Farming insurance specialist Cornish Mutual has invested an undisclosed sum into a regenerative farming start-up, it has announced. The investment into Lincolnshire-based Terrafarmer is a first for the insurer, which said the funding was "significant" and part of plans to increase support for British farmers.
Terrafarmer is a consultancy that advises UK farmers on building sustainable systems to improve soil health and increase organic matter; sequester carbon; and boost farm resilience.
Cornish Mutual's managing director Peter Beaumont said the investment was made after the organisation talked to its members about how it could help them increase profitability and manage risk.
He said: "Regenerative techniques have huge potential for this, while also addressing issues of resilience and environmental impact, but many farmers don’t know where to find trusted independent advice.
“We have been working with Terrafarmer on how we can help our members gain the knowledge required to adopt those techniques. This significant investment in the business will enable us to take this forward."
Tom Tolputt, co-founder and consultancy director at Terrafarmer, said it had been a "long-held dream" to create a platform to support UK farmers’ transition to more sustainable and regenerative farming practices.
“The investment and support from Cornish Mutual have now made it a reality,” he said. “Sharing the knowledge I have built up in my 20 years farming organically and regeneratively, alongside the extensive agronomy skills of my team, allows us to facilitate farmers in building more resilient farm businesses and investing in soil health for the long term."
The investment coincided with the publication of a report from the Sustainable Markets Initiative that was signed by the chief executives of 12 global agri-food businesses. The report says there is a gap in farmers knowing how to adopt regenerative practices and the role businesses can play in bridging the gap, and helping to scale regenerative agriculture.
Gemma Clarke, Terrafarmer's co-founder and executive chair, added: “The investment from Cornish Mutual will not only help us reach more farmers with our services, but also demonstrates their belief in supporting their community of farmers in building more resilient farm businesses.”
READ NEXT
- Exeter tech company that helps firms recruit more diversely secures £1.75m
- Cornwall dairy farm expands footprint with six-figure land deal
- Group behind £140m Cornwall TV and sound studios appoints JD Sports boss and top media exec to board
- Pennon appoints execs from The Restaurant Group and Post Holdings to board
Like this story? Why not sign up to get the latest South West business news straight to your inbox.
