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 …

Slurry Infrastructure grant: last chance to apply

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Grants, Payments for equipment, technology and infrastructure
Cows liking each other by a water trough in the sunshine

Round 2 of the Slurry Infrastructure grant will close for applications on Wednesday 17 January. We’re supporting many more projects than we did last year, so if you need slurry storage, now is the time to apply for a grant.  In this post, I’ll give you a recap of the grant and the information you need to get …

Improving Farm Productivity grants: get ready for Round 2

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Grants, Payments for equipment, technology and infrastructure
Solar panels on roof of a farm building in English farmland

In a few weeks’ time, you will once again have the opportunity to apply for an Improving Farm Productivity grant. The grant pays for capital items including robotic, automatic and solar equipment that improve farm and horticulture productivity. To help you prepare, we’ve published guidance on GOV.UK. In this post, I’ll share an overview of …

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. 

Annual health and welfare review of livestock now available to more farmers in England

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Grants, Payments to support animal health and welfare
A farmer and vet in discussion in a barn during an annual health and welfare review

I am pleased to tell you that the annual health and welfare review of livestock is now open to non-BPS registered farmers, meaning more livestock keepers in England can now apply. Through the Review, farmers who keep cattle, sheep and pigs can get funding to pay for a vet to visit their farm and carry …

Watch our webinar for livestock and grassland farmers

Sheep grazing in a field in kent

On Monday 20 November, we hosted a webinar for livestock and grassland farmers to learn more about the funding opportunities available in England. The webinar focused on the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.

Annual Health and Welfare Review: making it easier to apply, comply and export

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Grants, Payments to improve animal health and welfare
A tagged calf taking a step forward

When we launched the Annual Health and Welfare Review, a funded annual vet visit, we said that we would continue to improve with feedback from farmers and vets. In this post, we’d like to share an update on our work which includes simplifying the process to apply, bringing BVD testing for beef in line with …

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.