大象传媒

Farmers in the mid-west of America are still trying to assess their losses, after unseasonable snowstorms hit the state of South Dakota. Tens of thousands of cattle are believed to have perished in the cold and wet. Some ranchers are only now able to get out to their pastures to see whether any of their animals have survived. Charlotte Smith talks to one who estimates that she's lost 65% of her herd.

The first results are in from scientists investigating why this year's sugar beet crop had serious problems, including failure to germinate and twisted roots. They believe the cold spring did have an impact, but that's not the only cause.

And this week Farming Today takes a look at the issue of bio-energy. What are farmers contributing to green energy provision, and what's the knock-on effect for food production?

Presented by Charlotte Smith. Produced in Bristol by Emma Campbell.