Farm Gate is a podcast about food, farming and food security across Europe and beyond, hosted and produced by ffinlo Costain. Episodes explore regenerative agriculture, agroecology, land use, natural capital and the politics of feeding a growing population. It examines how farming systems, policy and markets shape ecological and food security outcomes. The show is part of the 8point9.com farming news network.
Episodes
Place-based preparedness in practice
Place-based food economies are an opportunity to redesign food systems, from the bottom up, in ways that distribute profit and power more fairly throughout the value chain. They are also essential if we are to create a truly defensible nation with distributed resilience and communities that can thrive in spite of an attack on the centre. But what do place-based food economies look like - how do th
Food industry insiders speak out
ffinlo Costain and Martin Lines (Chief Executive, Nature Friendly Farming Network) are joined by Nisreen Shahin from Inside Track, an organisation that represents an anonymous group of senior executives from major UK producers, manufacturers and retailers, who say that boardroom short-termism is leaving the food system dangerously exposed to climate change, biodiversity loss and soil degradation.T
"Living adventurously" in the UK House of Lords
ffinlo Costain is joined by Baroness Julia Aglionby, the long-serving executive director of the Foundation for Common Land, as she takes her seat as a Liberal Democrat life peer.ffinlo asks Julia three questions: why was she chosen, how did the appointment happen, and what does she plan to do now that she’s there?
Is food sovereignty needed to face climate extremes?
As the impacts of climate change deepen, what will happen to food and farming systems in the UK and around the world? And do we need greater food independence and food sovereignty in the UK?Today, ffinlo Costain is joined by Kirsty Lewis, Applied Climate Science Fellow at the Met Office - by Vicki Hird, Strategic Lead on Agriculture at The Wildlife Trusts - by Honor Eldridge, Author of The Future
How to accelerate nature markets
For more than a decade, nature markets have promised wadges of new cash for farmers, promising them financial security as they work to bridge the regenerative transition and restore natural infrastructure. But while many land managers are ready to supply carbon or nature credits, the demand simply hasn't scaled, and the market that does exist is hard to navigate. So, where are we now, and what
Integrated Parasite Management threatened by end of lungworm vaccine
Huskvac - the UK’s only licensed lungworm vaccine - will be discontinued after 2027. The British Cattle Veterinary Association says that this announcement comes at precisely the wrong moment, when UK cattle farming is increasingly adopting Integrated Parasite Management, of which Huskvac is a cornerstone. ffinlo Costain is joined by Rob Howe from Farm Beneficials and Helen Rogers from Friars Moor
Mobilising capital for food and nature
UK governments spend around £4 billion a year on farming and nature, but we need a further £4-10 billion a year just to hit our nature and environment targets. Meanwhile, £11 trillion is managed by the UK's investment industry, and the gap is a rounding error by comparison. So how do we get more of that capital flowing into nature recovery and agroecological food and farming systems?ffinlo Cos
Bonfire of the (environmental) regulations?
ffinlo Costain (8point9) talks to Martin Lines (Nature Friendly Farming Network). Martin has been with the Conservatives in Birmingham, lobbying MPs and activists on behalf of food, farming and nature. The pair discuss:A more confident Conservative party?Plans to abolish Natural England and the Environment Agency"Fewer rules" versus environmental outcomesDo the Tories have a new policy o
Has the word 'regen' become toxic?
Has 'regen' become toxic - is it how we save the world, or just a niche type of farming that's been hijacked by corporate food businesses?To investigate, ffinlo Costain is joined by Baroness Minette Batters, Member of the House of Lords, farmer, former NFU president and author of Harvest: A farmer's story of heritage, home and hope - and by Clare Hill, a regen farmer and co-founder
Should food, farming and nature "Hope Again"?
ffinlo Costain (8point9) talks to Martin Lines (Nature Friendly Farming Network). Martin has spent three days (and nights) lobbying Labour MPs and activists on behalf of food, farming and nature. Find out the key themes and what was said behind the scenes.Labour's conference theme was "Hope Again". How does that mood music translate into action for food, farming and nature. Labour
'Nature doesn't do monocultures'
In this episode of Martin's Farm on the Farm Gate podcast, ffinlo Costain speaks to Martin Lines (Chief Exec, Nature Friendly Farming Network) and Holly Purdey (National Trust tenant at Horner Farm, Somerset, and NFFN England Vice Chair).They discuss:The debacle of England's Sustainable Farming IncentiveHow to embed resilience and adaptability into farm businessesWhat Martin found out at t
The Green Revolution has failed Africa
20 years ago, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) promised African governments a transformation: subsidise fertiliser, promote commercial seed, mechanise production and open the door to private investment, and yields would rise, farmers would prosper, and hunger would fall. AGRA's promise has now been tested against nearly 20 years of national data — and, according to a new re
Risks and reflections
ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) is joined by Tom Pycraft (Ark Events), Jimmy Woodrow (Pasture for Life), and Sue Pritchard (Food, Farming and Countryside Commission). They discuss food system risk and reflection on the discussion and outcomes from the UK's first Conference on Food & National Security.For the key takeaways from the conference - Click the link or scroll down (https://8point9.co
"Attack is less likely in a resilient homeland"
In central London, on September the 8th, Farm Gate and Ark Events will host the UK's first Conference on Food and National Security. The conference will uniquely deal with the subjects of food, nature and national security - because ecological and defence vulnerabilities, driven by our food system itself, go beyond simply food security and resilience.We will be discussing food security, resili
The shocks are bigger; our resilience is better
Martin Lines (Chief Executive, Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (Editor, 8point9) discuss how Britain's farms have coped under the duress of this summer's fifth heatwave, and what needs to change to make food production more heat and water resilient. They also talk about the UK's new Prime Minister and his announcement of a £65m boost to support farmers during the dr
What's next for Wakelyns?
Wakelyns is an inspirational organic farm in Suffolk; an oasis within a desert of conventional arable farming - it pioneered UK agroforestry and population grain - it runs courses, events and retreats. But Wakelyns is facing an uncertain future, for which community buyout offers a solution.ffinlo Costain is joined by, David Wolfe, Wakelyns' founder and co-owner. To find out more and to buy com
What next after no-till?
In the final week of our 10 More Days of Groundswell series, I talk to Ben Adams (Farmer, Adams Agriculture) and Mark Palmer (Director and farm advisor, Systems4Food Ltd).Cover crops and no-till have transformed regenerative arable in England. But the easy wins are largely banked, and a more honest conversation is starting: what does soil health really look like once you've ticked the obvious
Turning waste into fertility
In the final week of our 10 More Days of Groundswell series - I talk to Doug Wanstall (Director, Beyond Zero), Joshua Wade (Director SG Wade Ltd), and Lottie Hawkins (Founder, Earthly Biochar).This an impromptu in-the-field conversation.Circular farming is the regenerative idea that everything leaving the farm should come back as something useful. Farmers funded through Defra's ADOPT programme
The importance of seed sovereignty
10 More Days of Groundswell wasn't enough! This is the second of four summer bonus in-the-field episodes. With Holly Silvester, Future Resilience Seed Coordinator for the Seed Sovereignty Programme, and Katie Hastings, Wales Co-ordinator for the Seed Sovereignty Programme at the Gaia Foundation.
Comfort, shade & shelter
10 More Days of Groundswell wasn't enough! This is the first of four summer bonus in-the-field episodes. With James Robinson, Strickley Farm, Cumbria, and Dr. Lindsay K Whistance, Principal Researcher - Animal Husbandry, at the Organic Research Centre.
Six Inches of Farm Gate
ffinlo joins other regen farming and rural business podcasters for a chat about storytelling - the power of podcasts and communication - and some of the stories that are influencing farming today.I joined the host of the Six Inches of Soil podcast, Richard Tufton, alongside co-host Claire Mackenzie, for a conversation with Abby Rose from Farmerama, Clay Conry from Working Cows, and Ben Eagle from
Why outcomes matter for regen dairy
First Milk has released a 'white paper' for regenerative dairy. The report celebrates what the co-operative dairy has achieved so far, while making a strong case for Phase 2 of their regen dairy programme - moving from measuring inputs to assessing outcomes: actual soil carbon, actual numbers of birds and insects, actual river quality... To find out more, ffinlo Costain is joined by Lee Tr
Regen summer reading - 2026
Today we're lying down on our beach towels to tuck into a good summer read. ffinlo Costain is joined by three brilliant authors from the 5m and Unbreaking stables, to find out why their books should be stacked among the sea shells and read between the rock pools.Benedikt Bösel has written Food and Farm Revolution - he's is an agricultural economist and the founder of Gut&Bösel, a regen
How to prepare for an emergency
ffinlo Costain speaks to Professor Tim Lang about his report for the National Preparedness Commission - Just in Case: 7 steps to narrow the UK civil food resilience gap.Tim Lang is Emeritus Professor of Food Policy at City St George's, University of London. Over a long career he's served as a consultant to the World Health Organisation, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, and the
Day 10 - How to build fertility in veg systems
ffinlo Costain learns about fertility-building, rotations, and system design for vegetables from Andy Dibben (Abbey Home Farm), Christine Watson (SRUC), and David Newman (Bucksum Market Garden).
Day 9 - Farmer-led innovation: the engine behind regen
Farmer-led innovation, and the research that backs it up. Farm Gate’s ffinlo Costain is joined by Thomas Slattery (ADOPT Support Hub), Matt Smee (Agricology) and Katherine Lewis (Ag-Impact).They discuss what it takes to put farmers at the heart of on-farm trials - the role that agricultural research and good knowledge sharing play - and how all of it connects to regenerative farming and broader ag
Day 8 - Building landscape-scale resilience
What is resilience - and how can landscape-scale collaboration help to deliver it?ffinlo Costain meets Alex Robinson (Moor Wood Farm and Zora Ecosystems), Jenny Phelps (FWAG), and Alex Donnelly (Berks, Bucks, and Oxon Wildlife Trusts) to discuss the role of farm clusters in helping to restore nature's infrastructure.
Day 7 - Why should young people be flocking to farming?
We need a new generation of inspirational regen leaders, landscape transformers, communication stars, and R&D wizards. Farming professions test every part of the human being, and offer remarkable soul-enhancing rewards. So why are parents and schools still pushing young people toward AI-vulnerable careers in medicine and law, and into burning hot cities and suffocating wards and offices?ffinlo
Day 6 - How do I get hold of ADOPT funding?
I talk to ADOPT facilitators, Daniel Kindred (Agronomy Research Circle) and Harriet Scott (Raft Solutions), to find out how good ideas can become great on-farm research projectsThis is Day 6 of 10 More Days of Groundswell – a series of conversations, recorded in-the-field at Groundswell.
Day 5 - Are sheep the scourge of regen?
Day 5 of our 10 More Days of Groundswell series, which continues every day for 10 days.I talk to Hannah Thorogood (Inkpot Farm) and Jamie Jack (Pasture for Life, Scotland) about how sheep can be a fantastic ecological force for good.
Day 4 - Chewing the fat on farm policy
Day 4 of our 10 More Days of Groundswell series, which continues every day for 10 days.I meet Martin Lines (Nature Friendly Farming Network), Vicki Hird (Wildlife Trusts), Alice Groom (RSPB), and Joe Stanley (GWCT Allerton Project). I find out what they thought of the Secretary of State's address to the Groundswell Big Top audience - and what needs to happen next with English farm policy?
Day 3 - Dung beetles & prehistoric cowpats
Day 3 of our 10 More Days of Groundswell series, which continues every day for 10 days.I meet Sally-Ann Spence down in the Groundswell fields as we sift through cowpats and discuss the role of entomology in archeology.
Day 2 - Is agroforestry worth it?
Day 2 of our 10 More Days of Groundswell series, which continues every day for 10 days.This time:Sam Beaumont (Gowbarrow Hall Farm) and Helen Browning (Soil Association) discuss the benefits of agroforestry - both as a commercial venture and for on-farm resilience.
Day 1 - A New Centre for Dynamic Soils
This is the first of our impromptu in-the-field programmes, recorded at Groundswell 2026. 🪱 "We've got to tell the truth." That's the ethos behind of the new Centre for Dynamic Soils — a new farmer-led research venture co-founded by Andy Neal, Andy Gray and Mel Bradley MBE, backed by Yeo Valley Organic, Wildfarmed and Waitrose & Partners. 🎤 I spoke to the two Andys - We discuss s
Groundswell - Our essential Guide 2026
It's that time again - it's Groundswell, the key festival of the UK regenerative farming year - an event that's now been running for 10 glorious years. This is our essential guide to the festival's hot tickets.So who's with me? It's only bloomin' Alex Cherry, the Director of Groundswell and of Lannock Farm - and Sally-Ann Spence is here - an entomologist and farmer and
Farming Roadmap, Manchesterism, and the SPS deal
Martin Lines (Nature Friendly Farming Network), and ffinlo Costain (Farm Gate) discuss England's hot-off-the-press Farming Roadmap - what to make of Brexit 10-years on - what values Andy Burnham might bring to Number 10 - and the new UK/EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement.They are joined by Alex Gray, a farming and environment lecturer on the Brooksby campus of Loughborough College,
Which way now for chickens and pigs?
What could the future could look like for European pigs, egg laying hens, and broiler chickens?ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) is joined by Dr Jenny Yngvesson from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, by Dr Catherine Pfeifer, lead researcher in the FiBL Switzerland Agri-Food Systems Group, and by Dr Lizzie Rowe, a farmer and researcher, and the founder of Leaf and Feather, an eco egg comp
Is carbon tunnel vision obscuring climate solutions?
ffinlo Costain talks to Dr Frédéric Leroy (Vrije University, Brussels) and Dr Jason Rowntree (Michigan State University).Frédéric and Jason's new research paper argues that while livestock systems represent a considerable environmental challenge, anti-livestock and anti-meat perspectives over-simplify the issues, ignore regional variations, and rely on unbalanced carbon accounting. They argue
What's the future for ruminants?
What's the future of ruminant farm systems in Europe? What are the priorities for farmers, policy-makers and the public? Are they price, carbon emissions, carbon drawdown, animal welfare...? In this programme, we're looking at pathways for ruminant agriculture: cattle, sheep, and goats, producing meat and dairy products. ffinlo Costain is joined by Simon Moakes, a research fellow at Aberys
How to create place-based infrastructure
The creation of bustling, thriving regional economies is an enormous opportunity to create food system resilience - and to bring wealth and wellbeing to rural areas. To do this we need infrastructure - and we need the finance to support the rebuilding and the re-establishing of that infrastructure.A new report from the Place Finance Lab addresses these issues. ffinlo Costain is joined by the repor
Nature means business
ffinlo Costain is joined by Martin Lines (Chief Exec NFFN), Nic Renison from Renison's Farm, and by Jenna Hegarty, Head of Policy at Nature Friendly Farming Network.We find out what's happening at Papley Grove in June - we discuss farm business resilience in the face of climate change - Nic talks about her farm and what it's like living under the Helm Wind - and Jenna presents NFFN'
Pathways scenarios are plausible futures for the food system
This is the third of our programmes investigating Pathways - a 5-year EU Horizon 2020-funded research project that's been running since 2021.We discuss the scenarios work that provided the foundations for Pathways. These were designed as plausible future storylines for how European livestock systems might evolve under different economic, environmental, technological, and social conditions. In
"Mid-crisis is not the time to say, you guys can just cope."
Topical food and farming chat - with ffinlo Costain (editor, 8point9.com), Joe Stanley (author, writer and Head of Sustainable Farming at the GWCT Allerton Project), and new co-host, Nikki Yoxall (farmer and Technical Director, Pasture for life).We discuss fertiliser, regenerative farming, national security, agricultural resilience, the rural economy and food system research.
Pathways: Tools for food system transformation
This is the second of our programmes investigating the Pathways project - a 5-year EU Horizon 2020-funded research project that's been running since 2021. Today we’re looking at Pathways modelling, which addressed a range of important areas including the greenhouse gas emissions and nutritional value associated with livestock and individual food products, as well as farm animal welfare and biodive
Spongey landscapes, beavers and bluebells
In this episode of Martin's Farm, ffinlo Costain and Martin Lines (farmer and chief exec of the Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss water - and how nature and beavers work to keep it in the landscape.They're joined by guests, Ali Morse, the Water Policy Manager at The Wildlife Trusts, and Chris Jones from Woodland Valley Farm and the Cornwall Beaver Project.
Spongey landscapes, beavers & bluebells
ffinlo Costain and Martin Lines (farmer and chief exec of the Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss water - and how nature and beavers work to keep it in the landscape. They're joined by guests, Ali Morse, the Water Policy Manager at The Wildlife Trusts, and Chris Jones from Woodland Valley Farm and the Cornwall Beaver Project.
"Lungworm larvae can surf on fungal spores"
We're discussing the parasite burden in cattle: the life-cycle of lungworm and gutworm - how to manage your land and your herd to reduce the parasite risk - the role of vaccination - and how to work with your vet to avoid costly medical interventions.ffinlo Costain is joined by two Somerset farmers: Catherine Pickford from Alford Fields Farm and Lydia Partridge who manages the young stock at D
Pathways helps to balance livestock system trade-offs
A 5-year EU Horizon 2020-funded research project - Pathways - has been running since 2021. It aims to reduce environmental impacts while addressing societal demands for safe, nutritious and affordable meat and dairy products. Over the next two or three months we'll investigate the project and its outcomes across six episodes, and meet some of the academics leading the research.In this programm
'It'll never work on my farm'
'Regenerative agriculture...? It'll never work on my farm!' The truth is - it will work - and most successful regen farmers have gone through the tunnel of doubt only to emerge happier, more resilient and more profitable than before.In this programme we'll find out how two farmers have made regen work for them - and we'll discuss the challenge of regenerative cereals... is no-t
'Soil carbon is how dairy gets to net zero'
The early results from one of the largest soil carbon measurement programmes in UK dairy show measurable increases in soil carbon stocks on farms adopting regenerative practices.British farmer-owned dairy co-operative, First Milk, working with soil carbon measurement specialist, Agricarbon, has undertaken interim re-sampling on three member farms nearly four years after establishing a large-scale
'What's good for the land, is good for us'
ffinlo Costain meets David R Montgomery, the author of Dirt: The Erosion of Civilisations. In a warm conversation, they discuss worms, the plough, soil bank accounts, regenerative farming, human nutrition and much more. ffinlo also finds out why human health improved in the UK during the Second World War. Montgomery is also co-author (with Anne Biklé) of What Your Food Ate and The Hidden Half of N
'Soil fertility is a defence issue'
In this episode of Farm Gate Leaders, ffinlo Costain speaks to Lieutenant General Richard Nugee.Nugee is a retired British Army officer who served in senior roles, including Chief of Defence People. He's also a Soil Star - a member of a group of scientists and experts, each a pioneer in their respective field, who share a commitment to soil as a lever to deliver action on climate change.
'Out of the bum, not the bag'
ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) and Martin Lines (Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss what's happening on Papley Grove farm in the coming month of April. They also turn their attention to English farm policy - and then to the Welsh and Scottish Government elections, coming this May. ffinlo and Martin are joined by Rhys Evans (NFFN Cymru) and Nim Kibbler (NFFN Scotland).
Reducing the threat of pest and disease migration
New pests and diseases are threatening UK livestock, crops and forests. They're coming to the UK in the wind, with birds, on people and in imported soils. Why are these pests and diseases migrating? Can we prevent them from coming? And what do we need to do to mitigate the risks?ffinlo Costain is joined by Catherine Harries, Senior Crop Protection Scientist at AHDB - by Kate Palmer, the Techni
How regen washes methane from the sky
Cattle in regenerative farm systems deliver remarkable ecological value at the same time as producing food and fibre. In this programme, we focus on methane and hydroxyl radicals - the highly reactive molecules that wash methane out of the sky, dismantling it back into its constituent parts of carbon and hydrogen.We talk about where hydroxyl radicals come from, and why, in well-hydrated regenerati
The New Land Use Framework for England explained
The government has published England’s first ever Land Use Framework. What does it all mean?ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) is joined by Sue Pritchard (Food, Farming and Countryside Commission) and by Phil Stocker (Chief Executive of the National Sheep Association and Chair of the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group).
Will my farm be here in 20 years?
Which of our farms will exist in 20 years? Can they survive a breakdown in global supply chains? Do we need to change our stocking rates, our breeds, cropping and soil health? These are not academic questions - they're real, immediate and practical - and to discuss them ffinlo Costain is joined by a fantastic panel of southwest farmers and rural professionals.Helen Rogers is a farmer, a vet an
'I won't read that to the kids at bedtime'
'Well, I'm not going to read that to the kids at bedtime' - ffinlo Costain (Farm Gate/8point9) and Joe Stanley (GWCT Allerton Project) discuss rock 'n' roll science, the profound effects of pesticides on soil, the new Sustainable Farming Incentive for England, the intelligence chiefs' biodiversity assessment - and Joe asks, 'Is ffinlo a spy...?'More food, farming an
"Being a prison officer really changed me."
Farm Gate Leaders: Nikki Yoxall, Regenerative farmerNikki Yoxall, a regen farmer based in the north-east of Scotland, embodies the UK regen farming movement - young, passionate, outspoken, media-savvy, first generation into farming, focussed on the ecological impact of her system just as strongly as she is on her cattle management and the food that she's producing.In this programme, ffinlo Cos
How do regen monitoring systems compare?
A new report, the RegenCompass Version 1.0, developed by EARA (Euro Alliance for Regen Agriculture), offers the first comprehensive, farmer-led evaluation of the systems designed to identify and distinguish genuine regeneration while remaining accessible and valuable to the farmers doing the work. The report evaluated 29 monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) systems.ffinlo Costain joined by
'Regen is a chance to reset farm economics'
At its heart, regenerative agriculture is an opportunity to reset a farm's relationship with both nature and economics. Most farmers who take the time to re-think their system, to reduce their use of expensive inputs, to mix livestock and crop production into long rotations, and to maximise the efficacy of free natural resources (such as sunlight and water), find that they are more economicall
How to reduce farm antibiotic use
Antibiotics are critical medicines for humans and livestock - but profligate use has led to rapidly increasing resistance, which is a threat for animal and human health. How then do we replace, reduce and refine the use of antibiotics in farm settings? And what are the opportunities for livestock producers?ffinlo Costain is joined two southwest dairy farmers - Sophie Alexander from Hemsworth Farm,
How Brazil beat hunger
Brazil has lifted 40 million people out of food insecurity in just two years. This historic achievement was driven by political choices that put family farmers and food access first. ffinlo Costain is joined by Elisabetta Recine, the President of the Brazilian National Food and Nutrition Security Council - and by Raj Patel, a professor of food systems from the University of Texas.
'Insects are a powerful tool for food production'
Integrated pest management is about establishing a farm as a connected ecosystem. To investigate the subject ffinlo Costain is joined by horticulturalist, Andy Dibben, the head grower at Abbey Home Farm near Cirencester - by Patrick Barker an arable farmer from Lodge Farm near Westhorpe in Suffolk - and by Angus Walton, a livestock producer from Peelham Farm in the Scottish Borders.
'You can't live off nature's capital forever'
Martin's Farm: February. ffinlo Costain finds out about integrated pest management and a hedge-laying competition run by Martin Lines at Papley Grove. Martin and ffinlo are also joined by Peter Craven, head of agriculture at Natural England, who’s talks through Natural England's new strategy and what it means for farmers and food production. ffinlo Costain is the editor of 8point9.com and producer
'Why are you buying all that crap? That's dumb!'
Dr. Jonathan G Lundgren is an agroecologist, the founder and director of the Ecdysis Foundation, and Chief Executive of Blue Dasher Farm. He's the author of 107 peer-reviewed journal articles, he received the Presidential Early Career Award for Science and Engineering at the White House, and served as an advisor for regulatory agencies on pesticide and GM crop risk assessments. On GM, Lundgren say
Why should Trump's grab for Greenland matter to farmers?
In this month's Wheat from the Chaff, ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) and Joe Stanley (GWCT Allerton Project) discuss:Venezuela, Greenland and world securityMinette Batters' Farm Profitability ReviewSustainable Farming Incentive back in JuneInheritance tax climb downRFK's call to 'Eat real food'Farmers back nature-friendly farmingFarm Gate is the world's highest ranking food security podcast, and we'
How can dairy farming be both high yielding and regenerative?
Stuart Rogers has found the sweet spot - by focussing on herd health and the overall health of his system, Rogers' dairy herd at Longmoor Farm in Dorset is both high yielding and regenerative. Listen now to find out how he does it.This is the latest in our Farm Gate Leaders series in which ffinlo Costain meets remarkable regen food and farming innovators.Farm Gate is part of 8point9.com, the l
Martin's Farm: January 2026
ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) talks to Martin Lines (Nature Friendly Farming Network) to find out what's happening this January at Papley Grove farm.The pair also meet Alice Groom (RSPB) and Vicki Hird (The Wildlife Trusts) to review what's happened in food, farming and nature policy in 2025 - and to peer into the crystal ball for 2026.
Wheat from the Chaff: Christmas, climate and soil
ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) and Joe Stanley (GWCT Allerton Project) meet for Farm Gate’s monthly news discussion programme.This time:Christmas round-upSuccession planning, IHT and SFICOP30 and food systemsBacksliding on environmental policySoil carbonFinding lights in a dark age
Derek vs Derek
What's it like living next door to Britain's most notorious rewilder? The new movie, Derek vs Derek investigates.In this programme ffinlo Costain meets the two Dereks - rewilder, Derek Gow, and dairy farmer, Derek Banbury - alongside the film's director James Dawson.#derekvsderek
Martin's Farm - December
What’s happening this December on Papley Grove Farm, St Neots? ffinlo Costain talks to Martin Lines from the Nature Friendly Farming Network – and meets Michael Meharg, who farms near Dundrod in Northern Ireland. Michael is a past chair of the NFFN in Northern Ireland.The trio discuss farming's contribution to Christmas, Irish Moiled cattle, the ecological crisis in Lough Neagh (the largest fr
What's a regenerative vet?
The farm vet is critical for farmers navigating the transition to food and ecological security. In this programme we find out what that means in practice. How is the veterinary profession changing? Can a business model built on meds and emergency care pivot to preventative health and farm system advice? ffinlo Costain is joined by The Regenerative Vet, Claire Whittle - by Lee-Anne Oliver from Rumi
Finding lights in a dark age, with Chris Smaje
ffinlo Costain talks to author Chris Smaje, whose new book, Findings Lights in a Dark Age, is the perfect Christmas gift for anyone with a vested interest in the future of humanity.Now is the time, says Smaje, for local communities - not multinational corporations or centralised government - to reorganise economy, land, energy and food production, so that the light at the end of the tunnel is lit,
Natural capital for Scottish farmers
We focus on natural capital opportunities for farmers in Scotland. How can farmers and other land owners get support and earn an income by improving nature and selling natural capital outcomes.ffinlo Costain is joined by Bruce Wilson, Head of Policy and Advocacy at Scottish Wildlife Trust - by David Robertson, Director of Investment and Business Development at Scottish Woodlands Limited - and by J
Helm and Holden: The future of British farming
Professor Sir Dieter Helm's recent paper - The future of British farming - has received applause and consternation on social media. For Helm, British farming stands on the brink of its most profound transformation "since the coming of tractors and fertilisers" - but the vision he sets out is disturbing. The paper describes the technical and financial forces shaping modern agriculture
Wheat from the Chaff: War-scale transformation needed
ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) and Joe Stanley (GWCT Allerton Project) meet for Farm Gate's monthly discussion programme. This time:They discuss:Radical war-scale transformation needed in UK food systemHow food security depends on geopoliticsProf. Sir Dieter Helm's new paper: The Future of British FarmingLloyds report aims to help farmers reduce climate and nature risks"Extreme weather
Martin's Farm - November
What's happening on Papley Grove Farm this November? ffinlo Costain talks to Martin Lines from the Nature Friendly Farming Network - and meets Ifan Davies, who farms with his daughter at Carreg-y-Bîg in Wales, to talk about the pressures of social media and the Welsh Sustainable Farming Incentive.More land use news at 8point9.com
Financing the future of regen dairy
What's the business model for regenerative dairy? What sort of financial models are required to help deliver regeneration through the dairy value chain.This conversation is based on a panel at Land Alive at The Dairy Show at the Bath & West Showground.ffinlo Costain is joined by:Nick Hindle, First Milk's Communications DirectorTamara Giltsoff, Senior Associate at the Soil Association E
Farm Gate video shorts: Stuart Rogers, Carbon Farmer of the Year
Stuart Rogers is a high yielding milk producer delivering regenerative outcomes on his 471 acre farm. He's also the Farm Carbon Toolkit's Carbon Farmer of the Year 2025. Stuart's pasture management and agroforestry create healthy, biodiverse, carbon-rich soils - and his cattle produce high quality milk and excellent ecological outcomes.We will be recording a Farm Gate Leaders episode with Stuart i
