A support scheme to help farmers in the South West adjust to changes to agricultural grants has been expanded. Launched in 2020, the Future Farming Resilience programme aims to help farmers move away from the EU-funded Direct Basic Payments system, which is set to end in 2027.
Devon County Council said following a successful pilot, it had now received £2.6m funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to grow the initiative. Having previously covered Devon and Somerset, the scheme will also now take in Dorset, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
The loss of the direct payments will remove around £883m of income from the four counties during the five-year transition period towards the UK’s post-Brexit agricultural land management scheme.
The government has argued direct payments offer poor value for money, reward those with the most land, inflate rents and stand in the way of new entrants to the farming industry.
According to Defra figures, 65% of South West farm businesses are at risk of closure due to low profitability and high reliance on direct payments.
Under the support scheme farmers will be offered support to take advantage of business opportunities, improve the environment, and reduce carbon emissions.
Devon County Council said more than 350 farm businesses had already supported the project with more than 740 farmers and landowners also attending information workshops - set to resume in September - to gain a better understanding of the changes.
Specialist workshops will also be held on a range of topics including farming grant opportunities; how environmental schemes can help generate income; and the benefit of woodland creation for farmers.
Devon County Council will continue to lead the project, with Business Information Point (BIP) delivering the programme, supported by several local advisors through various organisations.
The council said it would also work closely with Local Enterprise Partnerships, other local authorities, the National Farmers Union (NFU), colleges, trading standards teams, and local growth hubs to support the farming community.
Councillor Rufus Gilbert, Devon County Council cabinet member for economic recovery and skills, said: “Agriculture plays a key role in the Devon economy, supporting thousands of jobs both directly and through rural supply chains. Landowners’ guardianship of the landscape also acts as a driver for the wider tourism sector, making Devon an attractive place for people to live, work and visit.
“By securing the full amount of our bid, we are able to build on the success of the initial programme in Devon and Somerset, which exceeded its initial targets. The Future Farming Resilience programme can help farming businesses and the rural economy to be more resilient, while also benefiting our local environment and helping to tackle the climate emergency.”
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- Nearly 40,000 South West companies in 'significant financial distress'
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