Farming Today - 22/10/2010

Defra faces cuts of around 30% over the next 4 years, much bigger than the average cut in government spending. It's lost more than half of the quangos which advised it on matters from pesticides to agricultural wages, and is expected to lose around 8,000 staff. On Farming Today, Charlotte Smith reports on the impact of the spending cuts in the British countryside from more money for environmental schemes to less money for rural buses. Yesterday, The Secretary of State for the Environment told Farming Today that this level of cut at Defra was unavoidable because of the deficit run up by the last Government. Caroline Spelman described the settlement she's reached as 'reasonable'. On the programme this morning, Shadow Secretary of State, Mary Creagh tells why she believes it is too much too fast. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Anna Varle.