23/10/23 - Seasonal worker treatment, Hereford livestock mart, native oysters

Nearly half the seasonal workers on farms inspected by the Home Office complained about their treatment... that's one of the findings of an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism which is published this morning. The Bureau was granted access to reports from 19 farm inspections made between 2021 and 22 after a Freedom of Information battle with the Government - it says 44 % of the 845 workers interviewed by Home Office inspectors raised problems - from racism to being denied medical care and not being paid for all the hours worked.

Many livestock marts have moved from city centre sites to the edge of town - and for one of the largest marts in the country in Hereford its been a good move. It's seen sales quadruple since it relocated in 2011 to a purpose built, seven million pound facility on the outskirts of the city.

Native oysters used to be plentiful in the Solent, but numbers have declined to almost nothing. Now, environmentalists are trying to encourage re-generation with a five year project. We join local school children as they take part, releasing a thousand young oysters off West Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

Presented by Charlotte Smith
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons