Best Arable Podcasts (2025)

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371 Benedikt Boesel - Fully integrating 300 cows into a 1000-hectare arable very sandy farm 1:10:44

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7d ago1:10:44

1:10:44

It just doesn’t happen very often we record in a field surrounded by cows just after a cow gave birth to a calf. There is not more fitting place to explore the super complex role of animals in the food and agriculture space than walking the landing- and standing amongst the cows- with Benedikt Boesel, founder and farmer at Gut&Bosël, in Alt Madlitz…

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Hugh Ritchie | Leadership, innovating in arable – and Nuffield 14:12

15d ago14:12

14:12

In this podcast, Hugh Ritchie, 2000 Nuffield Scholar and Hawke’s Bay farmer, shares his leadership journey and insights with Farmers Weekly managing editor Bryan Gibson. Hugh discusses growing Drumpeel Farms into a diverse 2000-hectare operation, the impact of his Nuffield experience on his personal growth, and on irrigation and strip tillage and t…

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372 Anand Ethirajalu - Harvesting the clouds: how to transition over 10.000 farmers a year, reducing input costs and increasing profits 1:22:09

5h ago1:22:09

1:22:09

A conversation with Anand Ethirajalu, farmer-turned-ecologist and project director for the Save Soil movement. We don’t talk about it much, but we should: a remarkable transition has been unfolding on the Indian subcontinent over the past few decades. Hundreds of thousands- if not millions- of farmers have been trained in regenerative practicesand …

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Rooted in Nutrition: Soil Health and Smarter Inputs 20:00

8d ago20:00

20:00

Today we’re joined by Agrii’s Tom Perrott, Fertiliser and Crop Inputs Specialist, and Dave Thompson, Farm Manager at Eastbury Estates in Dorset. In this episode, we explore soil health, crop nutrition and how ‘stacking the benefits’ – using alternative sources of nutrition to better support the crop – can, with an innovative approach, strengthen th…

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Wheat That Works: Hexton and the Value of Variety Investment 20:00

8d ago20:00

20:00

Today we’re joined by Agrii’s Technical Manager, John Miles, David Schafer, Wheat Breeder at RAGT, and Hugh Harley, BIPO representative. As farmers and agronomists weigh up wheat variety choices for the season ahead, we’ll explore Hexton – a new wheat variety – its potential fit for your farm, and how an existing seed royalty scheme could benefit y…

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Red Tractor must avoid 'fudged' reform, bluetongue restriction havoc in Wales, Scottish beef at the Royal Highland Show, Farming Rules for Water, and more on skylarks at Cereals 42:11

10d ago42:11

42:11

In this episode, a former NFU combinable crops chairman sats the pace of change at Red Tractor is too slow to win back farmers' confidence. Cross-border bluetongue restrictions on livestock brought from England into Wales threaten to cause havoc, say farm leaders. We've the latest on muck spreading and Defra's Farming Rules For Water. And we visit …

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'Crop It Like It's Hot' LIVE from Cereals 28:03

12d ago28:03

28:03

In our exciting re-launch episode, we chat with Hutchinson's head of environmental services, Georgina Whalley, who gives us an update on the recently scrapped Sustainable Farming Incentive funding and an insight into the latest spending budget. We then head to NIAB's soil hole, where chief executive, Prof Mario Caccamo, discusses the importance of …

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370 Thomas Hogenhaven – The €22M regen fund that said no to €7M 1:12:52

14d ago1:12:52

1:12:52

After three years, Thomas Hogenhaven, founder and managing partner of Planetary Impact Ventures, is back on the podcast. Thomas and his team just turned down a $7 million investment in their fund. That’s right—said no to $7 million. And this wasn’t some shady source of capital either. This was a serious, institutional investor, fully compliant with…

1
Roundtable with three Nuffield Farming Scholars 57:50

15d ago57:50

57:50

The Nuffield Farming Scholarship offers financial support for sustainable farming practices and involves a two-year commitment. Three arable-focused scholars, Jamie, Sam, and Tom, were interviewed in a podcast, where they discussed their projects and the application process. The scholarship provides a travel bursary for research, access to a valuab…

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Verdict on government spending review, outrage at imported supermarket beef, bumper Cereals event, & top accolade for 21-year-old oat variety 42:21

19d ago42:21

42:21

In this episode, UK farm leaders voice dismay after three major British supermarkets start selling beef from Australia, Uruguay and New Zealand. Is the government's spending review really better than expected when it comes to farming and the environment? We discuss the implications of departmental cuts at Defra – and the impact for growers and live…

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369 Ichsani Wheeler - We need more large animals in our landscapes 1:21:35

21d ago1:21:35

1:21:35

Ichsani Wheeler, co-founder of OpenGeoHub and Envirometrix, challenges dominant assumptions in land use and agricultural design, making the case for more large animals in our landscapes—not fewer. She explains why understanding the maximum ecological carrying capacity of agro-ecological systems is essential for restoring function, productivity, and…

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Spending review - likely impact on farming, Cereals event preview, and getting the message across on Open Farm Sunday 43:06

25d ago43:06

43:06

In this episode, we look at the likely impact of the government's spending review on UK farming and the environment. We have a sneak preview of this month’s Cereals event – and why reducing carbon emissions isn't as easy as people might think. And why it is so important to get the farming message across on Open Farm Sunday. This episode of the Farm…

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368 Béla Hatvany - Born in 1938, now thinking AI, enoughness, precision fermentation and building a care economy 59:44

28d ago59:44

59:44

A conversation with Béla Hatvany, pioneering entrepreneur in the automation of libraries and the information industry, born in 1938, turned into angel investor and philanthropist, on his journey, what’s enough, the role of AI and EI (empathetic intelligence), and the potential of precision fermentation. Growing up during WWII with bombs literally b…

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The Malting Barley Blueprint: Aligning Breeding, Farming and Market Needs 20:00

30d ago20:00

20:00

The malting barley blueprint, aligning breeding, farming and market needs: big questions and vital for the malting barley industry. To help answer those questions, we have David Griggs, technical director from Crisp Malt, Charlie Catto, agronomist with Agrii and Paul Bury, barley breeder from Secobra Research. We are at the perfect location to ask …

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Keep the Faith in OSR 30:00

30d ago30:00

30:00

Today we are joined by Agrii's David Leaper, seed technical specialist, and Sarah Hawthorne, head of arable products for DSV in the UK. With the area of OSR being grown down this year, crops currently in the ground are looking very good. We are going to reexamine how to get the best out of this crop. What are the latest seed breeding developments a…

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Farmers quit UK to farm in France, nature-friendly farm support concerns, North Sheep, Red Tractor latest, yellow rust gene failure confirmed, & Madam Tussauds celebrates national sausage roll day 42:25

1M ago42:25

42:25

In this episode, a UK farming couple quit the UK to go farming in France, saying they feel more valued by the French government. Defra declines to comment on reports that the government's Spending Review will slash the budget for nature friendly farming. We've the latest on high-profile movers and shakers in the farming sector, as Assured Food Stan…

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367 Anthony James - Learning from the legends how to become a positive keystone species 1:27:39

1M ago1:27:39

1:27:39

A conversation with Anthony James, host of The RegenNarration podcast, a Prime Ministerial award winner for service to the international community and Honorary Research Fellow at UWA. He has had many legends at his microphone and joins us to share what he’s learned, what he sees, and what he thinks is coming next in regenerative food and agricultur…

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Janet Hughes 'hard act to follow at Defra', new AHDB chair, Green Farm Collective, regenerative wheat & wool, UK-EU veterinary deal, & beef under the climate cosh 50:08

1M ago50:08

50:08

In this episode, as senior civil servant Janet Hughes decides to leave Defra, we look at what it means for the Sustainable Farming Incentive. It's a revolving door at the AHDB, with the appointment of a new chair – and the announcement that chief executive Graham Wilkinson is moving on. Scottish livestock leaders say a climate committee report call…

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366 Austin Unruh - Silvopasture, planting trees on millions of acres of grassland, is the most scalable and profitable regen solution 1:05:53

1M ago1:05:53

1:05:53

A conversation with Austin Unruh, founder of Trees for Graziers, about the investment case for silvopasture. What if we could plant hundreds of millions of trees on degraded, low-value pasture land and make money from it? What if we planted trees that are beneficial for livestock—ruminants, pigs, and poultry? The market for meat and animal products…

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Gain with Grain: Sustainable Solutions from Agrii, Viterra & Whitworth 20:00

1M ago20:00

20:00

Today’s topic of discussion is sustainable grain programmes, focussing on a new offer from Agrii, Viterra and Whitworth Brothers Flour Millers. We are delighted to be joined by Amy Watkins from Agrii, Sam Chambers from Viterra and William Butler from Whitworth. We will explore how sustainable grain programmes can benefit both farmers and supply cha…

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US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins talks trade deals in London; delay inheritance tax plan, MPs tell government; SFI reopens for 3000 farmers; & Defra's food strategy 47:27

2M ago47:27

47:27

In this episode, MPs say the government should delay plans to impose inheritance tax on farmers – and revise its controversial policy. Defra announces a partial reopening of the Sustainable Farming Incentive for growers and livestock producers in England. US agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins tells Farmers Weekly that poultry and pork are "on the…

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365 Philip Kauders - From Goldman Sachs to investing hundreds of millions in agroforestry in Brazil 1:12:13

2M ago1:12:13

1:12:13

A conversation with Philip Kauders, CEO and co-founder of Courageous Land, working on reforesting landscapes via large-scale biodiverse agroforestry. We can invest hundreds of millions into regenerative agroforestry, maybe even billions. No, we don’t need new regulations or new technology (drones that prune, for example— sure, they’ll help, and the…

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What next for the Sustainable Farming Incentive? Impact of US-UK trade deal on farming, small abattoirs, & silage trailer safety 45:45

2M ago45:45

45:45

In this episode we look at the future of the Sustainable Farming Incentive agri-environment scheme. Natural England head of agriculture Peter Craven tells us the scheme will return – and be better for farming and the environment, albeit with a likely smaller budget. We assess the impact of the UK-US trade deal on the beef and arable sectors – and a…

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364 Paul McMahon - Why regen forestry is natural capital’s Trojan horse for institutional investors 1:06:25

2M ago1:06:25

1:06:25

A conversation with Paul McMahon, co-founder SLM partners, about forestry being the gateway drug for natural capital for institutional investors to put money to work. Why? Because they are used to investing in forestry — it is a well-established investment sector with very long-time horizons. Rotations here are 30+ years, but it’s also one with man…

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Healing the Soul: On Depression, Anxiety, and Waking Up with Craig Westhoff 33:50

2M ago33:50

33:50

Welcome to the Arable Leader podcast. In this episode, Karl Martin sits down with Craig Westoff for an honest, deeply reflective conversation about authentic leadership and living from the soul. Together, they explore the importance of true, brave, kind, and curious character, revealing how life’s wounds—when faced and healed—can become profound st…

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Jenni Vernon | Underestimating the power of face-to-face communication 15:30

2M ago15:30

15:30

Jenni Vernon, 1994 Nuffield Scholar, farmer and director, talks to Farmers Weekly managing editor Bryan Gibson about her leadership journey, her Nuffield experience, research, and on not underestimating the power of face-to-face communication in a sometimes-disconnected social media age.By NZ Rural Leaders

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Hottest May Day – crops swelter as temperatures soar, ground-breaking farm tenancies, Rothamsted redundancies, & food security – could rationing return? 47:41

2M ago47:41

47:41

Record-breaking temperatures see crops sweltering in the spring sunshine. A worry or just another challenge for arable growers? UK former home secretary James Cleverly and Save British Farming campaigners say the government must take food security more seriously. As the UK commemorates the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe and the end of World …

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Farmers Weekly Question Time: Tenant Farmers Conference 2025 - Farmers Weekly Question Time 59:40

2M ago59:40

59:40

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Question Time Podcast examines a ground-breaking new farm tenancy agreement. Developed by the Crown Estate and the Tenant Farmers Association, the agreements are called Environmental Farm Business Tenancies (eFBTs). EFBTs are 15-year-long tenancy agreements which encourage tenant farmers to diversify in a way whic…

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The Power of Long-Term Thinking in Leadership and Life 15:22

2M ago15:22

15:22

Welcome to the Arable Leader podcast. In this episode, Karl Martin uses a humorous personal story about dressing "cowboy chic" to explore the deeper meaning of investments in our lives—far beyond financial ones. He unpacks the concept of the Five Capitals: financial, intellectual, physical, relational, and spiritual, urging us to invest not just fo…

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363 James Arthur Smith - Mercury-free, microplastic-free, and Omega-3 rich: the future of seafood 1:07:20

2M ago1:07:20

1:07:20

A check in conversation with James Arthur Smith, founder of Seatopia, about their data-driven focus on nutrient density (plus mercury/microplastics testing) resonates more strongly than abstract “sustainability” marketing strategy and it ultimately driving real ecosystem restoration. We explore how Seatopia defines regenerative aquaculture in a mul…

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Blackgrass Battles: How One Idea Sparked a Major Field Trial 20:00

2M ago20:00

20:00

Today we are joined by Agrii's Jamie Lyttle, agronomist, and Greg Taylor, area business manager and agronomist. Our focus is tackling a real challenge - black-grass - and how, through identifying the problem, field-scale trials were able to find real solutions. Let’s hear from the agronomist on that farm about how possible solutions were identified…

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Will your children sink the family farm? Inheritance tax and succession planning, dairy farms dump milk after processing breakdown, & why climate-friendly farmers are turned off by Net Zero 47:51

2M ago47:51

47:51

In this episode, one in three farmers fear their children will sink the farm business when it's handed on to the next generation. Why farming families are walking a tightrope between succession and inheritance tax. Dairy producers are forced to dump thousands of litres of milk after a breakdown at a key processing plant in Lancashire. We've all the…

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Agricultural Education is Creating Tomorrow's Farmers Today 33:48

2M ago33:48

33:48

Have you ever wondered if you could thrive in agriculture without growing up on a farm? Paul Flynn's journey proves it's not only possible but potentially transformative for the industry. As Director of Agriculture at East Durham College, Paul entered farming without any agricultural connections, driven purely by his passion for biology and food pr…

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Spiritual Capital: Leading from Soul in a Chaotic World 47:54

2M ago47:54

47:54

In this episode of the Arable Leader podcast, host Karl Martin and JP dive into the nature of spiritual capital—how it shapes both our inner lives and leadership in the modern world. Karl challenges the idea that spirituality is confined to religion, advocating for curiosity, wonder, and connection as inherent in human nature and vital to human flo…

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362 Mike Velings - VC & PE won’t deliver regeneration — €250M evergreen proves it 1:24:43

2M ago1:24:43

1:24:43

A conversation with Mike Velings, co-founder of Aqua-Spark, a global investment fund for sustainable aquaculture, about how an invite he should have never received lead to the creation of the largest aquaculture fund in history, with over $250 million in assets under management (AUM) and ambitious plans to grow to $2 billion or more. This conversat…

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Endangered hedges, bonanza beef vision, grant fund to ADOPT innovation, foot-and-mouth meat and dairy import ban, & sweary singing farmers 46:52

3M ago46:52

46:52

In this episode, we get to grips government grants to fund on-farm innovation and technology to improve productivity. With British Beef Week around the corner (23-30 April), we run the rule over the NFU's 10-year vision for the UK's beef industry. We look at why farm hedges could be the latest victim of the government's decision to close the Sustai…

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Leadership is Spiritual: Embracing Deeper Conversations and Their Impact on Leadership 15:35

3M ago15:35

15:35

In this episode, host Karl Martin delves into the challenging and deeply personal conversation about spirituality. He emphasizes the importance of acknowledging our spiritual nature, asserting that neglecting spiritual capital can undermine other aspects of life. While he is a man of faith, this conversation is not about pushing his beliefs. He ins…

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361 Herb Young - After 36 years at Bayer, growing regen citrus with 8x the nutrients 1:06:01

3M ago1:06:01

1:06:01

A conversation with Herb Young, farmer who, after 36 years in the chemical industry working for Bayer, retired and bought a small farm in Georgia—where things quickly got out of hand. While researching organic premiums, Herb came across regenerative agriculture—and fell deep, very deep, down the rabbit hole. For over a year, he read everything, lis…