FERNCAST

Andrew Muir is the Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and an Alliance Party MLA for North Down. Appointed in February 2024, he focuses on sustainable farming, biodiversity, and implementing new agricultural schemes supported by over £330 million in annual funding.

Ferncast's latest podcast welcomes Martin Collett, Chief Executive Officer of English Rural Housing Association. With over twenty years' experience in rural housing and his farming heritage, Martin brings valuable insights to the conversation. As a corporate member of the Chartered Institute of Housing and University of London graduate, he has cultivated significant expertise in rural community development. His distinguished board portfolio includes trustee positions with the Albert Kennedy Trust and Plunkett Foundation, alongside his directorship of the Rural Services Network. Having previously chaired the Rural Housing Alliance, Martin offers a wealth of knowledge on the challenges and opportunities facing Britain's rural communities.

James Wright is a farmer, agri-tech entrepreneur, and political advocate based on Exmoor. Combining his background in business and agriculture, James has led pioneering projects, including directing an insect farming company transforming animal feed and heading a software firm supporting 6,500 small businesses. Elected as a councillor in 2019, he has championed rural causes, securing £1.6 million in Levelling Up funding and establishing a Nature Recovery Network in partnership with a Wildlife Trust. As South West Chairman of the Conservative Rural Forum, James advocates for rural communities and was the 2024 parliamentary candidate for Bath, cutting the Liberal Democrat majority substantially. A dedicated community leader, he volunteers as a chaplain for the Farming Community Network and is a governor at Petroc College. James farms beef and sheep with his wife on Exmoor and holds a degree in business alongside a postgraduate certificate in agriculture.

In today's Ferncast episode, Martin Lines, Chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, shared his insights on pressing agricultural concerns from his Cambridgeshire farm. The discussion centred on DEFRA's current payment challenges, with Lines expressing concern over delayed disbursements and administrative complexities that affect farm operations and cash flow management. The conversation explored the government's Nature Recovery programme, where Lines highlighted both opportunities and implementation challenges. Drawing from his extensive experience with environmental stewardship schemes, he outlined practical approaches for balancing agricultural productivity with biodiversity enhancement. A significant portion of the dialogue addressed inheritance tax implications for farming families. Lines discussed how current tax structures impact farm succession planning, particularly highlighting concerns about how environmental scheme participation might affect Agricultural Property Relief eligibility. His perspective as a third-generation farmer brought valuable insight to this complex intersection of agricultural policy and inheritance planning.

Joanne Coates is an accomplished visual artist and photographer whose compelling work examines the intersection of class, rurality, and social inequality in contemporary Britain. Based in England's North East, Coates brings a distinctive perspective shaped by her working-class background to create powerful visual narratives that challenge conventional representations of rural life and economic disparity. Through her masterful integration of photography, installation art, and audio elements, Coates uncovers overlooked histories and experiences of communities often absent from mainstream artistic discourse. Her work provides an intimate lens into the complex relationships between identity, power, and economic status, with a particular focus on documenting and elevating working-class experiences in rural settings. As one of Britain's leading voices in socially engaged photography, Coates has earned recognition for her authentic approach to storytelling and her commitment to addressing systemic inequalities through visual arts. Her work not only captures the physical landscape of the North East but also reveals the often-invisible social landscapes that shape life in rural communities.

Mark Pragnell, author of Reigniting Rural Futures, commissioned by the Rural Coalition, and founder of Pragmatix Advisory, has shed light on the profound economic disparity that persists between England’s rural and urban areas. According to Pragnell, the rural economy has been lagging behind urban centres for many years, held back by systemic challenges that limit its growth potential. However, he points out that the present economic climate and policy focus could provide a unique window for change. Pragnell argues that targeted support and tailored initiatives could begin to close the gap, bringing renewed vitality and opportunity to rural communities that have, for too long, been left behind.

This week, we spoke with Catherine Cornelius from the Japanese Rural Revitalization Corps organisation, which aims to promote rural areas. Listen to find out more about her activities.

This week, we caught up with Alice Kershaw, the Wildlife Trusts' Head of Digital Transformation, who explained and went into great detail about her organisation's programme of digital transformation.

We are happy to chat with Gareth Field, Senior Sustainability Consultant for Turner & Townsend, who spoke with us about rural retrofitting of existing homes. Based in Cumbria, Gareth has several years of experience in energy advisory roles. Previously, Gareth led sustainability at South Lakes Housing in Cumbria. He also led the “cold to cosy” initiative. For more information on RISE, including its events and resources, visit its website or connect with it on LinkedIn.

In this episode of FERNCAST, host Daniel Rad sits down with Ted Smith and Dwayne Grech to delve into the fascinating work of Inaka Labs and their efforts in rural development across Japan. The discussion covers the various challenges and opportunities in revitalizing Japan’s rural areas, with a focus on sustainable initiatives, community engagement, and the integration of technology.

Welcome to FernCast, the rural development podcast from the Future Economic Rural Network. In this episode, host Daniel Rad is joined by Ian Merrell from SRUC, a leading expert on rural affairs and development. Following the recent UK election that saw Labour come to power, Daniel and Ian discuss the potential implications for rural areas across the country. They explore the new government's plans for devolution, community asset ownership, and how these compare to Scotland's ongoing land reform efforts. From the challenges faced by diverse rural communities to the impact of large-scale land purchases by financial institutions, this episode offers a timely and insightful look at the changing landscape of rural Britain.

This week we crossed timezones to speak with Luke Dilley from Akita International University, Japan. We discussed how Japan is tackling its rural population decline issues as well as innovations in the country's rural development.

In this week's edition of Ferncast, we interview Dr Veronika Rasic, a doctor in rural England. Veronika discusses the challenges involved in providing care and the ongoing pressures on healthcare providers with strained budgets. Dr Veronika Rasic is the creator and host of the Rural Road to Health Podcast which aims to amplify the stories and voices of rural communities and people working in rural health. As an advocate for rural health equity, Dr Rasic encourages students and early career healthcare professionals to delve into opportunities within rural healthcare. In 2017 she co-founded Rural Seeds, a global network designed for students and early-career health professionals with an interest in rural health. Dr Rasic also holds an executive role within EURIPA (European Rural and Isolated Practitioner Association), she is a part of the WONCA Working Party on Rural Practice and contributes to the WONCA Europe Working Party for Policy Advocacy. Dr Rasic is passionate about working on the intersection between rural health and policy to improve health outcomes for rural communities. Dr Rasic earned her medical degree from the University of Rijeka in Croatia. Her early career in Croatia cantered around pre-hospital emergency medicine and rural primary care. In 2016, she relocated to the UK and by 2019, completed her GP training. She now actively practices as both a locum and digital GP across various primary care settings in the UK while also undertaking a Masters in Global Health Policy with the University of Edinburgh.

In our latest episode of the Ferncast, we spoke with Andy Barr of Barrnon Engineering. Andy has been at the forefront of bringing cutting-edge engineering to a rural area in Cumbria. We met him on-site to interview him about how his companies have developed in recent years.

In this episode, we'll delve into how Phil is bridging the world of technology with environmental activism, his adventures on the saddle fundraising for Protect.earth, and how his initiative is seeding hope by turning barren lands into lush landscapes, one tree at a time. We'll also explore how Protect.earth is fostering partnerships with landowners and farmers to not only tackle climate change but also improve soil quality, making a positive impact on the community.

Don't miss out on this week's exciting episode of Ferncast, where we'll be joined by Professor Simon Pemberton from Keele University. Professor Pemberton is a highly acclaimed expert in rural regeneration and the author of a fascinating book on the topic. Join us as we delve into the captivating world of social and societal advancements in rural areas across the United Kingdom. Be sure to tune in and explore the latest insights with us!

Join us in this captivating episode of the FERN Podcast, where we explore the fascinating intersection of forestry, sustainability, and rural housing with our distinguished guest, Andrew Heald. A sustainability and forestry consultant with over 20 years of industry experience, Heald has worked with a broad array of organizations, from forest product companies like UPM and Mondi to global organizations like the World Wildlife Federation and the Forest Stewardship Council. He is currently associated with the UK Confederation of Forest Industries, focusing on streamlining forest certification in the UK. Heald's valuable insights stem from his longstanding interest in outdoor work, a career that took root while working as a countryside ranger for a timber harvesting company. Tune in to learn about his perspectives on sustainability concerns and rural housing

Tracy Keogh is co-founder and board member of Grow Remote. Grow Remote is a not for profit on a mission to enable people to work, live and participate locally. They do this by making remote work (via employment) both visible and accessible

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Shane Conway, a leading expert in rural and agricultural geography, as we explore the human side of farming and rural sustainability on this week's episode of FERNCAST

Welcome to another episode of FERNCAST! Today, we have a very special guest, Gustavo Segovia, of the Traditional Dream Factory and a passionate advocate for regenerative living. Gustavo and his team are working towards creating a sustainable and regenerative community that positively impacts the environment, economy, and human well-being. In this episode, we'll be exploring Gustavo's journey towards the journey of the Traditional Dream Factory, the unique challenges he's faced, and the impact his work is having on the surrounding community. So grab your headphones and get ready for an inspiring conversation on regenerative living with Gustavo Sergovia on FERNCAST!