Groundswell 2026: Private money for green farming, Wildfarmed, Kemi Badenoch & 10 years of regenerative agricultureThis week’s Farmers Weekly Podcast comes from the Groundswell show in Hertfordshire, where Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch tells farmers she wants their ideas for a new rural policy.
Speaking to Farmers Weekly, Ms Badenoch says future policy should be shaped by farmers and land managers – not just by officials in Westminster and Whitehall.
We also examine whether private finance can help pay for greener farming, as Lloyds Bank launches the Food and Nature Resilience Fund with Wildfarmed, Severn Trent Water, Affinity Water and AXA.
Plus, Farmers Weekly editor Andrew Meredith joins Hugh Broom and Louise Impey to discuss Defra, countryside stewardship higher tier, harvest progress, private finance and the mood at Groundswell.
And finally, we hear from Groundswell co-founder Alex Cherry as the UK’s leading regenerative farming event marks its 10th anniversary.
This episode is brought to you by Certis Belchim – crop protection specialists.
Special Guests:
* Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party
* Ben Makowiecki, agriculture sustainability director, Lloyds Bank
* Alex Cherry, co-founder, Groundswell
* Andrew Meredith, editor, Farmers Weekly
Chapters
00:00 – Episode introduction from Groundswell
01:03 – Hugh Broom opens the show
01:22 – Kemi Badenoch visits Groundswell
09:07 – Andrew Meredith joins the discussion
11:47 – Countryside stewardship higher tier changes
16:37 – Lloyds Bank launches Food and Nature Resilience Fund
17:06 – Ben Makowiecki explains private finance for regen farming
23:49 – Can private money really support farmers?
27:10 – Harvest report
29:23 – Donald Trump and regenerative farming
30:31 – Contaminated meat and World Cup anti-doping tests
31:47 – Off-grid living, guinea pigs and pigeon meat
32:42 – Sir Peter Kendall calls for more farming optimism
34:23 – Markets: beef, sheep, pigs, cereals and diesel
36:33 – Groundswell marks its 10th anniversary
42:31 – Final reflections from the show
Useful links
Farmers Weekly
Groundswell
Conservative Party
Lloyds Bank Agriculture
Wildfarmed
Soil Association Exchange
Woodland Trust
Defra
This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted Louise Impey and Hugh Broom. Edited and produced by Hugh Broom.
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