Lord Plumb on farming's future, Nuffield Scholars conference, Ant gin, Juniper crop

Veteran statesman of UK farming Lord Henry Plumb reflects on the industry's future. Having overseen the UK's entry into the EEC 40 years ago, he considers the years ahead as farmers prepare for a life without EU subsidies.

Nuffield Farming Scholarships can be seen as a great opportunity for young farmers and it's their annual conference at the moment in Newcastle-upon Tyne. Scholars receive grants to visit different farm businesses around the world, which could benefit their businesses and the wider farming community. Anna Jones, BBC producer on Countryfile and Farming Today, and herself a current Nuffield scholar, reports from the conference.

In parts of the world - and in the jungle on TV - eating insects is part of your diet - but what about drinking them? This week on Farming Today we're hearing about different kinds of UK-produced alcohol: we've already tasted vodka made from milk, beer that's brewed with bread and today we're serving up ant-flavoured gin! They're foraged in Kent and the acid the ant secretes is used as flavouring. Clare Worden has been finding out more at Cambridge Distillers. Also, Tommy Haughton of Beacon Commodities explains why there's a shortage of juniper berries this year, used to flavour gin, as the number of craft-distilleries in UK has doubled over the last six years to more than 230.

Presented by Sybil Ruscoe and produced by Mark Smalley.