Test and trials: Tackling climate change and extinction - the farm that’s showing the way

Cholderton is a 1000-hectare estate on the Hampshire/Wiltshire border. It participated in one of Defra's environmental land management test and trials to develop a model land management plan based on the exemplary principles adopted by the estate. In this guest post, Merrick Denton-Thompson shares his view.

Farming Innovation Programme: applications open next week

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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 …

The farmers who work in Defra

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Some of our colleagues are also farmers. In this post, Ben Keene and Brian Longman introduce the Defra Farmer's Forum, the group which brings them together. They also share their stories. In the months that follow, we’ll hear from more farmers who either work in the Future Farming and Countryside Programme or support our work …

A view from the farm

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My name is Harry Baker Cresswell. I farm Preston Mains Farm in Northumberland. I have been involved in tests and trials since 2018. It has been a great opportunity for myself and the 52 other farmers in the 23 Burns Collective to help Defra co-design the new environmental land management schemes. I'd like to share …

Tests and trials: Working with farmers to design the future of environmental land management

The Future Farming Countryside Programme will co-design the future of farming with farmers. We’re working with farmers to test their ideas until we have a format that works. This post explains our 'Test and Trial' approach. As we go along, we learn what works, what doesn’t and how we can improve.

Protecting the health of our trees and plants

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Plants and trees contribute £9 billion every year in social and economic value, they also keep us alive. Our aim is to mitigate and minimise the impact of pests and diseases and improve the capacity of our trees to adapt to changing pressures. In this post, we outline how we plan to do this.