PfL Launches Farm for the Future programme
It will be new territory for Pasture for Life (PfL) from October as two of our newest recruits – Rachael Wells and Sarah Juggins – launch the Royal Countryside Fund (RCF) Farm for the Future (FftF) Programme in their respective regions.
The programme is a two-year/two-cohort programme aimed at increasing farm resilience in the face of policy change. This is the second year the RCF programme is running but the first time it has been delivered by PfL. The good news for all participants is that joining the programme will also entitle farmers to a year’s free membership of Pasture for Life.
Both the Thames and Thames Valley programme and the programmes running in the East Midlands and East Anglia are open to existing PfL members as well as livestock farmers from outside the organisation.
Crucial to the success of the programmes are the regional facilitators. In Rachael’s case this is long-standing PfL member and Cotswold farmer Matt Elliot, while Sarah has the benefit of tapping into the knowledge, experience and enthusiasm of Hannah Thorogood in the East Midlands and Rebecca Mayhew in East Anglia.
The FftF programme comprises a Welcome Meeting, two core Workshops on the Environment and Business, plus four more specific Topic Workshops. All the workshops are delivered by experts in their field but, more importantly, practitioners with lived experiences of working with or around livestock. Many of those delivering the courses are PfL members, who are highly tuned to what livestock farmers need in order to improve their business efficiency and sustainability.
While the course differs from region to region, matching the needs of the local area, the general themes are similar. Animal health, reducing inputs, improving soil health through grazing management systems, farming with nature, improving farm efficiency, selling produce – the list goes on. What is crucial for the success of the course is that the programme has been developed in collaboration with farmers, so the courses on offer are relevant, necessary and will add value to the farm business.
As the launch dates draw near, Rachael is busy putting the final touches to the Thames and Thames Valley programme. Rachael says: ‘The enthusiasm from the people who have signed up for the programme and what they would like to be covered is contagious. So many good ideas and offers to host. I am really looking forward to meeting everyone in person’.
Meanwhile, on the more eastern side of the country, Hannah and Rebecca are bombarding Sarah with ideas to make this programme as exciting and targeted for the audience as possible.
‘Our WhatsApp group is positively buzzing,’ says Sarah. ‘Every time I think we have finished for the day, Hannah or Rebecca will message me with a “What about doing …”. In a way it is a shame the course is only six workshops in total, we have enough content ideas to fill a week-long conference.’
And just like that, somewhere in East Anglia and the East Midlands two brains instantly pick up the thought….
You can sign up for either the Thames and Thames Valley FftF programme or for the East Anglia or East Midlands programme online here (https://www.tfaforms.com/5019669). For more information contact rachael@pastureforlife.org (Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire) sarah@pastureforlife.org (East Anglia and East Midlands)
