Regenerative agriculture seems to be the buzzword of the moment, but whether it can or will be the mainstay of food production remains to be seen. In this episode of Crop it Like it’s Hot – regenerative agriculture – fad or the future?, Alice Dyer explores what is fuelling this green revolution in farming.

With an esteemed panel of guests, including a soil scientist and two of the UK’s pioneering farmers of regen ag, listeners can get to grips with the science behind ‘good’ soil biology, get pointers for making changes to their farming systems and take lessons from the organic sector.

The UK currently produces just 18% of its fruit and 55% of its vegetables according the NFU, and self-sufficiency for both fruit and veg and potatoes has declined 16% in the past 20 years. But has Brexit, the Covid pandemic, a greater focus on homegrown produce and agroecological farming created greater opportunities?

In this episode of Crop it Like it’s Hot, Alice Dyer explores if we really do need to be producing more fruit and veg, how production can slot into the arable rotation using practices such as agroforestry, and what lessons the arable sector could take from the fresh produce industry.

With improvements in fertiliser efficiency an ambition for both economic and environmental reasons, the latest episode of Crop It Like It’s Hot covers crop nutrition from all bases. Frontier’s Edward Downing offers practical tips to consider for boosting nitrogen use efficiency, while Leicestershire farmer, Michael Parker talks us through how he is tweaking his approach to crop nutrition to reduce the need for pesticides and get better returns.

Yara’s Mark Tucker gives an update on the latest innovations coming forward in the fertiliser sector, while AIC’s Jane Salter explains how regulations are likely to look as we move forward into a carbon zero future following the advent of the Clean Air Strategy, the consultation on urea and the new Sustainable Farming Incentive.