Through the Farmer Collaboration Fund, government wants to support farmers and land managers to turn best practice into common practice by making it easier for them to share knowledge with each other.
We’re inviting farmers and land managers to hear our latest plans and share their thoughts at a series of in-person workshops.
Working together for better outcomes
Working together can help reduce costs, spread risk, upskill people and inform better business planning.
It enables those who manage the land to test new approaches collectively, share evidence about what works, and access opportunities that are difficult to reach alone.
Across the country, farmers and land managers are already joining forces to tackle challenges and seize opportunities beyond the farm gate.
Neighbouring holdings are working as one to improve soil and water management across whole catchments, coordinating action along rivers that run through multiple farms.
By sharing knowledge and pooling resources, they can make more targeted, cost-effective decisions that benefit their own businesses as well as the wider landscape.
Collaboration also strengthens their position when seeking private investment. Groups can make a clearer, more compelling case for support for outcomes like cleaner water, nature recovery and carbon storage – funding that is far harder to secure farm by farm.
Others are restoring hedgerows and habitat networks at scale, reconnecting wildlife corridors and creating more resilient landscapes. In some places, groups are pooling data and effort to test new approaches, share what is working and what is not, and reduce risk for individual businesses.
This collective learning helps them to upskill, adopt new practices with confidence and build more robust long-term plans.
Over the next 3 years, the £30 million fund will support these existing networks and help new ones get started, so more can benefit from shared expertise, stronger bargaining power and better business resilience.
Join our workshops
The in-person workshops will begin with a short presentation from our team to talk through our thinking, then we’ll move into a guided workshop discussion.
Each event lasts 2 hours, and refreshments will be provided.
Places are limited, so if you’re interested in a practical discussion and sharing your views, we encourage you to register.
| Date | Time | Location | Registration link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 March | 6pm to 8pm | Ashford, Kent |
Register to attend (Ashford, Kent – 11 March 2026) |
| 17 March | 6pm to 8pm | Lincoln, Lincolnshire |
Register to attend (Lincoln, Lincolnshire – 17 March 2026) |
| 18 March | 6pm to 8pm | Norwich, Norfolk |
Register to attend (Norwich, Norfolk – 18 March 2026) |
| 19 March | 6pm to 8pm | Thirsk, North Yorkshire |
Register to attend (Thirsk, North Yorkshire – 19 March 2026) |
| 25 March | 6pm to 8pm | Carlisle, Cumbria |
Register to attend (Carlisle, Cumbria – 25 March 2026) |
| 26 March | 6pm to 8pm | Hexham, Northumberland |
Register to attend (Hexham, Northumberland – 26 March 2026) |
| 31 March | 6pm to 8pm | Ludlow, Shropshire |
Register to attend (Ludlow, Shropshire – 31 March 2026) |
| 13 April | 6pm to 8pm | Exeter, Devon |
Register to attend (Exeter, Devon – 13 April 2026) |
| 14 April | 1pm to 3pm | Winchester, Hampshire |
Register to attend (Winchester, Hampshire – 14 April 2026) |
We look forward to seeing you there!
Subscribe to the Farming Blog
To keep up to date as plans develop, and for future opportunities to work with us, subscribe to the Farming Blog for the latest updates.
The 
32 comments
Comment by Pat Thornton posted on
Hi, I attended the recent Lincoln meeting and had a couple of further questions is there anyway I could contact our table facilitator? With thanks, Pat
Comment by The Team posted on
Hi Pat,
Thanks for getting in touch, and for attending the event. I'll pass your message on to the events team and contact the facilitator.
Best wishes,
The Team
Comment by Mick Holding posted on
The information given refers to 'existing groups' but the SoS referred to 'forming farm clusters' too. Please could you clarify whether the Collaboration Fund could be used to help form new groups.. or, if not, to define what would constitute a 'group'. Thanks.
Comment by The Team posted on
Hi Mick,
Thank you for your question and apologies if it wasn't clear. Yes, the fund will support existing networks and help new ones get started.
Hope that helps,
The Team
Comment by Jemma Batten posted on
Hi, I'm unable to attend any of the in person workshops listed so am requesting that you offer at least one online event. I have been facilitating farmer groups since 2012 so I think I have something to offer.
Comment by beckybriggs posted on
Hi Jemma,
Thank you for getting in touch. I've shared your request with the policy and events team, I'll also e-mail you separately.
Best wishes,
The Team
Comment by Mary Alford posted on
Your April date for Exeter is right in the middle of upland lambing & cattle turnout can you do another Devon day please
Comment by The Team posted on
Hi Mary,
Thank you for your suggestion, I've shared this request with the policy and events team and it will help inform our future plans. I'll also e-mail you separately.
Best wishes,
The Team
Comment by Emily Martey posted on
Rivers Trusts would be perfectly placed to help support or facilitate farmer collaboration within river catchments - particularly around sharing best practice for managing water for neighbouring landholdings across a river. Are Rivers Trusts involved in these workshops? We at Trent Rivers Trust would love to attend or feed in somehow, but due to the gap in the midlands/north, we would struggle.
Comment by The Team posted on
Hi Emily,
Thank you for sharing your suggestion, I will share this with the policy team now. I'll also e-mail you separately about workshop attendance.
Best wishes,
The Team
Comment by Amy Hughes posted on
I would like to be kept up to date with the online date please. Thanks
Comment by Gareth Dalglish posted on
I work for a Norfolk MP who is on the EFRA Select Committee. We have shared the invitation to the workshop in Norwich on 18 March with over 40 farmers in the constituency who we have engaged with. However they are reporting back that the workshop is already fully booked. Please can to create more places? Th e Norfolk Showground is a large venue so it is unlikely that the venue is at capacity. Thank you.
Comment by Sarah Stewart posted on
Thanks Gareth. I sent your comment to the FCF team. They're working on another in person and online event. As soon as those are confirmed, I'll ask them to update this post.
Sarah
Comment by Gareth Dalglish posted on
Thank you!
Comment by Victoria Nye posted on
LOok forward to hearing the date for an online workshop and or one in the Cirencester /Chippenham/Bristol/Marlborough area. thank you.
Comment by Chloe Palmer posted on
Given that we have more than five successful farmer groups in the Peak District, it is very disappointing that there are no events near to us. The nearest is either Lincoln or Thirsk, both of which are over 2 hours drive. I am the facilitator of three groups and I am really keen to give my views but this distance is a barrier to attendance and will certainly put the farmers in my group off attending.
We would welcome an event nearer to us.
Thank you
Chloe Palmer
Facilitator, Hope Valley Farmers, Hayfield Farmers and Bradfield Farmers.
Comment by Sarah Stewart posted on
Hi Chloe,
Thank you for raising this — and for wanting to get involved. I shared your comment with the FCF team and they are now scheduling another in-person session, plus an online event. The team is finalising the details now. As soon as everything is confirmed, I’ll update the post.
Best wishes,
Sarah
Comment by Stephen posted on
What about Bedfordshire?
Comment by Sarah Stewart posted on
Thank you for getting in touch. I shared your comment with the FCF team, and they are now scheduling an online session. As soon as the details are confirmed, I’ll update the post.
Best wishes,
Sarah
Comment by W Dimsdale posted on
Pity if you are a farmer just North of London, ie, Herts, Beds and Bucks, having Norwich as the option isn’t entirely helpful.
Comment by Sarah Stewart posted on
Hello,
Thank you for getting in touch. I shared your comment with the FCF team, and they are now scheduling an online session. As soon as the details are confirmed, I’ll update the post.
Best wishes,
Sarah
Comment by Christine Harding posted on
Farmers in the Northwest (Lancs, Cheshire) East Midlands (Derbyshire, Staffs) not likely to engage here - closest locations are a long way off.
Comment by Sarah Stewart posted on
Hi Christine,
Thank you for raising this — and for your interest in getting involved. I shared your comment with the FCF team, and they are now exploring options for an in-person session as well as an online event. As soon as everything is confirmed, I’ll update the post.
Best wishes,
Sarah
Comment by Chloe Palmer posted on
Many thanks Sarah
That's great to know. I can then alert all the farmers in my groups to this date.
Thank you
Chloe
Comment by Ffio Welford posted on
Are any workshops planned for north Oxfordshire please?
Comment by Sarah Stewart posted on
Hello,
I shared your comment with the FCF team and they are putting an online session in the diary now. They’re just working through the final details, and I’ll update the post as soon as everything’s confirmed.
Best wishes,
Sarah
Comment by Ffio Welford posted on
Thank you Sarah, much appreciated.
Comment by Hamish Evans posted on
can you do some online? our area and many other cluster groups not covered by these locations
Comment by Sarah Stewart posted on
Yes! I shared your comment with the FCF team and they’re putting an online session in the diary now. They’re just working through the final details, and I’ll update the post as soon as everything’s confirmed.
Best wishes,
Sarah
Comment by Luci Isaacson BEM MSc posted on
Yes please for us in Cornwall too, we need in presence preferably, but online would be great thank you.
Comment by Richard Means posted on
Will there be any events in the middle of the country?! Not very convenient.
Comment by Sarah Stewart posted on
Hi Richard,
Thank you for raising this - and for your interest in getting involved. I shared your comment with the FCF team, and they are now exploring options for an in-person session as well as an online event Once everything is confirmed, I’ll update the post.
Best wishes,
Sarah