Claire Saunders: Securing the future of Yorkshire farming

THE family farm is arguably the backbone of the countryside. For many farmers, working the land is in the blood; a job passed down the generations. But with farming in Britain at a crossroads, families are increasingly facing tough choices about their future.

Poor weather in many parts of the country, forage fail and the well-publicised market pressures in the lamb, beef and dairy sectors are all contributing to a “perfect storm” in agriculture that is putting our cherished family farms at risk. On average, a family farm is forced out of business every day, while many others struggle to make ends meet, living a life of uncertainty, often with diminishing rural services.

The role of The Prince’s Countryside Fund, now more than ever, is to help ensure the sustainability of the family farm and the wider rural communities these hardworking families rely on. The solutions to the current crisis lie in the naturally resilient communities in the countryside.

This is why the fund is offering £725,000 to rural projects across Britain, to improve livelihoods and communities and support the farmers of the future. We offer this funding twice every year, and have helped projects as diverse as community shops, programmes training in farm diversification, free support and expert advice for a wide range of farmers.

We support projects which encourage the next generation into rural careers, help existing farms to become more sustainable and secure services for the rurally isolated. The British countryside needs constant guardianship and we must support the remarkable people who care for it.

Since we were founded by HRH, The Prince of Wales in 2010, nearly £315,000 has been given to rural projects in Yorkshire, directly benefiting over 1,550 people. But there is much more work to be done.

Yorkshire is one of Britain’s largest farming economies, key to changing the fortunes of the rural economy. Inspiration and enthusiasm from Britain’s most magnificent county is never in short supply. Just the other week HRH visited the George & Dragon Pub in Hudswell, a successful community owned pub and shop, the “local” run by the locals. The pub is now well-established and thriving in the heart of the community.

Research from The Plunkett Foundation shows community owned enterprises are resilient, with a 99 per cent survival rate compared with a national UK business survival rate of 46.8 per cent. Keeping shops, pubs and other services secure and thriving is essential to supporting the wider farming community. Without them and the social hubs they represent, communities face isolation. But for every pub and shop saved, more are under threat, and the fund is keen to support the tireless bands of Enterprising rural businesses are in abundance in Yorkshire, none more so than Yorkshire Dales based Sally Robinson, a farmer’s wife who started “Ample Bosom,” an online lingerie business for fuller figured women. Her success is an inspiration for the multitude of budding rural entrepreneurs that need mentorship and networks to further their businesses.

The greatest challenge of the rural economy is cultivating the farmers of the future to continue to not only feed the nation, but manage and cherish the landscapes we all appreciate as the countryside. Farming ranks as one of the least desirable careers for young people and, despite the opportunities on offer, not enough young people are entering the profession.

The average age of a British farmer is creeping towards 60, and the industry needs 60,000 new entrants in farming in the next decade. Inspiring the next generation to enter farming is key to the success of the industry, and these emergent farmers need to learn their trade from previous generations.

The Yorkshire Moors Agricultural Apprenticeship Scheme (YMAAS), backed by the Fund, is a terrific example of bringing new life to the uplands, matching hill farming apprenticeships with farmers who pass on old skills and teach new techniques to young farmers eager to farm in the moors and dales. Matching the right farmers to apprentices can help to inspire a whole new generation to consider agriculture as a career, regardless of whether they’ve been raised with a farming background.

Farming and life in the countryside has always been a precarious business, at the mercy of not only the elements but market forces. The future of the countryside is and always has been in the hands of the resilient farmers and communities that are the backbone of rural Britain. The Prince’s Countryside Fund is here to support these individuals and communities who look after the countryside. For without them, we and those who come after us, would all be very much the poorer.

Applications for new grants are now open at www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk.

Claire Saunders is director of The Prince’s Countryside Fund.