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	Podcast:		Farming Today
	Episode:		24/10/22 - River Wye pollution, sugar beet campaign and UK seed and nut production
	Category:		Science & Medicine
	Duration:		00:11:26
	Publish Date:		2022-10-24 05:00:00
	Description:		Pollution levels in our rivers are now so bad that tens of thousands of planned new homes in England and Wales are on hold - a BBC Wales investigation has found. One of the causes is phosphate - an essential and major nutrient for crops and animals, but damaging to our eco-systems if too much gets into rivers and streams courses. That's what's happened along the River Wye, where as we've reported, the high number of chicken farms is being blamed - but farmers say they're being unfairly targeted. Sugar beet yields are likely to be down on the annual average this year as the campaign gathers pace after a delayed start in some areas, by campaign I mean the harvest. Some farmers are finding the beets smaller this year because of the summer drought, and some of the processing factories opened later to allow the crop more time in the ground. And could a growing demand for seeds and nuts for human consumption provide new opportunities for British farmers? Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons
	Total Play:		0