Farm Gate

Hosted by ffinlo Costain

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266

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

The Europe’s highest ranking food security podcast. Produced by ffinlo Costain. Farm Gate is part of 8point9.com #farmingnews, #regenfarming #regenag #agroecology #landuse #naturalcapital #foodsecurity #food #farming #ecologicalsecurity

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60 recent

June 16, 202656 min

Is carbon tunnel vision obscuring climate solutions?

ffinlo Costain talks to Dr Frédéric Leroy (Vrije University, Brussels) and Dr Jason Rowntree (Michigan State University).Frédéric and Jason's new research paper argues that while livestock systems represent a considerable environmental challenge, anti-livestock and anti-meat perspectives over-simplify the issues, ignore regional variations, and rely on unbalanced carbon accounting. They argue that carbon tunnel vision is a threat to good climate policy.* Find out more and read the research at 8point9.com

June 9, 20261 hr 3 min

What's the future for ruminants?

What's the future of ruminant farm systems in Europe? What are the priorities for farmers, policy-makers and the public? Are they price, carbon emissions, carbon drawdown, animal welfare...? In this programme, we're looking at pathways for ruminant agriculture: cattle, sheep, and goats, producing meat and dairy products. ffinlo Costain is joined by Simon Moakes, a research fellow at Aberystwyth University in Wales - by Dr David Yáñez, a research professor at the Spanish National Research Council - and by Sara Hall, a PhD researcher working in the research team at Pasture for Life in the UK.This is the fourth of our programmes investigating Pathways - a 5-year EU Horizon 2020-funded research project that's been running since 2021.

June 2, 202658 min

How to create place-based infrastructure

The creation of bustling, thriving regional economies is an enormous opportunity to create food system resilience - and to bring wealth and wellbeing to rural areas. To do this we need infrastructure - and we need the finance to support the rebuilding and the re-establishing of that infrastructure.A new report from the Place Finance Lab addresses these issues. ffinlo Costain is joined by the report authors and founding partners of the Place Finance Lab: Tamara Giltsoff and Matteo Vanzini, and by report contributor Matthew Thomson, a director of Sustainable Food Cornwall.The Place Finance Lab has been incubated at Climate KIC, which has also supported this podcast - Climate KIC is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community, creating climate-resilient communities and fighting climate breakdown by mobilising systems change in countries, regions, cities, and businesses. Together with partners across the globe, Climate KIC orchestrates solutions and facilitates learning to bridge the gap between climate commitments and current reality, driving faster and more ambitious action.

May 28, 202654 min

Nature means business

ffinlo Costain is joined by Martin Lines (Chief Exec NFFN), Nic Renison from Renison's Farm, and by Jenna Hegarty, Head of Policy at Nature Friendly Farming Network.We find out what's happening at Papley Grove in June - we discuss farm business resilience in the face of climate change - Nic talks about her farm and what it's like living under the Helm Wind - and Jenna presents NFFN's new report, The Nature of Business: Delivering resilience, food security and economic value through nature-friendly farming.

May 26, 20261 hr 2 min

Pathways scenarios are plausible futures for the food system

This is the third of our programmes investigating Pathways - a 5-year EU Horizon 2020-funded research project that's been running since 2021.We discuss the scenarios work that provided the foundations for Pathways. These were designed as plausible future storylines for how European livestock systems might evolve under different economic, environmental, technological, and social conditions. In particular, they helped researchers to test trade-offs between different sustainability goals and outcomes. ffinlo Costain is joined by Pierre-Marie Aubert, director of agriculture and food policies at the French think tank, IDDRI - by Dr Tom Staton, a senior research fellow at the University of Reading - and by Dr Jessica Bosseaux, a postdoctoral research associate, also at the University of Reading.

May 19, 202656 min

"Mid-crisis is not the time to say, you guys can just cope."

Topical food and farming chat - with ffinlo Costain (editor, 8point9.com), Joe Stanley (author, writer and Head of Sustainable Farming at the GWCT Allerton Project), and new co-host, Nikki Yoxall (farmer and Technical Director, Pasture for life).We discuss fertiliser, regenerative farming, national security, agricultural resilience, the rural economy and food system research.

May 12, 202645 min

Pathways: Tools for food system transformation

This is the second of our programmes investigating the Pathways project - a 5-year EU Horizon 2020-funded research project that's been running since 2021. Today we’re looking at Pathways modelling, which addressed a range of important areas including the greenhouse gas emissions and nutritional value associated with livestock and individual food products, as well as farm animal welfare and biodiversity impacts in livestock systems.ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) is joined by Dr David Yáñez (Spanish National Research Council), Pierrick Girad (French Institute of Pork), Dr Jenny Ygnvesson (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) and Dr Tom Staton (University of Reading).More land use news at 8point9.com.

May 8, 20261 hr 1 min

Spongey landscapes, beavers and bluebells

In this episode of Martin's Farm, ffinlo Costain and Martin Lines (farmer and chief exec of the Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss water - and how nature and beavers work to keep it in the landscape.They're joined by guests, Ali Morse, the Water Policy Manager at The Wildlife Trusts, and Chris Jones from Woodland Valley Farm and the Cornwall Beaver Project.

May 8, 20261 hr 1 min

Spongey landscapes, beavers & bluebells

ffinlo Costain and Martin Lines (farmer and chief exec of the Nature Friendly Farming Network) discuss water - and how nature and beavers work to keep it in the landscape. They're joined by guests, Ali Morse, the Water Policy Manager at The Wildlife Trusts, and Chris Jones from Woodland Valley Farm and the Cornwall Beaver Project.

May 5, 202647 min

"Lungworm larvae can surf on fungal spores"

We're discussing the parasite burden in cattle: the life-cycle of lungworm and gutworm - how to manage your land and your herd to reduce the parasite risk - the role of vaccination - and how to work with your vet to avoid costly medical interventions.ffinlo Costain is joined by two Somerset farmers: Catherine Pickford from Alford Fields Farm and Lydia Partridge who manages the young stock at Drummers Farm - and by Lucy Hepworth, a vet from Friars Moor Livestock Health who have also kindly sponsored the programme.#livestock #parasites #veterinary #vet #farmanimals #animalhealth #landmanagement #cattle #dairy #farming