18/12/23 Welsh magpie row, Christmas farm experience, review into fresh produce sector

Come the new year, it'll be an offence for farmers in Wales to kill or take a magpie. The change in the rules has been introduced after the bird moved onto the amber list of endangered birds, meaning the population has moderately declined and they're in an unfavourable conservation status. Natural Resources Wales says farmers who need to control magpies can apply for a specific licence. But the Countryside Alliance has criticised the decision saying NRW has bowed to campaigners' pressure and it will inevitably mean damage to crops and livestock.

We’ve all heard stories of grotty grottoes and rotten reindeer, when Christmas experiences on wintry farms go wrong. So how do you avoid those pitfalls? One Scottish farm has turned a potential disaster into a successful Santa experience.

Another government review of the supply chain has been announced, this time into fresh produce. It follows the review of the dairy sector and joins ongoing reviews into egg and pork supply chains. This follows concerns from farmers about the fairness of contracts and the prices they're paid for what they produce. The Secretary of State for the Environment, Steve Barclay, says it delivers on commitments made back in May at the Prime Minister's Farm to Fork Summit and that it's only fair that producers should be paid a fair price.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.