Organic and low-input farmers offered free advice on changing farm payments
10th November 2022
Nature-friendly farmers can access free business advice to help with the transition away from BPS payments via a series of events organised by the Soil Association.
The Future Farm Resilience programme sessions, funded by Defra, will be run by Soil Association farming advisors who will provide business planning advice to help farms adapt to the phase out of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) funding.
Any farmer in England currently receiving BPS cash can get involved, but there will be a particular focus on how organic and agroecological farmers can secure government incentives and cost-savings through nature-friendly farming.
The workshops and one-to-one sessions will help low-input farmers to identify the funding options currently available through Countryside Stewardship, and in the upcoming Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS).
Soil Association head of farming Kate Still said: “Nature-friendly farming practices are not only set to receive ongoing government funding, but they can also offer a wide range of cost-savings and provide resilience for farmers in the face of a changing climate.
“We are really pleased to be offering free support for farmers to explore not only the available funding opportunities, but also where they may be able to tweak their farming practices to benefit both nature and their bottom line.
“Farmers are facing lots of uncertainty with considerable change taking place, so we are glad to be able to help them navigate the policy changes and opportunities over the next few years.
“Every farm is different and, as expert advisors working across all types of farming systems, the Soil Association farming team is ideally placed to offer advice that is tailored to each farm’s individual circumstances.”
The programme of advice runs until February 2025, with 18 workshop sessions being offered both in person and online.
The first four, in-person workshops are taking place before Christmas:
North of England
Monday 14 November, 5-7pm
Cross Lanes Organic Farm, Barnard Castle DL12 9RT
Register for free on Eventbrite
South Shropshire
Thursday 17 November, 5.30-7.30pm
Newcastle on Clun Community Centre, near Craven Arms, SY7 8QN
Register for free on Eventbrite
Devon
Wednesday 23 November, 5-7pm
Broadclyst Victory Hall, Broadclyst Exeter EX5 3EE
Register for free on Eventbrite
Kent
Tuesday, 6 December, 5-7pm
Bore Place (Commonwork Organic Farm), Bore Place Road Chiddingstone TN8 7AR
Register for free on Eventbrite
Details on further events will be announced in the coming weeks and months.
Find out first by signing up to the Organic Farming News monthly newsletter or check soilassociation.org/farming-events.
For more information email ffr@soilassociation.org.
