William Hargreaves from Savills discusses the free help available to Suffolk farmers.
Changes to agricultural support, together with pressures on profitability from rising input costs, mean it’s more important than ever for farmers to plan and adapt for the future.
Over the last 18 months, Savills has helped hundreds of farmers across England navigate the transition away from the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and identify options to modify their businesses through the Future Farming Resilience Fund (FFRF).
The FFRF offers farmers free advice to help them to plan ahead, backed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which has committed £32 million to provide the support.
Whether it’s some redundant farm buildings you want to turn into a business, help to create a robust business plan or guidance around the income opportunities available via the new government-backed grant and funding schemes, now is the perfect time to make the most of the support available and give your farming business a health check.
Who is FFRF for?
In short – any rural business that has claimed BPS. The size of the business is irrelevant and it is open to owner occupiers and tenants. It covers arable, mixed, dairy, beef and sheep farming businesses throughout England.
What can it help with?
The scope of the funding is wide-ranging and tailored to individual circumstances. So far, we have met farmers seeking advice around diversification opportunities – from ice cream production to glamping – those looking to develop business plans for new investment, and individuals needing help to understand what funding might be available through the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
Farmers we met in the months after the fund’s launch have taken advice leading to changes in their businesses’ enterprise mix, adopted Countryside Stewardship, reviewed their existing management structure, implemented successional changes and adopted new funding streams or farming techniques.
How to apply
The first step is to contact us and register for support via the Savills website. Applicants then have free access to a one-to-one farm business review, online tools, resources and industry expertise. The scheme runs until March 2025, but as BPS dwindles the sooner support is applied for the better.
For advice on the rural sector in Suffolk contact William Hargreaves at Savills on 01473 234802 or WHargreaves@savills.com
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article