Wilson & Ashley

Put your thoughts into the mix
This episode is brought to you in partnership with with our Headline Sponsor, BKT and Kirkby Tyres. 
Is solar grazing a genuine triple-win or just clever greenwashing? This episode talks about two big topics in farming at the moment - land use and milk price - and who ultimately pays the price for cheap energy and cheap food.
We open with the rise of solar grazing, sparked by a Guardian article questioning whether putting sheep under solar panels really delivers benefits for farmers, renewables and society, or whether it’s simply a PR tool to make large-scale solar developments more palatable. With solar predicted to cover close to 100,000 hectares of UK land by 2030, we explore why the industry argues this is still a tiny fraction of national land use, and why many farmers see a very different picture when productive ground is taken out of food production. From reduced spraying and mowing costs to claims of improved soil health, animal welfare and biodiversity, we unpack the genuine opportunities solar grazing might offer — especially for new entrants — while also questioning broken promises, overgrazing risks, food security, and growing resistance from rural communities.
In the second half, we shift to the brutal reality of Britain’s milk price collapse. With dairy farmers being paid well below the cost of production, some losing thousands of pounds a day, we break down how global oversupply, rising US production, steady volumes from New Zealand and weaker Chinese demand have combined to hammer farmgate prices. We look at why cheap milk remains a supermarket weapon, why many farmers have little power over who collects their milk or what they’re paid, and how dumping milk has become a symptom of a system under strain. With nearly 20% of UK dairy farmers already gone in recent years, we ask whether the free market is fit for purpose, whether tools like quotas or a modern version of the Milk Marketing Board should return, and why farmers so often end up absorbing the cost of feeding the nation. 
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@wilsonandashley
@rebeccawilsonfarming
@charlotteashleyfarm
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Whilst we endeavour to research podcast topics to the best of our ability, we cannot guarantee the accuracy and completeness of all conversations and as such, the podcast does not constitute professional advice.

Put your thoughts into the mix
This episode is brought to you in partnership with with our Headline Sponsor, BKT and Kirkby Tyres. 
In this episode of the Wilson and Ashley Podcast, we take on two big questions shaping the future of food, work and farming.
We begin by looking at the significant changes happening on our supermarket shelves... changes which are perhaps going under the radar. From chocolate bars that are no longer legally allowed to be called chocolate, to ingredient substitutions hidden behind familiar packaging, we ask whether consumers are being misled and whether this marks the beginning of the end for recognisable, real food. We explore why rising cocoa prices and climate pressures are pushing manufacturers towards cheaper alternatives, what is lost nutritionally when real ingredients are replaced, and the environmental consequences of substitutes such as palm oil.
The conversation then turns to artificial intelligence and the growing idea that manual, land-based jobs may be among the last to withstand automation. Inspired by a Telegraph article suggesting farming could be one of the most AI-resistant careers, we discuss why increasing numbers of young people are looking towards agriculture, whether farming can truly escape the reach of AI, and what this could mean for the future of the sector. We also reflect on recent warnings from 'The Godfather of AI'. 
Do consumers deserve better transparency when it comes to food labelling? Is farming under threat or part of the solution to an increasingly automated world? And how worried should we really be about the pace and direction of artificial intelligence?
Sources: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DS7OU6JjfZA/?igsh=Y3Nhc2N3N2d3Nzgz, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/28/to-escape-the-ai-threat-train-to-be-a-farmer-or-a-roofer/ 
Join our Listener Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110531760649475/
If you’ve got a story, a strong opinion, or an idea for an episode… Slide into the DMs or drop us a voice note — we want to include your thoughts in our conversation.
Subscribe now and let’s get into it!
@wilsonandashley
@rebeccawilsonfarming
@charlotteashleyfarm
Powered by Ridgeline Clothing
Whilst we endeavour to research podcast topics to the best of our ability, we cannot guarantee the accuracy and completeness of all conversations and as such, the podcast does not constitute professional advice.

Put your thoughts into the mix
We're starting this week's episode with animal welfare and the UK Government’s new Animal Welfare Strategy for England, which aims to cover farmed animals, pets and wildlife under one policy framework. With proposed changes ranging from livestock production systems to dog breeding and wildlife management, we ask whether one strategy can realistically work for such different animals — and whether farming continues to carry a disproportionate share of the welfare spotlight.
We discuss the role of the supply chain, the risk of UK farmers being undercut by imports produced to lower standards, and whether higher welfare actually leads to better profitability, or if price still dominates consumer choice. 
In the second half, we turn to life online and what it really means to “go offline”. For farmers and rural businesses, social media has become a diary, a marketing tool and a community for support and knowledge transfer — but stepping back could mean both relief and financial risk. We talk about mental wellbeing and whether going offline is even realistic for businesses that rely on digital platforms to survive.
Before we go, we’re delighted to announce BKT and Kirkby Tyres as headline sponsors for our next series, and we’re excited to see the partnership grow.
Join our Listener Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110531760649475/
If you’ve got a story, a strong opinion, or an idea for an episode… Slide into the DMs or drop us a voice note — we want to include your thoughts in our conversation.
Subscribe now and let’s get into it!
@wilsonandashley
@rebeccawilsonfarming
@charlotteashleyfarm
Powered by Ridgeline Clothing
Whilst we endeavour to research podcast topics to the best of our ability, we cannot guarantee the accuracy and completeness of all conversations and as such, the podcast does not constitute professional advice.

Put your thoughts into the mix
Welcome back to Episode 19 of the Wilson & Ashley Podcast — our final episode before Christmas! Somehow, despite an entire year to prepare, we’ve managed to finish on Episode 19 instead of 20 (sorry to those of you who like your round numbers!) A festive combination of poor planning, questionable maths, and general disorganisation. Should we record a bonus episode to fix it? Maybe. Probably. (Almost definitely not.)
Before we fully embrace the Christmas spirit, we tackle a serious and increasingly important issue following an Irish Farmers Journal undercover investigation: the use of antibiotics in livestock production in Brazil, how it links directly to the Mercosur trade deal, and why it matters for the UK and global food systems. We explore what this could mean for animal welfare standards, farming competitiveness, food safety, and antimicrobial resistance against the backdrop of international trade agreements and substandard agricultural imports.
It’s a a serious conversation, but one we felt needed discussion as tensions around the Mercosur trade deal continue and concerns grow about how imported food is produced compared to UK farming standards.
As ever, the episode doesn’t stay entirely on track. Along the way we reflect on how we’ve somehow become serious adults, momentarily forget who Fleetwood Mac are (a low point), debate whether our microphones were actually worth the money, and discover that not everyone knows who Mr Beast is — despite him having hundreds of millions of YouTube subscribers.
The episode wraps up with a Christmas-themed second half, as we touch on the potential of a turkey shortage before the big day and how one journalist decided to take matters into her own hands...
Join us for episode 19 before we attempt to redeem ourselves in the new year… when we may have a big surprise waiting.
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If you’ve got a story, a strong opinion, or an idea for an episode… Slide into the DMs or drop us a voice note — we want to include your thoughts in our conversation.
Subscribe now and let’s get into it!
@wilsonandashley
@rebeccawilsonfarming
@charlotteashleyfarm
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Whilst we endeavour to research podcast topics to the best of our ability, we cannot guarantee the accuracy and completeness of all conversations and as such, the podcast does not constitute professional advice.

Put your thoughts into the mix
In this episode, we’re tackling the controversy around the recent Budget Day farmer protest in London — what was meant to be a well-planned, low-disruption demonstration against the proposed “family farm tax” turned chaotic after the Met Police reversed permissions less than 24 hours before farmers arrived. Tractors were banned from Whitehall, some still made it into central London, a few were seized, and several farmers were arrested simply for bringing their vehicles. We chat through why this happened, the questions Victoria Atkins has now put to the Met, and whether farmers are right to feel they’re experiencing “two-tier policing.” 
We then switch gears to the biodegrading wool video that’s gone viral on social media. One comment really stuck with us: “Every polyester shirt ever produced is still here.” 
With Charlotte’s background in wool processing, we talk through why we shear sheep, UK wool quality, and the realities of the wool market — including our own worked example of just how little profit a 200-ewe flock can make once shearing and labour are accounted for.
We also highlight the real strengths of wool: its ability to absorb moisture, its low environmental footprint, and the fact it naturally locks away carbon — a stark contrast to synthetics.
We also share insights from the British Wool event at St Martins University in London, covering farmer-to-fashion storytelling, consumer perceptions, and the high standards of British sheep farming.
Join our Listener Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110531760649475/
If you’ve got a story, a strong opinion, or an idea for an episode… Slide into the DMs or drop us a voice note — we want to include your thoughts in our conversation.
Subscribe now and let’s get into it!
@wilsonandashley
@rebeccawilsonfarming
@charlotteashleyfarm
Powered by Ridgeline Clothing
Whilst we endeavour to research podcast topics to the best of our ability, we cannot guarantee the accuracy and completeness of all conversations and as such, the podcast does not constitute professional advice.