When Defra officials recently suggested farmers could boost profitability by making crisps or gin, it triggered justified eye-rolling across the farming community. While adding value to produce is a valid route to diversification, it’s not a silver bullet and it certainly isn’t universally applicable. With a new Labour government in post, the question isn’t whether […]

Everyone said food production would fall. That farms would go wild, SFI would green the landscape, and environmentalism would take root across the countryside. But the reality? It’s not quite what was expected. After the closure of SFI to new applicants — and with the scheme’s ever-evolving, unpredictable structure — many landowners, ourselves included, are […]

British farming stands at a crossroads. With the average farmer income from cereal production now on a par with minimum wage and environmental regulations tightening their grip — the writing is on the barn wall. But out of this uncertainty emerges a new opportunity: to position farming not as a policy problem, but as a […]

Farmers are advised to diversify, but they also have to deal with increasing taxes, land seizures, and policy reversals. When stability is continuously threatened, how can rural enterprises make plans for the future? The government must offer the stability required to invest in, expand, and maintain land-based enterprises if it genuinely wants farmers to be […]

Rural Development Bottleneck: Farm Diversification and DNO Challenges Rural businesses and farms seeking to diversify often face a major obstacle: securing additional power supplies. Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), which control local grid connections, are notorious for their slow and costly processes. These monopolistic structures leave little room for alternative providers, creating a significant barrier for […]

As we move through what has been a challenging autumn so far, with its unfavourable weather conditions, many farmers are feeling the pressure. That’s why we believe the upcoming Farm Business Innovation Show 2024 is all the more important, taking place on the 6th and 7th of November at the NEC, Birmingham. This event is […]

Positive Thinking Day: Finding Opportunity and Optimism for Rural Businesses The old Chinese proverb says, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.”    It’s a reminder that although missed opportunities can feel like setbacks, there’s always a chance to start fresh, right now. For farmers […]

Masterplanning – The Key to Long-Term Diversification Success? In the ever-evolving landscape of rural enterprise, diversification is more than just a buzzword—it’s a strategic imperative. Rural businesses can no longer “stand still” and must adapt to thrive in times of uncertainty and change. However, to achieve this, they need to be fully aware of the […]

Enterprise Stacking Explained What is Enterprise Stacking? Enterprise Stacking means running several enterprises alongside one another, where the output of one production cycle contributes to the inputs of another.  In generative agriculture, this might mean that your free-range chickens graze on the aftermath of an arable crop; their waste is then used as fertiliser for […]

Five Lessons in Farming Diversification Farm diversification comes with all sorts of challenges, pitfalls and opportunities. Having been there and done that, we can tell you from our own experience that you cannot avoid making mistakes and neither can you predict the future: rural businesses operate within a continually changing landscape in terms of the […]