Sustainable Farming and Landscapes - Advice and Inspiration
Key Players and Networks
Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
The AHDB is well known as an advisory service, and their website hosts a huge wealth of resources. AHDB supports knowledge exchange with research projects and farmers sharing their own Farm Excellence projects.
The Environment
Resources to help you to make your business more productive and profitable, while lowering your carbon emissions and environmental impact. Visit the Environment library.
The GREATsoils page
AHDB practical information and guidance on soil and improve its productivity.
Slurry Wizard
Work out slurry storage requirements, explore options and comply with regulations.
Carbon footprinting tool
Calculate the footprint of oilseed rape or cereals.
Excess winter rainfall tool
How to use excess winter rainfall data to plan nitrogen applications.
LEAF integrated farm management logo
Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF)
For over 30 years, LEAF has been developing and promoting sustainable agriculture through Integrated Farm Management.
Discover LEAF’s many resources and projects, including their Simply Sustainable Series of technical guidance booklets covering: plastics, soil, water, biodiversity, biosecurity and Integrated Pest Management. Simple, free, practical advice and case studies to help farmers deliver more sustainable, regenerative farming through Integrated Farm Management.
UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
From their website:
The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) is the UK's Centre of Excellence for integrated research into land and freshwater ecosystems and their interaction with the atmosphere. CEH is part of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and employs more than 450 people at four major sites in England, Scotland and Wales. CEH tackles complex environmental challenges to deliver practicable solutions so that future generations can benefit from a rich and healthy environment.
Future Farming Resilience
Navigating the Agricultural Transition
Free information and business skills development workshops to help farmers and land managers navigate the changes brought about by the Agricultural Transition.
From their website:
Please join our newsletter to receive updates about the programme, as well as additional agricultural support, grants schemes and news from Defra.
The support is free and available from October 2022 to any farmer or land manager currently in receipt of BPS payments. We are able to support farmers throughout Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Heart of the South West Growth Hub provides independent diagnosis and referrals to business support schemes and sources of further support.
Catchment Based Approach
The CaBA website has a focus on the water environment and catchments - it includes an online discussion forum, training and knowledge resources, examples of best practice, tools and delivery case studies. Explore their online community platform and knowledge hub for all sectors, organisations and individuals.
CaBA's online Agricultural Advice hub is still under construction but already has a wide range of tools and guidance for farmers.
CaBA is building a new interactive map for farmers to explore the context of local catchments in relation to their farmland. Discover the Farm Context Tool.
SA logo
The Soil Association
The Soil Association is more than just a certifier of organic standards, it also provides farmer advice and support through its Farming and Land Use team and as part of FFR.
The SA actually owns farms through its Land Trust including Summerhill Farm in Mid Devon. The SA runs public education campaigns, supports research - involved in networks such as Innovative Farmers - and publishes blog articles on sustainable food and farming.
Explains what the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery schemes are, and how you can get involved.
Funding for farmers, growers, land managers
Grants and other funding to increase productivity, benefit the environment and support your business.
Farming in England
Defra's blog:
"Farming is going through the biggest change in a generation. Government's approach to working with the sector is changing too."
From the Defra website:
Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in England will be replaced with delinked payments in 2024. Visit GOV.UK for the official guidance on delinking.
Don't forget, you can also get free business advice through the Future Farming Resilience Fund.
Visit Funding for Farmers on GOV.UK for details of new schemes and links to apply.
The Payments for Farmers booklet contains details of new funding opportunities. It replaces the previous 'Farming is Changing booklet'.
The Farming Advice Service (FAS) funded by Defra provides free, confidential advice to farmers and advisers to help them understand and meet requirements for cross-compliance, water use and quality, and integrated pest management.
Call the FAS on 03000 200 301 or find out more online.
The NFU
The National Farmers' Union Net Zero campaign.
From their website:
We understand that farmers and growers hold the power to make a massive contribution to combat climate warming. As a policy priority, we aim to point to the best guidance and support to help you on your net zero journey. We want farmers and growers to be more confident than ever before in building sustainable and resilient farming businesses.
The CLA
The Country Land and Business Association has a range of campaigns such as on Natural Capital.
From their website:
Search the CLA Natural Capital Directory to help find specialist companies dealing with natural capital. Visit the directory.
The Business of Natural Capital
What is natural capital, how can you measure it and why should landowners care?
Nature Friendly Farming Network
The Nature Friendly Farming Network
From their website:
We are a group of farmers who have come together to champion a way of farming which is sustainable and good for nature. We come from a range of backgrounds big and small, organic and conventional and are passionate about ensuring our countryside is productive and bursting with wildlife. We hope you will join us to help highlight that farming and nature can go hand in hand. The network is open to farmers and the public alike and there is no cost to join.
The NFFN will raise awareness of nature friendly farming, share insights and experience and work together for better policies for food and farming.
CFE farmer resources
Championing the Farmed Environment
The CFE is A partnership of agricultural, environmental and governmental bodies, promoting good environmental management through productive farming practices.
The CFE hosts events and offers free advisory resources online, including webinar recordings, research papers and guidance.
Explore the CFE Environmental Management pages.
Discover detailed guidance on a wide range of nutrient management techniques with CFE partner Tried & Tested.
Download the CFE guide to soil management for your farm business for an overview of good soil management.
FWAG
FWAG South West
The Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group South West
From their website:
For over 50 years, FWAG SW provide independent advice and delivering real change on farmland by working with land managers and landowners. Combining an understanding of farming systems, land management and farm businesses with habitat creation, habitat management and species conservation, FWAG SW is able to effect positive environmental change in the wider landscape.
We also focus on helping farm businesses manage their natural capital assets like soil, water and carbon. FWAG SW specialises in making government policy, environmental incentives, regulations and emerging environmental markets accessible for farmers and land managers at a practical delivery level.
Community Supported Agriculture
From their website:
CSA is a partnership between farmers and consumers in which the responsibilities, risks and rewards of farming are shared.
Find out more about the CSA business model here. And, there are lots of great examples of successful CSA’s on our Case Study page.
We have been helping CSA’s get started and supporting their growth since 2013. See the different ways we help CSA’s in the UK.
Farm Wilder
From their website:
Britain’s countryside is being devastated by intensive farming. Farm Wilder works with farmers who do things differently, farming regeneratively and bringing biodiversity back. We supply meat to a range of butchers, and to charcuterie company Ember Snacks. We also have our own online shop www.farmwilder.co.uk, a partnership with Devon butcher M.C. Kelly.
Ecological Land Cooperative
From their website:
Our vision is of a living, working countryside where land is valued in a way that enhances both the local community and the natural world. We also want to support new entrants into agriculture by making access to land a reality for all – not just the few.
We want to see low-impact, land based livelihoods flourish. We believe that land should be stewarded in a way that produces healthy and ecologically sound food and land-based products – now, and into the future.
Devon Wildlife Trust
From their website:
We have lost incredible amounts of our wildlife. Species which once thrived in Devon have gone; many others which were commonplace are now rare.
We need urgent change. It is time to put nature into recovery. We need to restore what has been lost and we need to do this on a grand scale. This means being bold: restoring degraded landscapes and seas, recreating wildlife habitat, reintroducing key species that have become locally extinct and properly protecting what we still have.
Everyone can play a role in nature's recovery and this is where our work starts - shoulder to shoulder with all who love Devon and its wildlife.
Farming in Protected Landscapes
FiPL in the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
From their website:
Through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, farmers and land managers can be supported to carry out projects that support nature recovery, mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and cultural heritage, or support nature-friendly, sustainable farm businesses. This is a programme of funding for one-off projects covering these areas of work, not an agri-environment scheme.
The programme is part of Defra’s Agricultural Transition Plan. It has been developed by Defra with the support of a group of AONB and National Park staff from across the country.
North Devon Biosphere
From their website:
The North Devon Biosphere is a place where people and nature come together in our world-class environment of dunes, grassland and moors, towns and villages, and coast and sea. We are proud to be a UNESCO World Biosphere and our mission is to connect people and nature to inspire a positive future today.
Orchards Live
From their website:
Since 2002 we have been helping people create, restore and expand their orchards throughout the northern part of Devon through a team of very experienced, dedicated and knowledgeable people.
We run many training courses throughout the year covering all aspects of 'standard' orchard management.
Regularly organising events , talks and visits to encourage orchard development in northern Devon.
Westcountry Rivers Trust
Westcountry Rivers Trust is an environmental charity.
From their website:
We care for your rivers, streams, brooks, estuaries and wetlands.
Through science, evidence and experience, our charity preserves, protects and improves the region’s freshwater environments for all who depend on them.
Our aim is to inspire a long-term love for, and understanding of, this vital natural resource.
Connecting the Culm
A local partnership project - due to be completed in 2022 but with an important legacy for the whole of the Culm community and catchment landscape.
From their website:
Creating a Better Future for the River Culm.
Working with nature and local communities, we aim to make the river better for wildlife and people, and more resilient to flood and drought. We want to collaborate with those living in the River Culm catchment to help solve the river’s problems. As a part of this, we will use proven nature-based solutions that provide many other benefits too.