Farming Focus

Hosted by Cornish Mutual

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Episodes

116

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

The podcast for South West Farmers.

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60 recent

September 29, 202624 min

Future-proofing your farm through change

Continuing the theme of weather and unpredictability, how can farmers prepare? In an episode from 2024, Dorset dairy farmer Ian Baggs and Adele Jones, formerly of the Sustainable Food Trust, join host Peter Green to explore building resilience through adaptation. From choosing crops suited to individual farms to measuring sustainability and learning from other farmers, they discuss why challenging established practices, trying new approaches and understanding what works in your own context can help future-proof farming. Are there topics you’d like us to cover or guests you’d love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs. Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit Farmer Insurance Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset | Cornish Mutual For our podcast disclaimer: Farming Focus - The Podcast for South West Farmers | Cornish Mutual If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk

September 15, 202628 min

Farming through unpredictable weather: How can we adapt?

After the hottest UK summer on record, Farming Focus™ looks at how increasingly unpredictable weather is affecting food production. Riverford Organic Farmers founder Guy Singh-Watson and Herefordshire mixed farmer Ben Andrews join host Peter Green to discuss the growing risks from drought, flooding and extreme rainfall. Drawing on their extensive experience, they explore how soil health, water management, biodiversity and changing farming systems can help businesses build resilience for an uncertain future. Are there topics you’d like us to cover or guests you’d love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs. Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit Farmer Insurance Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset | Cornish Mutual For our podcast disclaimer: Farming Focus - The Podcast for South West Farmers | Cornish Mutual If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk

September 1, 202637 min

Farming, nature and wellbeing: Exploring the connection

Revisiting a powerful Farming Focus™ conversation, regenerative beef and sheep farmer Eddie Rickson shares how a series of devastating events became the catalyst for reshaping his life and farm. Alongside Dorset farmer and NHS wellbeing coach Ellie Sturrock, he explores the relationship between farming, nature and mental wellbeing. They discuss making space for yourself, finding deeper connections with nature and why being open to support can help farmers move from surviving to thriving. Are there topics you’d like us to cover or guests you’d love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs. Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit Farmer Insurance Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset | Cornish Mutual For our podcast disclaimer: Farming Focus - The Podcast for South West Farmers | Cornish Mutual If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk

August 18, 202630 min

Beyond diversification: Exploring enterprise stacking

Exploring how farms can create new income and opportunity from the assets they already have, Tim May of Kingsclere Estates and Cornish farmer Dave Oates join Farming Focus™ host Peter Green to discuss enterprise stacking and Pitch Up! From bringing entrepreneurial thinking onto farms to making use of spare buildings, woodland and overlooked corners, they explain why starting small, embracing different ideas and balancing risk could help build more resilient farming businesses for the future. Are there topics you’d like us to cover or guests you’d love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs. Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit Farmer Insurance Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset | Cornish Mutual For our podcast disclaimer: Farming Focus - The Podcast for South West Farmers | Cornish Mutual If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk

August 4, 202645 min

Finding opportunity in times of change

In this episode of Farming Focus™, host Peter Green is joined by Dr Louise Manning, author of the Oxford Farming Conference 2026 report UK Farming: Grasping the Opportunities , and Devon farmer Andy Gray. Together they explore how South West farmers can build resilient, investable businesses by embracing change, asking difficult questions and focusing on opportunity rather than uncertainty. Practical ideas and fresh perspectives offer encouragement for farming's future. Are there topics you’d like us to cover or guests you’d love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs. Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit Farmer Insurance Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset | Cornish Mutual For our podcast disclaimer: Farming Focus - The Podcast for South West Farmers | Cornish Mutual If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk

July 21, 202627 min

Farm safety: When rushing changes everything

To mark Farm Safety Week 2026, we revisit one of the earliest episodes of Farming Focus™ and an important conversation remaining as relevant today as when it was first recorded. Cornish Mutual's Paul Mahon and Nick Lay are joined by Devon dairy farmer Fred Collins, who shares how a life-changing accident transformed his attitude to safety on the farm. Through Fred's honest account and practical advice from Paul and Nick, the episode explores why familiar tasks can become the greatest risks, how rushing often leads to poor decisions and why taking time to think before starting a job can help protect both people and businesses. The statistics discussed in the episode are from the early 2020s, but the latest HSE figures continue to tell a very similar story. Are there topics you’d like us to cover or guests you’d love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs. Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit Farmer Insurance Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset | Cornish Mutual For our podcast disclaimer: Farming Focus - The Podcast for South West Farmers | Cornish Mutual If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk

July 14, 202631 min

Why livestock beneath the soil matters

The hidden livestock beneath your feet can be some of the hardest-working members of your farm team. Revisiting an earlier Farming Focus™ episode, farmer and entomologist Sally-Ann Spence joins plant and soil health educator Joel Williams to discuss why healthy soils are central to productive farming. From dung beetles and earthworms to fungi and other micro-organisms, they explain how the life below ground supports nutrient cycling, improves water infiltration and helps produce healthier crops and livestock. Packed with practical ideas, this episode encourages farmers to look beneath the surface and discover how investing in soil biology can strengthen resilience across the whole farm. Are there topics you’d like us to cover or guests you’d love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs. Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit Farmer Insurance Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset | Cornish Mutual For our podcast disclaimer: Farming Focus - The Podcast for South West Farmers | Cornish Mutual If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk

July 7, 202636 min

Profit, Soil and Resilience; What are farmers learning?

What really works in regenerative farming? Recorded live at Groundswell, this week’s Farming Focus™ brings together Cornwall farmer Geoff Williams and Terrafarmer’s Will Marris and Jack Pierce to unpick the successes they’ve seen around soil health, profitability and resilience. From starting small to learning from others, hear practical ideas for building a stronger farming business, whatever your system. Are there topics you’d like us to cover or guests you’d love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs. Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit Farmer Insurance Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset | Cornish Mutual For our podcast disclaimer: Farming Focus - The Podcast for South West Farmers | Cornish Mutual If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk

June 2, 202642 min

How collaboration is shaping the future of farming

Recorded live at the 2026 Devon County Show, this series finale of Farming Focus™ brings together elements of several episodes to explore why collaboration is becoming increasingly important for resilient and profitable farm businesses. Host Peter Green is joined by Devon farmer Chris Berry, facilitator Mel Bradley and Farm Carbon Toolkit’s Becky Willson to discuss how discussion groups, farmer clusters and shared learning are helping farmers tackle uncertainty together. From practical ideas such as machinery sharing to larger landscape projects, the conversation highlights the power of trust, curiosity and peer-to-peer support in shaping the future of South West farming. Are there topics you’d like us to cover or guests you’d love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs. Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.uk For our podcast disclaimer click here . If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk

May 26, 20269 min

Practical biosecurity tips for moving livestock safely

Buying or selling livestock always carries risk, but good biosecurity can make a big difference. In this Farming Focus™ bonus episode, host Peter Green is rejoined by Synergy Farm Health vet Esme Moffat and Devon sheep farmer Pete Delbridge to discuss practical steps farmers can take when moving stock. From understanding health status and asking the right questions to quarantine and transport hygiene, they explain how manageable routines and informed decisions can help reduce disease risk and protect farm businesses. Are there topics you’d like us to cover or guests you’d love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs. Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.uk For our podcast disclaimer click here . If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk