Projects
Latest Projects from The Farmer Network
Farming in Protected Landscapes Funding
We have funding from the North Pennines FiPL for the East of Eden area to fund 3 farm walks, 3 village hall drop in events and 2 films. These are aimed at both farmers and environmental organisations on the theme of how nature recovery in the East of Eden area can be integrated into viable farm businesses.
In the Lake District, we have applied to FiPL to fund workshops and small group meetings for Lake District farmers on sheep health topics and farm business resilience. This follows work undertaken last year on behalf of the Lake District National Park on supporting farmer groups which funded sheep scab and liver fluke testing.
In the Yorkshire Dales and Nidderdale National Landscape we delivered FiPL funded projects in 2024/25 which included workshops for farmers and support for the next generation. We are in the process of developing bids to FiPL to help fund this activity until March 2026.
Natural England CSF Collaborative Agreements in Cumbria
Over the past 3 years, the Farmer Network has worked in partnership with the Natural England Catchment Sensitive Farming programme in Cumbria with a series of collaborative agreements on the themes of water and air quality and to help farmers with understanding the Sustainable Farming Incentive options relevant to these themes. In 2024/25, we coordinated a series of workshops and farm walks on the topic of herbal leys
For 2025/26, The Farmer Network has funding for 8 workshops and 8 one to one clinics on the topics of:
- Managing slurry
- Grassland management
- How to prepare for Environment Agency Inspections
- Managing water-courses
- Livestock building design to reduce ammonia emissions.
Cumbria Accelerator Support
The Farmer Network has funding for up to 3 hours of advice funded by the Cumbria Accelerator programme. This can be used to discuss grant schemes, bring the family together for a discussion about the future and signposting to other support available. We deliver the programme for farmers on behalf of Enterprising Cumbria.
In both Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness we have funding from the Rural England Prosperity Fund to organise workshops for farmers. This funding is from the Local Authorities and we deliver on behalf of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.
Workshops in Cumbria funded by the Shared Prosperity Fund
Defra Welfare Fund
The Farmer Network has obtained funding from the Defra Welfare Fund until March 2026 in partnership with Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (UTASS), Field Nurse and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. This includes funding for social events, one to one support, workshops on health and safety and succession planning and auction mart clinics. The project has enabled us to organise some very successful events and we have also benefitted from working with and supporting our project partners. This includes supporting Field Nurse who have recruited nurses who are now working at Otley and Penrith auction marts.
The Farmer Network facilitates hill farm training courses on behalf of the Foundation for Comon Land. These courses are for organisations that work with farmers who would like to understand more about hill farming and the management of common land. The courses are based on working hill farms using farmers as trainers and include practical sessions such as sorting sheep and walling as well as a walk around the different types of land on a hill farm and up to the fell and common grazing. There is a shorter one day course and a longer “24 hour” course including an overnight stay for those travelling from further afield. The courses can be tailored according to the organisation and for more details and a quote, please contact Rhiannon Jones at the Foundation for Common Land email: Rhiannon@foundationforcommonland.org.uk.
Hill Farm Training Courses
Next Generation Support
One of the Farmer Network’s key aims is to support our “next generation” of farmers in helping them progress their “farming ambition”.
In Cumbria, support for the next generation is funded by Cumbria Community Foundation and this year will consist of a series of workshops and a small training grant. In the Lake District, we also work closely with the National Trust organising events to help young farmers who want to apply for National Trust tenancies.
In Northumberland similar support is funded by the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund. In both Cumbria and Northumberland, a small grant is available of up to £750 for young farmers who have attended the workshops which can be used to pay for training, small items of equipment, professional advice, software and marketing costs.
In the Yorkshire Dales and Nidderdale, we delivered a series of workshops in the autumn/winter of 2024/25 funded by the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme. We are in the process of applying for funding for future activity.
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