Deadline extended for Lancashire farmers to get crucial advice to access Sustainable Farming Incentive

The Farm for the Future programme has been running for two years and provides one-to-one support from The Royal Countryside Fund and its local delivery partners, for them to better understand the policy changes that will affect their farms in the future.

It has already helped over 1,600 farmers in England access SFI, helping to offer farmers a reliable income to support food production and the environment. 

A surge in interest in recent weeks has prompted the charity to extend the enrolment deadline to 14 October 2024. 

Farmers face a range of issues relating to climate change, water quality, animal health, and soil erosion, as well as rising costs - add to this a complicated and changing policy landscape, farmers need more support than ever to navigate their way through the many challenges that lie ahead. 

Aimed at farmers who received the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in England, Farm for the Future provides workshops and a one-to-one meeting for every participating farm, to guide them on SFI and other opportunities, and improve profitability and resilience through the ongoing agricultural transition. The RCF delivers this tailored guidance through Myerscough College.  

More than 95% of Farm for the Future participants say they have increased confidence in their ability to plan for the future.

Mick, who attended Farm for the Future sessions at Myerscough, said: “One of the key things I’ve got out of the programme was learning more about the SFI opportunities.

‘’I’ve now got all the paperwork ready to go. It’s beneficial to be in discussion groups with open-minded people willing to discuss ideas as well as giving everyone an outlook for the future.”

Michael Bulen, Farm for the Future Programme Manager at The Royal Countryside Fund said: The Farm for the Future programme has been incredibly well received so far so we wanted to give farmers across Lancashire a final chance to sign up and take advantage of this funded support.

‘’The Royal Countryside Fund, as a charity, is able to give this advice entirely impartially, and we aim to provide ongoing support to Farm for the Future farmers long after the programme has ended.

‘’We’re working with Myerscough College to deliver this programme; who have an in-depth understanding of the issues facing farms in their local area.” 

Registration to take part in Farm for the Future closes on 14 October. Workshops will be delivered until December 2024. 

For more information and to express an interest in taking part, please contact Victoria Bracken, Myerscough College. Email: farmernetwork@myerscough.ac.uk, or call 07392 310 958

Founded by HM King Charles III in 2010 while he was The Prince of Wales, The Royal Countryside Fund is the only UK-wide charity focused on the unique issues facing farming and rural communities. 

The Royal Countryside Fund was established in recognition of the unprecedented pace of social, economic and environmental change contributing to the countryside’s steady decline, with rural incomes falling, a loss of local services and amenities, rising costs for farmers, increasing isolation and mental health issues.  

In its new chapter, The Royal Countryside Fund continues to improve the lives of people and communities in rural areas, support farming families to take charge of their business, and provide support to those in need. Seventy per cent of our land is farmed and one fifth of our people live in rural communities and The Royal Countryside Fund wishes to see a thriving countryside – a living, breathing, working place, that is there for everyone.