The next phase of the project to support farmers in Devon and Somerset to prepare for changes to their Direct Basic Payments.
Are you a farmer or landowner in Devon or Somerset?
Have you prepared for the changes to Direct Basic Payments and the potential impact on your farm?
No? Then we may be able to help!
Devon County Council is running a next phase of the Future Farming Resilience Fund project launching in August 2021, providing free, expert advice to help farmers in Devon and Somerset transition from Direct Basic Payments (BPS) towards the government’s new Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme.
Our project is designed to work with farmers to help guide them and understand what the changes to Direct Basic Payments will mean to them and their farms.
If you are a farmer interested in receiving free support to creative a bespoke action plan to help you navigate these changes, then please get in touch to find out more.
Background information
Devon County Council has been awarded Future Farming Resilience Funding by Defra to run this project across Devon and Somerset. It will run from August 2021 to May 2022.
The project will provide resilience support to farmers and land managers to help them prepare for, and adjust to, the Agricultural Transition by addressing the opportunities it presents and the impacts it could have.
What’s involved?
Under the scheme, a range of fully funded support will be available:
Information workshops
To inform farmers and their families of the changes in support through the Agricultural Transition, from direct (BPS) support to payment for public goods and the various supporting grant schemes. These will be delivered in venues across Devon and Somerset. Should COVID restrictions not allow in-person workshops, then virtual events will be used.
One-to-one bespoke support
For workshop attendees who want to explore further the detail of how the changes will affect their business.
Business advisors will work with the farm to do a detailed business analysis and calculate the reductions in BPS over the 2021-2027 period and the impact on business profitability.
The business advisor will support the farm to explore the options open to them as the changes affect their business and create a bespoke action plan.
Specialist workshops
A number of workshops on relevant themes will also be offered including exiting the industry and farm/family succession planning; diversification into other business areas; adding value to food and drink such as processing primary produce; productivity actions; environmental schemes and business planning and cashflows.
Who’s eligible to take part?
We are looking for farmers and landowners in Devon and Somerset who are currently in receipt of BPS payments. In addition, you must not be participating in any other Defra-funded Future Farming Resilience Projects.
Find out more
In order to ensure we can reach and support as many farmers as possible, we are working with a number of delivery partners including Business Information Point (BIP); Somerset Business Agency and the Soil Association.
To book onto a free workshop and to find out more, please visit the BIP website.
Please check our privacy policy to see how we store and manage your submitted data.
Contact details
Lynsey Riddett, Project Manager
Telephone: 01752278807
Email: farmingresilience@devon.gov.uk
