The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme has celebrated a successful end to its first year, after allocating more than £360k to farmers and land managers in the North York Moors.

The programme runs until 2024 and is expected to award £1.8m within the National Park in that time. It focuses on key challenges facing farmers in protected landscapes, including helping to address the climate crisis, improving people’s engagement with farming and nature and supporting sustainable rural businesses and communities.

Amongst those to receive a grant is Aidan Foord of Wilds Slack and Lawnsgate Farms near Whitby, whose project has benefitted both the local environment and those who visit the family’s picturesque caravan and camping sites.

A novel frozen vending machine was installed to provide home-reared produce such and sausages and burgers direct to their customers. A heavily-used livestock area also received a new roof to prevent feed and slurry washing into nearby water courses, hedgerows were gapped-up to create wildlife corridors and a new rainwater storage tank was fitted.

Mr Foord said: “The vending machine has brought together the two different sides of our business and it feels great to be demonstrating to our campsite visitors who we are and what we do.

“The farm-to-fork journey is as short as it can be, and this reduces the environmental and climate impact of what we produce. As a whole the work has benefitted our business while also helping nature and setting us up for a sustainable future.”

Another grant recipient under the scheme was Christine Thompson of Agricultural Business Training which is based at Reagarth Farm, Helmsley.

They received £1,970 to allow her to run a series of workshops to help other farmers be better prepared for a future without subsidies as agriculture goes through its biggest change in 60 years.

The on-farm workshops encourage people to look at their own businesses and understand where they’re at now, so that they can effectively plan for the future.

Rebecca Thompson, head of farming and land management at the North York Moors National Park Authority, said:“Agriculture is in an important but challenging period of transition as the government phases out traditional farm payments and instead rewards landowners for producing things such as clean air, clean water and thriving plants and wildlife. These are the ‘public goods’ that society values alongside the production of food.

“This is a very different approach to how farming has been supported in the past and often requires a shift in thinking, but the outcomes are crucial.

“Aidan’s project is a fantastic example as you can see it clearly delivers for nature, climate, people and place - all four cornerstones of the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.”

The North York Moors National Park Authority works with a wide variety of people to care for the landscape providing apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities with nearly 14 per cent of staff being apprentices from local families.

Boost for North York Moors farmers as over £360,000 allocated to manage special projects