Update on the Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot 

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Conversations we're having, environmental land management schemes, Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot, Things we're doing, Things we've learned

In July, we opened the applications window for farmers to join our Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot.  In this post, Lisa Applin (Rural Payments Agency) and Tom Lewis (Future Farming and Countryside Programme) share the results of the application process, what the team learned and what they will do next.

Farming Innovation Programme: applications open next week

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments for research and innovation

Earlier this summer, we said that we would launch the first competitions of the new Industry-led Research and Development Partnerships Fund in October. I'm pleased to say that we’re on track. The £17.5 million Industry-led Research and Development Partnerships Fund is the first of 3 funds to launch in the new Farming Innovation Programme. Applications for a share of this funding will open Wednesday 20 October 2021.

It’s not too late to get free business advice  

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Transition support
Two people talking with farm in shot

One of the things we're doing to support farmers and land managers through the agricultural transition is providing free business support and advice, through a project called the Future Farming Resilience Fund. So far, over 1,200 farming businesses have received support, with scope to help many more. In this post, I’d like to encourage more people to access the free advice that's available. 

Introducing the Annual Health and Welfare Review

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to improve animal health and welfare
A cow

In this guest post, Jonathan Statham introduces the Annual Health and Welfare Review, a fully-funded vet visit which farmers will receive each year of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. Jonathan is a cattle vet and chair-elect for England’s Animal Health and Welfare Board.

Catch up on our Landscape Recovery information sessions

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: environmental land management schemes, Payments to restore landscapes and ecosystems

Landscape Recovery is 1 of our 3 new environmental land management schemes. Over the summer, we held some information sessions about the scheme. The sessions were recorded. So, if you weren't able to attend, you can still learn more by watching any of the 3 videos below.

Answering farmers' questions about the Sustainable Farming Incentive - part 2

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Conversations we're having, environmental land management schemes, Q&A
TFF part 2

The Farming Forum recently held a Q&A session with Janet Hughes, Defra’s Future Farming and Countryside Programme Director. Farmers were invited to submit their questions about the Sustainable Farming Incentive. Clive Bailye, Director of the Farming Forum, put the most-asked questions to Janet. This is part 2 of 2.

Things we learned about co-design at this summer's agricultural shows 

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Conversations we're having, Things we've learned, Ways to get involved
Defra staff at an agricultural show

We recently published a blog post about the things we learned at this summer’s agricultural shows which took place up and down the country. At most of those shows, we ran co-design taster sessions for members of the farming community, so they could get a sense, first-hand, of how they could shape our policies. In this post, we're going to talk about some other things we learned that directly relate to co-design. 

Introducing the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to improve animal health and welfare

Over the last couple of years, a group of farmers, supported by vets, specialists and Defra colleagues have worked together to design a way to help fellow farmers bolster the health and welfare of their stock, whilst at the same time improving their bottom line. We’re calling it the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. In this post, I'll share more.

What we’re learning about collaboration through tests and trials

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Conversations we're having, environmental land management schemes, Farmers, Things we've learned
Two people in conversation at an agricultural show

One goal of Defra’s Future Farming and Countryside Programme is to help farmers and land managers achieve bigger, better environmental benefits. There’s a lot that farmers can do individually on their own land, but there are often circumstances where it makes more sense for several people or businesses to join forces and collaborate on something that benefits all of them, as well as the environment. We want to encourage more collaboration like this.