BUSINESS SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Explore our Farming Ambition Programme

The Farmer Network Farming Ambition Programme 2023 will be open to 18-30 year olds (up to 40 year old for Yorkshire Dales participants) and will consist of Winter Workshops on How to Plan and Run a Successful Farming-Related Business Fit For the Future.  We are developing a similar programme in Northumberland and would like to hear from anyone that would be interested. The meetings will be face to face in Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria or on-line and will focus on Business Skills:

  • Business planning - to get your ideas and plans focussed and understood. Use your plan to keep everything on track and to be successful with tenancies, other farming arrangements and loans
  • Book-keeping and cloud accounting systems –essential but boring, (or fascinating, depending on how you think!) and cash flow is vital for your business
  • Marketing and diversification – will be needed more in the future to add value to your place or produce using your skills, location and possibly a random opportunity?
  • Livestock and land technology – for increasing efficiency and saving costs, sometimes making it easier to farm and have another income, or changing to a farming system that provides more public goods and payments
  • Farming sustainably – finding new markets and cost savings alongside increasing biodiversity above and below ground, improving your soil to work for you and your crops/animals as climate change progresses
  • Making the most of Grants and Environmental Schemes – what is available and what changes would they involve for your land, livestock management, business income? Understanding the opportunities when applying for tenancies or other farming arrangements

Here are details of the upcoming workshops:

TOPIC DATE TIME WHERE COST COVERING FOR WHO
Livestock technology and apps Thursday 2nd November 7PM TBC

Supper included

Burnsall Village Hall TBC FREE Using livestock technology effectively, data recording and using the results to improve efficiency and profitability Yorkshire Dales
Business Planning Sunday 12th November

 

10am – 3pm

Lunch included

The Gamekeeper Inn, Threshfield TBC FREE Basics of running a successful business, looking for opportunities and assessing them, applying for a tenancy, understanding livestock or enterprise gross margins and applying for a bank loan or overdraft facility. Yorkshire Dales
Launch of the Cumbria Farming Ambition Programme 2023-4

Changing farming systems and using livestock technology and data

Thursday 16th November 6.45 – 9pm

Including supper at start

Penrith Rugby Union Club, Winters Park, Carleton Ave, Penrith CA11 8RQ FREE Find out about what’s on offer in the programme and discuss with three inspiring younger farmers who are changing their own or family farming systems for longer term profitability:

  • Using livestock technology and data effectively Changing breeds and systems to be more efficient
  • Making use of environmental schemes, farming with nature and reducing inputs.

·      Developing diversifications and new markets

Cumbria
Bookkeeping  - Delivered by Agricultural Business Training

NEED TO BRING OWN LAPTOP

Sunday 19th November AND Sunday 26th November

2 DAY COURSE

10am – 3.30pm

Lunch included

The Gamekeeper Inn, Threshfield

 

£100 Industry update, accounting terminology, accounting systems, VAT

Practical exercise – invoices, bank reconciliations, margins

Components of profit and loss, balance sheet

Yorkshire Dales
Grants and Schemes – SFI and Countryside Stewardship Thursday 30th November 7pm Zoom FREE Providing up to date information on the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship options Cumbria and Yorkshire Dales
Business Planning Sunday 10th December

 

10am – 3pm

Lunch Included

Abbot Lodge Dairy Ice Cream

Clifton, Penrith CA10 2HD

FREE Basics of running a successful business, looking for opportunities and assessing them, applying for a tenancy, understanding livestock or enterprise gross margins and applying for a bank loan or overdraft facility. Cumbria
Other Grants and Schemes Thursday 4th January 2023 7pm Zoom FREE Covering farming equipment and infrastructure grants, animal health and welfare review and the rural prosperity fund Cumbria and Yorkshire Dales
Applying for a loan, business planning – PART 1

Delivered by Oxbury Bank

Thursday 11th January 7-8.30pm

 

Zoom

 

FREE Applying for a loan, what are banks looking for and business planning.

Chance for you to do a PRACTICE business plan.

Cumbria and Yorkshire Dales
Diversification and Marketing Thursday 18th January

 

7pm Zoom FREE How can diversification fit around a core farming business, skills and management needed, creating a brand, marketing and social media. Inspirational younger farmer speakers. Cumbria and Yorkshire Dales
Bookkeeping – Delivered by Agricultural Business Training

NEED TO BRING OWN LAPTOP

Sunday 4th February AND Sunday 11th February

2 DAY COURSE

 

 

10am – 3pm

Lunch Included

Abbott Lodge Ice Cream parlour, CA10 2HD £100 Industry update, accounting terminology, accounting systems, VAT

Practical exercise – invoices, bank reconciliations, margins

Components of profit and loss, balance sheet

Cumbria
Applying for a loan, business planning – PART 2

Delivered by Oxbury Bank

Thursday 8th February 7-8.30pm

 

Zoom FREE Applying for a loan, what are banks looking for and business planning.

Feedback on PRACTICE business plans.

Cumbria and Yorkshire Dales

Please complete this Survey Monkey to register your interest in the different workshops HERE and we will be in touch with more details.

To find out more, contact Project Manager,Kate Gascoyne, tel: 07548934282 or e mail: kate@thefarmernetwork.co.uk

Read their success stories ...

Over 100 people have been through the programme. We thought you'd like to see how some of them have progressed - along with some advice if you’re thinking of exploring the programme...
Cumbria Community Foundation
The Prince's Countryside Fund
YDNPA 5cm CMYK
francis c scott charitable trust