大象传媒

The Government is consulting the farming industry, wildlife groups and countryside organisations on how the Common Agricultural Policy should shape the future of rural England. In his first interview with Farming Today, the new Farming Minister George Eustice tells Charlotte Smith how the Government plans to implement the reformed CAP from 2015. Admitting it will be more complicated, Mr Eustice discusses modulation - that's moving money from direct payments, which come under "Pillar One" funding, to rural development projects in "Pillar Two". Cutting through the jargon, Charlotte asks if it will put farmers in England at a disadvantage, and whether it will benefit consumers.

First Milk, the British farmer-owned dairy co-operative, has announced a new partnership with the Irish cheese processor Adams Foods, to cut, pack and market 50,000 tonnes of cheddar. It comes after First Milk closed its cheese-packing plant in Wrexham and reported pre-tax losses of 拢7.8million in the 12 months up to March. Charlotte discusses the future of First Milk with its chairman, the former farming minister Sir Jim Paice.

Jules Benham has the latest report of our week looking at professional development in farming. She joins a one-day course at a farm near Yeovil, where local vets are helping farmers learn more about ruminant health.

And caviar has long been one of the world's most exclusive foods, but stocks are nearly extinct. In 2002 the sturgeon was given endangered species status and trade in wild caviar was restricted. Since then farmers have been developing ways to rear the sturgeon in captivity. We meet the only farmer in the UK producing sturgeon for caviar.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced in Bristol by Anna Jones.