Diversification

If you’ve ever looked into trying to find new ways to get more people to visit your farm, you’d know that most ways to grow your business will often require an upfront investment of some kind. But there is a zero-cost way that you can market your farm to a large, new audience: by becoming a Brit Stops host.

Those who attended the National Sheep Association (NSA) Northern Region event last Friday had their eyes opened to the opportunities and potential pitfalls of ways to diversify sheep farming enterprises.

Farmer Robert Moore made it his goal to leave his 356-hectare arable unit in a better state for the environment and wildlife than when he took it on in 1988. To do this, he has balanced sustainability and profitability in his approach to farming.

Some of the UK’s best pick your own farms have been shortlisted for the national Farm Retail Awards.

Farmers from all sectors who have invested in creating an additional income stream for their business are encouraged to enter Scotland’s ‘Diversified Farm of the Year 2023’ award, with the winner set to receive widespread recognition at the Scottish Agricultural Awards in October.

Responding to financial pressures facing the sector, Yorkshire pig producers Vicky, Rachel and Kate Morgan, diversified into holiday lets. Since their March launch they’ve received outstanding customer reviews and their new enterprise is fully booked until August. This is how they did it… 

Now there are easy ways to assess the potential of your farm for a range of future uses, explains Addland.

Farmers and landowners in England can now run pop-up campsites for up to 60 days per year without the need to apply for additional planning permission, which Pitchup.com said could offer a lifeline to struggling rural communities.

To support diversity and biodiversity on their Shropshire farm, Mark and Liz Lea planted a woodland in February this year, supported by the Woodland Trust’s MOREwoods scheme.

You will almost certainly have heard some mention of Natural Capital (NC) by now as it has been the hot topic of the year so far for most of our landowner or farming clients. Through this article, Birketts explores what NC is, and also where you might expect to be able to obtain funding to support any NC projects you might have in mind.

A new funding package to boost the rural economy fails to mention the future of permitted development rights, a camping specialist has said.

Growers at a farm in Angus have developed an award-winning gin which reduces reliance on synthetic fertilisers and is grown, harvested, and distilled on site.