Diversification

From farm shops to wedding venues or forest bathing to event spaces, the options for starting a new land-based tourism business are endless.

Nearly 40% of farmers said they plan to increase diversification in the next five years, but many are waiting for details on farm support systems and assessing the implications of the cost-of-living crisis.

At an online event hosted by Trinity Global Farm Pioneers, expert speakers discussed how agroforestry and biodiversity can help drive agricultural production and explored the barriers to uptake among farmers. Henrietta Szathmary writes.

In uncertain times, Rural Asset Finance is seeing more and more farmers looking to diversify into green energy. While traditional banks which may balk at the idea of loaning money for new enterprises that have not been tried and tested, Rural Asset Finance explains an alternative funding option that is available to diversifying farmers.

The UK is on a journey from fossil fuels to a renewable future. Drax provides a guide to creating revenue for your farm by generating and exporting your own renewable electricity.

A report published by energy offtaker, Limejump, highlights the opportunities for farmers to generate significant returns from small scale renewable energy assets.

In times of significant uncertainty, it could be difficult for farming businesses to access the finance they need from traditional banks. Rural Asset Finance explains the different paths available to farmers and how its non-traditional approach provides access to funds for a wide variety of projects.

The staycation boom is here to stay – in fact, it’s stronger than ever, says outdoor accommodation expert Pitchup.com – providing a tempting diversification opportunity for farmers.

During challenging times for traditional farming and with sustainability and de-carbonising high on the agenda, more and more UK entrepreneurial landowners are looking at alternative ways to generate extra revenue streams. Rural diversification company Appetite Me explores the benefits of setting up a farm shop and provides a guide to getting started.

Any successful net zero strategy needs a reliable and trustworthy partner, and CarbonStore reckons it is ideally placed to help farmers navigate the flourishing market for carbon credits generated by planting home-grown trees in the UK.

Pitchup.com is backing a Yorkshire MP in his quest to boost the UK’s rural economy. Earlier this week, Robert Goodwill, MP for Scarborough and Whitby, called on Housing Secretary Michael Gove to reinstate the right for farmers and landowners to operate pop-up campsites for 56 days each year without applying for planning permission.

Suffolk’s Hog & Hen farm shop and café has provided a hub for the local community, whilst supporting the farming family’s arable and pig enterprise. Farmers Guide visited the shop to chat to the team about their farming methods and experience starting a new diversification through the pandemic – alongside the myriad challenges facing British farmers.