SAVE OUR FAMILY FARMS

We launch our campaign with The Prince’s Countryside Fund to support Britain’s small farms

We have been farming on British soil for thousands of years. Many of our most-loved landscapes – wild-flower meadows; fields crisscrossed with hedgerows; hills lined with drystone walls – are created and managed by farmers. They carry out millions of pounds’ worth of conservation work to protect wildlife1, and provide us with seasonal British produce, available for some of the lowest prices and raised to some of the highest welfare standards2 in the world. Nationally, the UK food and farming sector is worth £112 billion to our economy and represents around 3.8 million jobs3 – but for those who live in or care about the countryside, it’s even more important. Farming often forms both the economic and social foundations of rural communities – those that are already under pressure following the closure of local schools, village shops, libraries and pubs.

FARMING UNDER THREAT

Farming in the UK currently faces unprecedented challenges – and those threats are felt most by small and medium-sized – usually family-run – farms. A 2016 report by The Prince’s Countryside Fund (PCF) showed that the number of farms of this kind in the UK has declined by almost half in the past three decades4. In the past nine years, one in four British dairy farms has stopped producing milk5 and 25 per cent of farming families live on or below the poverty line6. Recently, UK self-sufficiency in food production has fallen to 61 per cent compared to 75 per cent in 19917. Add to this the consequences of last year’s bad weather conditions, and uncertainty about markets and payments following a departure from the EU, and it’s clear to see why many young farmers are choosing other professions.

Now, more than ever, UK farmers need support. Country Living has joined forces with The Prince’s Countryside Fund to highlight the issues facing small family farms and, crucially, what you can do to help. Founded in 2010, the PCF provides support and advice specifically to family farms. “My Countryside Fund is a response to the threats facing our countryside as we know it,” says the patron HRH The Prince of Wales. “Farming and rural communities are under immense pressure, to an extent perhaps unprecedented in my lifetime. In a fast-moving global economy, no sector can be immune to rapid changes, whether good or bad, but it is all too easy to overlook how much we depend on our family farmers.”

VITAL SUPPORT

The Prince’s Countryside Fund offers support in a number of ways. Through its Farm Resilience Programme, it provides farmers with free business skills training from some of the UK’S top consultants. When disasters – such as floods – strike, an emergency fund works with organisations on the ground to send aid to those who need it, and provide longer-term support to help communities rebuild. Every year, a Grant Programme funds projects that bring a long-term positive impact to individuals and communities, providing recipients with up to £50,000. The PCF also commissions research into the issues facing rural areas and farming communities, including the cashflow crisis in farming, public opinion of farmers and, most recently, how rural communities can have a sustainable future.

VOTE WITH YOUR SHOPPING BASKET

UK farmers rely heavily on consumer support – what you put in your shopping basket really does make a difference, as a cheap-food culture could lead to an increase in Us-style industrial farms. A survey by LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) found that shoppers are more concerned about how Brexit will impact on the price and choice of food available than they are about the implications for British farmers8. Many admit, too, that they don’t always buy British even when it is available – with only half buying British meat; 42 per cent choosing British cheese and 35 per cent opting for home-grown vegetables9.

Throughout our Keep Britain Farming campaign, we will be looking at innovative farmers who, with the support of the PCF, are meeting the challenges of our time and forging a sustainable future. We will also share practical ways that can make a difference to small family farms, protecting landscapes and the lifeblood of rural communities.

BRITISH AGRICULTURE FORMS THE BACKBONE OF OUR RURAL LANDSCAPES, BUT IT’S FACING GREATER CHALLENGES THAN IT HAS FOR GENERATIONS. THROUGH THIS CAMPAIGN, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PRINCE’S COUNTRYSIDE FUND, WE EXPLORE THE ISSUES FACING BRITAIN’S SMALL FAMILY FARMS – AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP