In this podcast of the Rural Futures Hub series, brought to you by Business News Wales, host Carwyn Jones speaks with Prof Mike Christie and Prof Mariecia Fraser, both from Aberystwyth University as well as Jerry Langford of the Woodland Trust. The podcast focuses on what the future options are for managing UK farmland to maximise environmental benefits.
Brexit provides opportunities for the UK government and devolved administrations to develop new ways of targeting agricultural support to better align with policies that address the climate and ecological crises. Drawing on expertise of Aberystwyth University professors Mike Christie and Mariecia Fraser, the podcast explores policy options that promote carbon-friendly farming and nature conservation, along with other ‘ecosystem services’ such as flood protection and providing opportunities for people to enjoy the outdoors. We will also discuss approaches that can be used to assess the value of these environmental benefits to help ensure such policies provide value for money.