Free business advice now available to help farmers prepare for end of BPS
3rd October 2022
The final phase of Defra’s Future Farming Resilience Fund (FFRF) is now live, offering up to 32,000 farmers in England who currently receive direct payments free business advice to help prepare for the upcoming transition.
The Government’s plan to phase out the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) by 2027 will affect farming businesses throughout England. The BPS is currently the largest of all rural grant and payment schemes providing financial support to the farming industry.
The FFRF has been set up by Defra to help farmers and land managers through the upcoming transition period, at the end of which BPS payments will no longer be available. The Government has pledged to unlock funds for investments into farm productivity, the environment, and animal health and welfare.
Although the BPS in England will end after 2023, farmers will continue to receive funding in the form of delinked payments until 2027, according to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). These payments will not require any entitlements or proof of land ownership and will be available to farmers currently in receipt of BPS funding.
To help farming businesses increase resilience and adapt to the changing circumstances, Defra’s FFRF offers free, confidential business advice until March 2025. The initiative has awarded a total of £32 million in grants to 17 organisations in the agricultural industry, who will be assisting farmers in decision making for the future.
The organisations are located across the country and will deliver valuable business insight tailored to each farm, Defra says. Some offer farm visits and one-to-one consultations, after which the farmer will receive a report outlining recommendations. Others will provide free workshops, webinars, tours and networking opportunities so farmers can support each other.
Advice provided via the FFRF aims to help farmers and land managers to:
- Understand the changes that lie ahead and how the reductions to direct payments will impact their business
- Adapt their business models to avoid major financial losses
- Access tailored support on aspects such as: business planning, performance recording, and succession planning.
Defra is encouraging farmers throughout England who currently receive direct payments and want to develop a strong and sustainable business strategy for the future to take advantage of the opportunity. So far, 6,600 farmers have benefitted from the free advice.
To view the list of organisations offering free advice in your area, visit: GOV.UK | Organisations giving free advice in your area
