Graham Higgins

Graham Higgins

Graham is a creative producer and film-maker.

Farming Podcast: making SFI work on our upland beef and sheep farm

Posted by: , and , Posted on: - Categories: Future Farming Podcast, Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot

In this episode of the Defra Farming podcast, regional engagement lead Michael Sturla talks to Robin and Christopher Milton. The father and son team farm beef and sheep on the Exmoor uplands and have a Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) agreement. They describe their experience applying for an agreement, the actions they're undertaking and the benefits.

Watch: future-proofing our farming business with SFI

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Sustainable Farming Incentive

Mother and son team, Tracey and Will, run a dairy and beef farm in Langley Mill, Derbyshire. In this film, they talk through the SFI actions they’ve included in their agreement, including herbal leys in rotational pasture, hedgerows, soils, legume mix with grasses and pest management. They describe how SFI helps them to balance the …

Watch Bodbury Farm: our experience accessing free business advice

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Transition support
Sarah and Byron Odell stand in a field on their Shropshire pig farm

Through the Farming Resilience Fund, farmers and land managers who receive BPS payments can access free, independent business advice. In this film, we travel to Shropshire to meet rare breed pig farmers Sarah and Byron Odell. Together with their adviser Karen Fisher, they describe their business objectives and the advice they were given. 

Farming podcast: How to access free business advice through the Farming Resilience Fund

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Future Farming Podcast, Transition support
graphic for Defra Farming podcast resilience fund episode

The Farming Resilience Fund provides business support to farmers and land managers in the first few years of adapting to agricultural transition. If you currently receive direct payments you can receive this support and it is free of charge. In this podcast, Defra's Andrew Powley talks to the NFU's Richard Wordsworth about this offer. They …

Watch: a test and trial update from Aqualate Mere

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: A view from the farm
A group of men discussing the Aqualate Mere

In this film, we return to Aqualate Mere in Staffordshire to learn more about the tests and trials experience of Aqualate Castle Holdings. Farmers in the catchment share what they learned about blending public and private finance for greater environmental good. They focused on commercial agreements between private organisations and local farmers.

Farming podcast: Learning more about SFI in 2023 with the NFU

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Future Farming Podcast, Sustainable Farming Incentive

In this episode of the Farming podcast, Jonathan Marsden, Head of Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) talks to Claire Robinson, Senior Countryside Adviser for the National Farmers Union (NFU). The pair discuss what you need to know as a farmer to get ready for SFI this year.

'Nature can sit alongside agriculture': a Landscape Recovery project spotlight

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to restore landscapes and ecosystems
Still image taken from embedded video showing two people talking to camera.

The North Norfolk: Wilder, Wetter, Better for Nature project is part of the first round of  Landscape Recovery. Alongside sustainable food production, the project aims to create new habitats for nature, restore rivers and boost biodiversity on the Holkham Estate. We visited the team to see how the project will work in practice.

Watch: Trialling farmer-led land management plans at Aqualate Mere, Staffordshire

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: A view from the farm, environmental land management schemes, Things we're doing

In this film, farmers from the Aqualate Mere catchment share their experiences of taking part in Tests and Trials. This test created a land management plan and worked to set priorities for the catchment, incorporating biodiversity, water quality and carbon sequestration.

Watch: How we put unproductive farmland to use

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: A view from the farm

In this film, farming facilitator Danny Teasdale took us to Strickley Farm in Cumbria, to meet dairy farmer James Robinson. Danny and James show us a piece of farmland that has always been unproductive and prone to flooding. James and Danny explain how they re-meandered the stream through the flooded area to create a natural …

How we're increasing productivity and enhancing nature on our farm

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: A view from the farm
Sheep inside a building with people talking in the background

In the latest in our series of films from the Lake District, we visit Miller Farming in Penruddock. Upland farmers, Garry and Hazel Miller, have sheep, cows, and free-range hens. They talk about how they’ve increased productivity and enhanced nature at the same time.