Farming Today - 13/09/2010

Charlotte Smith hears calls for government to buy more British food for the public sector. 2 billion pounds is spent each year, but some departments buy more than half their food abroad. Alex Jackson from Sustain claims much of that food is poor quality, and raised with poor animal welfare. As government spending is reduced, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board's new HQ building is shelved. The board's chair, Tom Taylor, fears that the research activity of the board may suffer as a result. And with 10 dairy farmers leaving the industry each month, every competitive advantage needs to be seized. Farming Today visits the Dairy Event at Birmingham's NEC, where gadgets on show include a robotic milker, which can check a cows health, milk her and feed her, while the farmer gets on with other jobs. Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Melvin Rickarby.