotland’s beef sector, alongside updates from their own farms. They also explore how farming films can shape public understanding of agriculture.
Sep 25
51 min
After the Drought: What Needs to Change on UK Farms? [Big Debate ep22]
The rain has returned, but after two incredibly challenging summers, can farming afford to simply move on? Ally and Sophie discuss this and more in this week's Big Debate episode.
Sep 11
44 min
Reasons to Be Confident About the Future of Farming
Big Debate hosts Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory are joined by Virgin Money's UK Head of Agriculture Brian Richardson and Head of Agriculture in Scotland Stephen Buchan to take a broad look at UK agriculture over the past few months.
Sep 4
33 min
What Would You Do With £1 Million on Your Farm? Big Debate ep21.
If someone handed you £1 million to invest in your farm, what would you spend it on? That's the question Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory tackle in this week's Big Debate. From buying land and securing the future of the business to investing in water storage and diversification, they explore whether £1 million is really enough to transform a modern farm – and whether they're investing for themselves or the next generation.
Aug 28
38 min
The Reality of Farming in Britain's Drought. Big Debate ep20
Join Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory for the first-ever in-person episode of The Big Debate. They discuss the UK's worsening drought, the spread of bluetongue, harvest pressures, life on their own farms, and the challenge of juggling farming with family life during the school holidays. They also explore how British farms are adapting through diversification and changing farming practices as the climate continues to shift.
Aug 14
51 min
Ben shares some news
Ben will be away for a little while and shares some news in this short update.
Aug 10
1 min
EMERGENCY EPISODE - Wild Fires, Grazing, Rewilding and the Conversation We're Not Having Enough
For this emergency episode Ben is joined by a panel to discuss wild fires and how land management can help
Aug 3
46 min
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