To grow food or to protect nature? It often seems as if one can only be done at the expense of the other. In this podcast, farmer & ex-MP Neil Parish seeks to find out if, in fact, we can do both.
Our relationship with food is on the brink of a massive shift. Global instability disrupting food security, UK farmers are being incentivised to promote biodiversity rather than grow food. And climate change is starting to transform what we grow, what we eat and how we live. As a Somerset farmer, Neil Parish is facing up to all these changes. And as an EU & UK parliamentarian, for 20 years he helped design the policies that shape our food system. Now, he has unfinished business. In this podcast, local, national & global experts join Neil to tackle crucial questions about the past, present and future relationship between food and the environment.
Produced by: jakelloyd.co.uk
Social media by millyfyfe.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
To grow food or to protect nature? It often seems as if one can only be done at the expense of the other. In this podcast, farmer & ex-MP Neil Parish seeks to find out if, in fact, we can do both.
Our relationship with food is on the brink of a massive shift. Global instability disrupting food security, UK farmers are being incentivised to promote biodiversity rather than grow food. And climate change is starting to transform what we grow, what we eat and how we live. As a Somerset farmer, Neil Parish is facing up to all these changes. And as an EU & UK parliamentarian, for 20 years he helped design the policies that shape our food system. Now, he has unfinished business. In this podcast, local, national & global experts join Neil to tackle crucial questions about the past, present and future relationship between food and the environment.
Produced by: jakelloyd.co.uk
Social media by millyfyfe.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On his recent visit to the Devon County Show, Neil took along his sound recorder to get a flavour of what’s on the minds of farmers right now. In this episode you’ll hear his conversations with President of the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs JOHN LEE OBE, as well as a specialist in recruiting, training and mentoring farming apprentices PETER REED, and the South West Regional Director of the Country Land and Business Association ANN MAIDMENT. In these conversations he encounters a surprising take on the inheritance tax row, a mixed reaction to the recent US trade deal, and optimism among the next generation of young farmers.
Listen and you’ll hear: highlights from Neil’s visit (1m10s); Peter on the trends he’s seeing amongst young people at the start of their farming career (3m00s); Ann on how the members of her organisation are feeling about farming at the moment (8m52s); and John reflecting with Neil on the ways in which the future of farming will look different to the past (12m05s).
These conversations were recorded across two days of the show which ran from the 15-17th May 2025.
Follow the Devon County Show on Instagram here
Learn more about Ann Maidment’s work at the CLA on their website here
Learn about the work of Peter Reed here
Learn more about John Lee OBE here
This podcast is produced by jakelloyd.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.