Watch: How we put unproductive farmland to use

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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 …

More time to suggest productivity and slurry items

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments for equipment, technology and infrastructure
Valley of Patterns and Textures in Devon

We recently asked you to help us shape the list of items under the Productivity and Slurry theme of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF). The survey was due to close on 3 July. However, in response to requests to keep the survey open for a little longer, we’ve extended the deadline to midday, Wednesday …

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

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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.

Improving and extending our offer for upland farmers

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Future Farming and Countryside Programme

It is our mission to create an offer that is workable for every farmer and farm type in England. Upland farmers are a crucial part of our rural communities, economies and landscapes – they are central to the production of high-quality food and other goods. In this post, we set out the offer for upland …

Help us to review productivity and slurry grant items 

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Flock of birds over Hele Payne Farm. Showing Raddon Hill in the background.

The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund supports the purchase of equipment, technology, and infrastructure designed to improve agricultural, horticultural and forestry productivity in a sustainable way.  Grants are offered towards the cost of specific items of equipment on a list.  We promised to review the list of productivity and slurry items and we'd like your help.

The Green Finance Strategy and Nature Markets Framework: what they mean for you

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English countryside

Alongside government funding, there are a range of private sector opportunities for farmers and land managers to access new income streams to invest in their holdings. We want farmers and land managers to be able to confidently and securely access payments from both the public and private sector for the environmental benefits they produce. Published …

Farming podcast: Next steps for environmental land management

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: environmental land management schemes, Future Farming Podcast
Episode 11 of the Defra Farming podcast. Defra payments lead Lisa Warne talks to father and son John and Charlie Renner

In this episode, Lisa Warne talks to John Renner and his son, Charlie. John farms on the border of the  Northumberland National Park between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Alnwick. Charlie is a farm business consultant and continues to help out on the farm. Lisa gives an update on the growth and rollout of our environmental land management …

Introducing SFI Management Payments and changes to Countryside Stewardship rates

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Countryside Stewardship, Sustainable Farming Incentive, Things we've learned
Winter scene on the Killerton estate by Alison Day

In this, the first blog post of the year, I’d like to share two updates with you and explain the rationale behind them. The first update is a change to Countryside Stewardship payment rates. The second is the introduction of the Sustainable Farming Incentive Management Payment.

An update on the first round of Landscape Recovery projects

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: A view from the farm, Payments to restore landscapes and ecosystems
Darent Valley Farm Cluster.

In summer, we announced the 22 projects chosen for the first round of Landscape Recovery. We initially said we would recruit up to 15 projects, but we were so impressed with the quality of applications that we ended up extending this to 22. In this post, I’ll share more about the projects, including how they …