Major bank joins Yorkshire campaign to help guide farmers in new era

A campaign to better equip Yorkshire farmers with the support they need to thrive under new post-Brexit policy has won the backing of a high street bank.
By Ben Barnett
Published 28th Jul 2019, 18:00 BST

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Grow Yorkshire has teamed up with Barclays bank as part of its mission to give farmers the support they need to a new era of farm policy as Britain leaves the European Union. Picture by James Hardisty.Grow Yorkshire has teamed up with Barclays bank as part of its mission to give farmers the support they need to a new era of farm policy as Britain leaves the European Union. Picture by James Hardisty.
Grow Yorkshire has teamed up with Barclays bank as part of its mission to give farmers the support they need to a new era of farm policy as Britain leaves the European Union. Picture by James Hardisty.

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Helping Yorkshire farmers prepare for post-Brexit landscape - David Kerfoot

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Grow Yorkshire action plan to be drawn up in mission to support farmers after meeting with Farming Minister

Grow Yorkshire is co-ordinated by the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership and backed by more than 30 food and farming businesses and groups across Yorkshire, represented here by (left to right) Dorothy Fairburn of the CLA, Allison Kane of Deliciously Yorkshire, David Kerfoot, chairman of the LEP, Laurie Norris of the NFU and Nigel Pulling of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Picture by Simon Dewhurst.Grow Yorkshire is co-ordinated by the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership and backed by more than 30 food and farming businesses and groups across Yorkshire, represented here by (left to right) Dorothy Fairburn of the CLA, Allison Kane of Deliciously Yorkshire, David Kerfoot, chairman of the LEP, Laurie Norris of the NFU and Nigel Pulling of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Picture by Simon Dewhurst.
Grow Yorkshire is co-ordinated by the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership and backed by more than 30 food and farming businesses and groups across Yorkshire, represented here by (left to right) Dorothy Fairburn of the CLA, Allison Kane of Deliciously Yorkshire, David Kerfoot, chairman of the LEP, Laurie Norris of the NFU and Nigel Pulling of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Picture by Simon Dewhurst.

Barclays has agreed to join the Grow Yorkshire initiative as a partner to help farming and food businesses better understand how they can increase their incomes in the months and years ahead.

The link-up follows talks between Grow Yorkshire chairman David Kerfoot and John Pinches, Barclays’ regional agricultural manager, about supporting businesses to overcome a challenging economic future.

Grow Yorkshire was launched by the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in April, with the backing of more than 30 organisations who work with food and farming businesses in the region.

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It seeks to ensure food and farming enterprises get the support they need to innovate, improve productivity and cope with policy changes, such as the proposed transition of farm support payments to an Environmental Land Management Scheme that pays farmers “public money for public goods”.

Mr Kerfoot, who also chairs the LEP, hailed the partnership with Barclays as another important step.

He told The Yorkshire Post: “For the future of farming and food businesses in our area, connections with the financial sector will be crucial.

“Farmers need to know the choices they have available to help them to innovate, diversify and meet challenges. Bringing Barclays into our cohort of Grow Yorkshire partners really helps us to support these connections on the ground.”

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Mr Kerfoot said the partnership would also help Grow Yorkshire to promote and support “activities and themes” that are important within the farming and food sector, such as rural apprenticeships, women in farming and mental health events.

Welcoming the new partnership, Mr Pinches said: “We know that sector expertise and local knowledge are crucial to support the farming and food sector, and with the growing use of agri-tech, farmers need to be at the forefront to make the most of new technology.

“Grow Yorkshire’s ambitions reflect our own – helping agricultural businesses to grow, diversify and innovate for the future, and we look forward to partnering with Grow Yorkshire and the team to deliver the best support we can for the sector.”

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