Welcome to Shed Talks

In this episode of Shed Talks, hosts Naomi Williams-Roberts and Josh Redford shine a spotlight on rural crime and the resilience of farming families. Naomi speaks with Surrey farmer Sally, who has faced repeated incidents of fly tipping, gates being cut, and even an attempted burglary on her farm. Sally shares the emotional toll of confronting offenders, including one frightening moment with her young daughter in the car.

In Westminster, Olivia Phoenix and Ruairi Hodges provide an update on rural crime policy and the countdown to the Budget. They examine the NFU’s long‑running lobbying on livestock worrying, expected to become law later this year, and outline the priorities on the #StopTheFamilyFarmTax campaign. With activity from Police and Crime Commissioners and the Home Office, the segment highlights how political engagement is shaping the future of rural security and farm business resilience.

We also catch up with Berkshire Farm Girl, Eleanor Gilbert, who is documenting her first US harvest run. Travelling 2,200 miles across multiple states with Paplow Harvesting & Trucking, Eleanor offers an unfiltered look at life on the road: early starts, long convoys of combines, relentless heat, and the sheer scale of American grain production. She reflects on the shocks, challenges and lessons learnt from operating in a high‑pressure, large‑scale system, and what she hopes to bring back to her career in UK agriculture.

Key themes and takeaways:

• Rural crime has financial, emotional and welfare impacts on farming families
• Security measures and local networks are vital for resilience
• NFU lobbying is pushing livestock worrying legislation towards law
• Budget decisions will be critical for family farm taxation and viability
• Large‑scale US harvest runs reveal the extremes of global agriculture
• International experience gives young farmers new skills and perspectives

Listen now on the NFU App, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

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