Groundswell 2025 - Exploring 'regenerative' beyond the farm gate
Guests Featured:Emma Burnett – Senior Researcher in Agriculture and Sustainability, Fielden WhiskyØistein Thorsen – CEO, FAI FarmsJulia Kirby Smith – Better Food TradersHannah Gibbs – Programme Manager, SustainLucy Williamson – Registered Nutritionist & Advocate for Soil-to-Gut HealthWhat We Cover in This Episode:What "regenerative" means beyond the farmThe role of consumer-facing brands in regenerative storytellingThe responsibilities and opportunities for retailers—big and smallLinking human health with soil health and biodiversityWhether regeneration will become the norm or a nicheLinks and Resources:Fielden WhiskyFAI FarmsBetter Food TradersSustainLucy Williamson NutritionCall to Action:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share, and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts—it really helps us grow the show.🎧 Next episode: Ben speaks with Texas farmer Tyler Froberg.Image credit: Ben EagleMeet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. About Ben and RuralPod MediaBen Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social mediaInstagram @mtf_podcastTwitter @mtf_podcastWatch us on Youtube here
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Tim Parton: Resilience, Regeneration, and Rethinking Arable Farming
In this milestone 300th episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle sits down with Tim Parton, farm manager of a 300-hectare arable enterprise in Staffordshire and a leading voice in regenerative agriculture. Tim shares his journey from conventional farming to pioneering biological, no-till methods that have dramatically cut synthetic inputs while boosting yields and soil health.We discuss his innovative drill modifications, the importance of cover crops and microbial brews, and the challenges and rewards of shifting to a regenerative system. Tim also opens up about the life-changing accident he suffered in 2024, his remarkable resilience, and how he continues to inspire and consult within the farming community.🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.Image credit: Tim PartonMeet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. About Ben and RuralPod MediaBen Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social mediaInstagram @mtf_podcastTwitter @mtf_podcastWatch us on Youtube here
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Global Shocks, Local Farms: Wars, Climate, Trade, Politics and Beyond - with Emily Norton and James Bolesworth
In this big-picture episode, Ben Eagle is joined by two expert voices—Emily Norton and James Bolesworth—to unpack how global forces are shaping the future of UK farming. From the war in Ukraine and climate extremes to trade policy and political unpredictability, we examine how these shocks are influencing prices, planning, and resilience on the ground.🧭 What We Cover:Part 1: Global Forces in Flux – Wars, Trade & Market VolatilityWhich global events are driving the most pressure on UK agricultureHow the war in Ukraine disrupted grain markets and commodity flowsTrade policy shifts post-Brexit and their on-farm implicationsAre UK farmers more exposed to international risk?Part 2: Climate, Weather & Risk – Farming in an Era of ExtremesHow climate volatility is reshaping investment and land useThe financial and production risks of extreme weatherGlobal climate impacts on food security and commodity marketsPart 3: UK Response – Policy, Politics & Farm-Level Strategy Assessing the UK’s agricultural policy response to global pressuresClosing Thoughts – Looking AheadOne global trend UK farmers must pay closer attention to📢 Final Messages:🎧 Next Episode (300!): Join us for a milestone conversation with regenerative farming pioneer Tim Parton.💬 If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show or share it with a fellow farmer.📲 Follow us: @meetthefarmerspodcast | www.meetthefarmers.co.uk Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. About Ben and RuralPod MediaBen Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social mediaInstagram @mtf_podcastTwitter @mtf_podcastWatch us on Youtube here
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Farming in Cornwall: Peter Green on Cattle, Podcasting, Family & the Future
In this episode of Meet the Farmers, Ben Eagle heads to Stithians in Cornwall to meet Peter Green, a fifth-generation farmer, Nuffield Scholar, and host of Cornish Mutual’s Farming Focus podcast. Peter shares his remarkable journey from studying physics and working as a chartered accountant, to returning home to Cornwall to rebuild the family farm after the tragic loss of his parents in 2007.Now running a grass-fed Stabiliser beef herd, Peter talks about:Transitioning from corporate life back to farmingManaging grief and responsibility following the death of his parents in a car accident. The decision to sell, and then restock, the farm's herd. Building a sustainable, low-input beef business in CornwallSelling direct to customers through beef boxesHis work with the Prince’s Countryside FundCo-hosting the Farming Focus podcast and engaging the South West farming communityBalancing life as a farmer, podcast host, and dad to five-year-old twinsThis episode is a powerful reminder of how purpose, resilience, and people can shape a meaningful farming future.🔗 Links & Mentions:Farming Focus Podcast – Cornish MutualRoyal Countryside Fund – Farm for the Future🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.Image credit: Peter GreenMeet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. About Ben and RuralPod MediaBen Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social mediaInstagram @mtf_podcastTwitter @mtf_podcastWatch us on Youtube here
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What's it like to be a young farmer in Ireland? - with Sophie Bell
In this episode, we’re heading to County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland to meet a next-generation voice in farming — Sophie Bell.Sophie is part of a rising wave of young farmers who are not only tackling the day-to-day challenges of running a farm, but also using social media to share their stories, connect with wider audiences, and bring attention to rural issues. From climate resilience to the pressures of food production, Sophie is navigating what it means to farm in the 21st century.In this conversation, Ben and Sophie discuss:Her journey into farming and how she came to take over the family farmThe unique pressures facing young farmers in Ireland today, including access to land, financial sustainability, and changing weather patternsHow Sophie is using platforms like Instagram to engage both farmers and non-farmers, build community, and advocate for the industryHer hopes for the future of farming and what she’d like to see change for the next generationWhether you’re in the field, behind a desk, or just curious about rural life, this episode offers a thoughtful, honest look at modern farming through the eyes of someone living it every day.Follow Sophie Bell:📸 Instagram: @sophie_bell__🎥 TikTok: @sophie_bell__Support the show:If you’re enjoying Meet the Farmers, please consider leaving a review or sharing this episode with someone who’d love it.Image credit: Sophie BellMeet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. About Ben and RuralPod MediaBen Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social mediaInstagram @mtf_podcastTwitter @mtf_podcastWatch us on Youtube here
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