Farming Transformation Fund – Slurry Infrastructure Grant
The first application round for the Slurry Infrastructure Grant is now open ( as of 6th December 2022) and will remain open until 31st January 2023.With increasing scrutiny and attention towards the farming industry surrounding pollution caused by poor slurry management, there is now more pressure than ever placed on farmers to ensure good...
Rural England Prosperity Fund – Levelling Up the Rural Economy
The Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF), is described by DEFRA as a complementary top-up to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The REPF appears to be a successor of the LEADER or Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) which will be familiar to many. The REPF fund was released by DEFRA to function alongside the existing Farming in Protected...
What are the major concerns facing British farmers today?
Harvest, yields, field fires, drought, markets, winter drilling campaigns, input prices, and so on. Farmers’ minds are currently occupied with major events, processes and decision-making synonymous with this time of and the current climate. Speaking with others within the industry and reading through farming press, it appears as though these...
What can you do to limit the impact of rising temperatures on your farm?
This week we saw field fires in multiple counties across the UK. This unprecedented heat seen throughout the UK has brought to light the growing impact of climate change on our countryside. It has become increasingly clear that, while these are currently exceptional circumstances, they will eventually turn into yearly occurrences, as we have seen...
Added Value Grant – A New Opportunity
As we have often discussed, the funding of farm diversification projects appears to be a significant obstacle for many farm businesses. Many diversification projects require large amounts of capital expenditure. The current market volatility and soaring input costs place UK farmers in a position where they face larger than ever, looming operational...
Class R Permitted Development
Many farms have outdated, redundant or underutilised buildings, originally constructed for the purpose of serving the agricultural enterprise. Technological advancements and changing circumstance often creates the scenario where a particular building is no longer fit for agricultural use.Sound familiar? Could these buildings be put to a better use,...
Class Q Permitted Development
Do you have outdated, underutilised and decaying farm buildings? Have you ever thought about the opportunity to convert them into residential dwellings? If so, Class Q permitted development rights may be of interest to you.Rural house prices remain high and the bullish demand seen recently seems set to remain constant. The rural housing market...
Woodland Creation and Agroforestry
The pressure to meet the UK net zero target is rising. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) latest report stated that limiting global warming to around 1.5°C will require global greenhouse gas emissions to peak before 2025 at the very latest, and must be reduced by 43% by 2030; methane emissions must also be reduced by...
Top 2022 Consumer Trends
Like any business across any sector, it is important that farm diversification is targeted towards the consumer. Consumer trends continue to change, with a significant shift in focus being brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the climate change crisis and advances in digitalisation. To remain relevant and sustain sales, businesses must tailor...
Grant Funding for Farm Diversification
We often find the funding of farm diversification projects to be a significant obstacle for many farm businesses. This is especially true if the nature of the enterprise itself requires a large amount of upfront capital to get it off the ground. Projects involving the conversion or construction of buildings would be a good example of this. Farm...