Farm Futures

Farming is changing as never before in our lifetime. Through new funding schemes such as Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL), farmers are increasingly being asked to provide services or ‘public goods’, like clean water, clean air, healthy soils, carbon storage, biodiversity and access to the countryside, as well as producing food for the nation. The Fellfoot Forward Farm Futures project is designed to equip farmers with the skills and knowledge to embrace these changes and create resilient businesses for the future.

Through a series of workshops and events, Farm Futures will provide training and practical support to farmers wishing to develop their skills in areas such as:

• Survey and identification skills needed to monitor wildlife outcomes
• In-river and on-farm measures for Natural Flood Management
• Creating and connecting habitats for wildlife
• Soil management and conservation
• Current funding opportunities
• Running Open Farm events

These workshops will increase farmers’ skills to recognise ‘public goods’ for which they might receive public money. In addition, farmers can become advocates of local farming, and its provision of ecosystem services, to local communities and school pupils.