Farming Today - 12/08/2026 Controversial cattle cull, impact of drought on fish stocks, salads. - BBC Sounds

Farmers in Northern Ireland are divided after a cull of 51 cattle carried out in June by a humane slaughter team from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in County Tyrone. The government said it was a last resort following a court order stripping the owner of “all farmed animals” due to a previous animal welfare conviction. The operation triggered widespread controversy, including claims the killings were visible to the public and questions about why the animals had to be killed. Hundreds of farmers protested outside Stormont, and the DAERA minister has ordered an investigation into how it was handled.