Countryfile star Adam Henson gave viewers a candid insight into the realities of farming during Sunday's episode of the beloved BBC programme. The 60-year-old farmer, who has been a familiar face on the show since 2001, opened up about the significant challenges facing the agricultural sector.
Behind the Scenes at Bemborough Farm
Away from his Countryfile filming commitments, Henson runs his agricultural business from Bemborough Farm in Gloucestershire. The location also operates as the Cotswolds Farm Park, attracting thousands of visitors each year. During the episode, Henson took viewers behind the scenes to discuss the mounting pressures on modern farming.
Rising Costs and Global Pressures
Henson said: "Rare breeds might be my passion, but it's arable farming that usually pays the bills here." He highlighted the impact of external forces beyond farmers' control, noting that red diesel prices have nearly doubled and fertiliser costs have risen by around a third following the conflict in Iran. He asked his farm manager, Martin: "With these external forces that are out of our control, it's so difficult to plan, isn't it? How do you manage that as a farm manager?"
Martin admitted: "It's really difficult, to be quite honest. So energy, fuel, fertiliser, and labour are our biggest costs. Our usage, we've reined back quite a lot. We've reduced the amount of cultivations we're doing. We're trying to make everything work as effective as possible." He added that despite using GPS technology and efficient practices, costs remain high when fuel deliveries arrive.
Market Volatility and Adaptation
Henson pointed out the global nature of grain commodity prices, saying: "Particularly with the grain commodity prices, we're sort of at the hands of the world, aren't we? Because we're such a small producer on a global scale." Martin agreed, noting the difficulty of producing goods only to be told the selling price, which has seen only a slight improvement that makes little difference. Costs continue to escalate beyond their control.
In a pre-recorded segment, Henson explained: "There's not much more we can do to cut our inputs, but one thing we are trying across the farm is growing different crops together to create more diversity and naturally fix nitrogen in the ground, which could help reduce how much fertiliser we need next year."
Outlook for the Season
When Henson asked about overall cropping, Martin expressed cautious confidence: "Fields will be better than last year, Adam. Last year was a disaster" due to a severe drought. He added: "I think crops are looking really well. We just need to be really careful on what we spend with them. It's a very fine balance."
Henson ended the segment on a positive note: "Despite all the pressures this year, it's been a good spring for planting and for young stock on the farm."
Countryfile continues on Sundays on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
