21/10/26 Wildfires report, pear harvest, planting plans

Available for 29 days

A report by MPs says this year's wildfires exposed severe weaknesses in our ability to tackle them, and that immediate action must be taken to ensure an effective response next year. The Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee heard more than 1,300 wildfires broke out this year - the highest number on record. It says the government needs a national strategy. This week we are looking at top fruit. It has been a tough year for many growers, a difficult spring followed by an extremely hot and dry summer has affected harvests – but there has been a silver lining. British pear growers say all that sunshine has meant some of the sweetest fruit they have ever grown. However, in spite of the quality of this year's crop, there are concerns about the future of British pear orchards. More than half of pear orchards are more than 21 years old, and the number of new trees being planted has fallen dramatically. The scramble for online for funding under the Sustainable Farming Incentive or SFI, left thousands of farmers with nothing. Some had technical problems, others were too late. SFI funding pays farmers for carrying out environmental actions which improve their land, and the wider habitat on their farms. Those left with no funding will now have to decide whether to stop managing their land for the environment or carry on without payments. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney