This week, The Royal Countryside Fund (RCF) held an event at the
House of Lords which brought together farm support groups,
corporate partners, rural organisations and policymakers,
including the Minister of State for Food Security and Rural
Affairs, MP.
It celebrated the success of the past three years of the RCF's
Farm for the Future, which was a free-to-access programme that
reached 1,987 farmers in England. It was funded by Defra's
Farming Resilience Fund and assisted family farms to adjust to
the post-Brexit transformation in government support, which
offers not only challenges but opportunities for their
businesses. The RCF was the only charity among the 17 providers
to farmers under this scheme.
On the evening, a new publication was launched evaluating the
programme's impact. Some of the key successes included 89% of
participating farmers having an increased awareness of the new
environmental land management schemes, 87% felt better connected
to their peers, 85% demonstrated improved business planning
skills, and a 97% overall satisfaction rate.
Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Royal
Countryside Fund said: “The agricultural transition
is one of the most significant changes farming has seen in a
generation. Family farms are the lifeblood of the UK's rural
communities and at The Royal Countryside Fund, we recognise how
important the financial and environmental sustainability of
family farm businesses is for the stewardship of our rural
landscape.
“Our Farm for the Future programme proved that trusted, local
support makes all the difference. We are proud of what we have
achieved in partnership with local organisations and Farm Support
Groups and, most importantly, the farmers who put their trust in
us.”
MP, Minister of State for
Food Security and Rural Affairs said: “The Royal
Countryside Fund's work to provide help, support and advice to
farmers is truly remarkable.
“We are moving to a different form of farming which
absolutely prioritises food production, but at the same time
enables people to work with nature and in a more environmentally
sustainable way.
“The Royal Countryside Fund has been a key part of that
effort as people make the transition and we go towards a very
exciting new world.”
One of the major strengths of the programme was the role of its
14 delivery partners who reached farmers in 44 counties across
England. These partners, which included farm support groups,
national park authorities, rural colleges and organisations, and
a virtual coordinator, played a vital role in engaging farming
communities and providing tailored support.
Their on-the-ground networks, local credibility and deep
understanding of regional farming needs enabled the programme to
reach farmers who might otherwise have been left behind. Farmers
also had the option to join a virtual group so that they could
receive the benefits of the programme even if they were too busy
to leave the farm or were too far from an in-person
workshop.
Crispin, a participating farmer in Essex said:
“When I signed up to the RCF's Farm for the Future programme,
the family farm had been struggling with profitability for
several years and that had been taking its toll on me personally.
My family said that they rarely saw me happy anymore.
“During the programme the topics that we covered were wide
and varied. Almost everything was relevant or useful to me…I
now find that I feel happy and more positive most of the time and
much more able to deal with issues as they arrive. Whilst I have
no idea what the future holds or whether the business will
survive, which I think it will, the programme has given me the
confidence and strength to fight on.”
The publication Farm for the Future: A review is now available to
view: www.royalcountrysidefund.org.uk/farm-for-the-future-a-review/
To find out more about The Royal Countryside Fund, please visit:
www.royalcountrysidefund.org.uk
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The Farm for the Future delivery partners were:
