'Farm Quiz', 1987

Radio programme created by Dennis Rookard, probably for the British Forces Broadcasting Service, called ‘Farm Quiz’ (SA 19/1/62/1 Part 5). Rookard reports on an event at Retreat Farm, Little Baddow, organised by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Development and Advisory Service in association with Essex Young Farmers and Union Hunt to highlight countryside and conservation issues.

While Essex Young Farmers are still going strong, Retreat Farm is now run as a holistic living centre. The soundscape is probably much more subdued than the background noises you can hear in this recording: fewer squawking geese and energetic youths, more serene birdsong?

It is also interesting to note the reported shift towards focusing on conservation issues. The conservation movement had been gathering momentum in the UK since the 1970s, resulting in key legislation such as the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act. Environmental considerations are now integral to farming in the UK.