Farming into the future

Farming into the future

Author: BBC Radio 5 Live August 18, 2026 Duration: 51:26

Sean Farrington speaks to a farm tech company trying to solve the double-whammy of drought and increasing costs which are impacting farmers this year.

Elsewhere, we look at the potential consequences of Meta's child privacy trial, which accuses the owner of Instagram and Facebook of violating federal and state privacy laws for children.

Also would you like to have a go at being Prime Minister? Well, a new mobile game has been storming the charts - and it allows you to do just that. We'll hear from the game's designer.

Elsewhere we'll hear why declining summer school student numbers might be back for the wider UK economy.


Each weekday morning, Wake Up to Money cuts through the noise to deliver clear, timely analysis of the forces shaping your finances and the global economy. Produced by BBC Radio 5 Live, this long-running podcast provides more than just headlines; it offers context and insight you can actually use. You’ll hear expert interviews and straightforward explanations on everything from mortgage rates and pension changes to the broader business trends influencing markets from London to Tokyo and New York. The focus is on making sense of complex topics, turning the day’s financial news into actionable understanding. Tune in for a grounded start to your day, with the latest market movements and personal finance updates presented in a digestible, authoritative format. This is essential listening for anyone who wants to navigate their economic world with greater confidence, all before the first cup of coffee.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Wake Up to Money
Podcast Episodes
Eye on AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:22
Will Bain wraps up a big week in the AI race. Elsewhere, he hears what new tariffs could mean for British steel and asks what the future holds for Netflix.
The Festivals of Britain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:19
Sean hears how rising costs are creating an uncertain future for Britain's festivals. Elsewhere, Sean heats about a new round of tariffs announced by President Trump.
An Xclusive Offer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:08
Sean Farrington hears about how ordinary British investors will have the chance to buy shares in SpaceX before it lists on the stock market. Elsewhere, England's MPs launch a fresh inquiry into the student loan system, a…
Benefit of the stout [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:33
Will Bain hears how Anthropic's potential stock market listing could heat up the AI race. Elsewhere, the price of aluminium hits a four-year high and the boss of Wetherspoons explains why he is adding an alternative stou…
Bouncebackability [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:13
Felicity Hannah speaks to a small business owner who has paid off their COVID loans and finds out how many of the government-backed loans handed out during the COVID pandemic have been repaid. She also looks at the demis…
Down the drain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:16
Felicity Hannah hears from businesses in Kent experiencing water outages in the heatwave. Plus, we go behind the scenes of a data centre in London to find out if they're putting the UK on the map when it comes to AI.
Brick by brick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:04
The UK's biggest housebuilder tells us it's the worst time for first-time buyers since 2008. Elsewhere, we hear that the UK risks creating a stolen generation if it doesn't bring more young people into employment. And ah…
Cool profits in a hot market [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:23
As the UK continues to sizzle in the heat, retailers tell this programme about how sales of air conditioning units have spiked alongside temperatures.Elsewhere we'll take a look at the plight of energy giant BP, who have…
Heat waves and tensions cool? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:03
The boss of Next warns of a "dramatic fall" in entry level opportunities in the UK. Elsewhere, the government launches a review into early years childcare - and we get the latest on how a US deal with Iran could impact g…