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BBC launches special ‘Focus on Farming’

Johann Tasker 20 August 2019
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© Tim Scrivener© Tim Scrivener

The BBC is highlighting ways growers and livestock producers are tackling climate change, as the broadcaster takes a special look at farming this week.

The week-long Focus on Farming follows criticism of the BBC’s coverage when it comes to agriculture and food production.

See also: 12 things we learned from the IPCC climate land report

BBC environment and rural affairs correspondent Claire Marshall tweeted: “This week we are looking at farming in the UK, taking the major issues and unpicking them.”

Precision farming is helping to tackle climate change, reports the BBC, including the increasing use of robots and drones.

Farmers are also planting more trees, keeping livestock outside for longer and reducing methane emissions, it adds.

During the week, the BBC is also examining other issues in agriculture – including the effect of Brexit, alternative diets and farm safety.

Earlier this month, the NFU criticised the broadcaster for its climate change coverage – suggesting it had an anti-meat agenda.

‘Flawed approach’

It followed the BBC’s coverage of a report on land use by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The IPCC report said balanced diets featuring plant-based foods and animal-sourced food sustainably produced in low-greenhouse-gas-emission systems could help limit climate change.

The BBC and other media outlets said the IPCC report had concluded that switching to a plant-based diet could help fight climate change.

NFU president Minette Batters said many farmers felt “terrorised” because of the mainstream media’s approach to tackling climate change.

“I won’t stand by and watch farmers be bullied by a metropolitan elite that is too idle or too ignorant to face up to the fact that just focusing on meat eating alone doesn’t tackle climate change.”

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