19/02/26 Wet weather, Community vets practice

Available for 23 days

The Environment Agency and Met Office are warning of more rain and unsettled weather continuing into March at least. And that’s going to delay essential farm jobs even longer - crops not planted, slurry not spread. For contractors who rely on this work, the forecast is another blow. Their national body - the National Association of Agricultural Contractors - has been meeting in Cornwall to discuss the situation. Its chair Matt Redman told Caz Graham the rain is stopping vital work, and when it finally clears there will be less time to complete the work, putting extra strain on staff and machinery. The UK is facing an acute shortages of vets, particularly in farm animal and public sector roles. A survey last year suggested that more than 40 % of ‘large animal’ vets have considered leaving their jobs, and replacing them will be difficult - many undergraduates who study veterinary science have limited exposure to farmers and agriculture, and choose to specialise in other parts of the profession. Will Golding is a graduate of the University of Nottingham’s vet school and knew from the off that farm vet practice was the career for him. Not having access to a large animal vet makes farming - or crofting - impossible. So when the last vet on the Hebridean Island of Tiree retired and no one came forward to take over the practice, islanders realised they’d have to take matter into their own hands. This week they’ve opened what’s thought to be UK’s first ‘not for profit’ community owned vets. Presented by Caz Graham and produced in Bristol by Sally Challoner