Grant scheme to help next farming generation
A group which was established to offer support to farmers in the North following the foot and mouth epidemic in 2001 is set to launch “a new and wide-ranging programme to support the next generation of farmers”.
The Yorkshire Dales Farmer Network programme, which has been funded through the Yorkshire Dales National Park Farming in Protected Landscapes Fund, will offer ten business support vouchers worth up to £500 to be spent on 1:1 support.
This could include farm diversification advice, learning new practical farming skills or business advice.
In the Yorkshire Dales, there is funding for five farmer workshops, a farm business advice voucher scheme worth 40 per cent of the cost up to a maximum of £500, plus support for the next generation.
In Nidderdale, the network has funding for three workshops for the Upper Nidderdale group, two open workshops for farmers in the wider Nidderdale National Landscape as well as support for the next generation.
The network will also be running two on-farm events as part of the initiative.
The first event is set to take place on December 8, at High Hall Farm, Croglin in Cumbria, where the Stobart family will be showcasing how they have diversified their farm business, sharing their business ethos behind their farming systems, and discussing overall farm profitability.
The next event will be organised based on the feedback from people who attended the first event, with the Farmer Network suggesting it could focus on topics such as another farm business, animal health or a policy and schemes update when more information is released by the government in the future.
Carol Moffat, who is coordinating the programme for the network, said: “We are keen work with the young farmers to understand their individual business needs and to support them throughout the programme.”
The aim of the programme is to develop a network of young farmers wanting to progress a farming related business and help them to communicate with each other.
Adam Day, managing director for the network said there was no doubt farmers were facing challenging times due to high levels of uncertainty within the industry.
He said: “However, we cannot simply wait and watch; we must support our young people and give them both the skills and the confidence to continue in the industry.
“We will need them more and more in the future to produce food and to keep on managing our cherished landscapes in the Dales that almost seven million visitors enjoy each year.”
The programme aims to build a supportive network of young farmers and guide them toward opportunities in training, funding, and equipment to help build resilient businesses.
Meanwhile, the network has highlighted how the Addington Fund’s new entrant grant scheme aims to support people new to farming aged between 18 and 40 with equipment that promotes healthy livestock and soil management. Grants of up to £3,000 are available and the next grant panel meets on December 1.