Worcestershire

15 – 15 December 2024

Various locations and times

Welcome to the Worcestershire county page - the place for members to discover what's happening where you are with branch activity, meetings and a whole host of events.

County Update

Last week, the Tenbury Wells branch welcomed NFU President Tom Bradshaw to Worcestershire. A huge range of topics was discussed which showcased the depth and breadth of issues that the NFU are working on. Of particular concern to members was the value Defra place on permanent pasture. It delivers massively in terms of food production, carbon capture, water storage and biodiversity but members were concerned that this is not being recognised sufficiently in the SFI 24 payment rates. However, the payment rates for planting wild bird seed is so high that it could incentivise farmers to plough up permanent pasture to "go after the money" to the detriment of the environment. Tom had concerns that creating and maintaining below ground carbon and biodiversity is not recognised within the payment structure and has promised to raise this with the farming minister Daniel Zeichner when they next meet. Massive thanks to Will and Sam Davies of The Hayes Farm for hosting.

Farm for the Future – Royal Countryside Fund

Do you want help navigating agricultural policy changes including help with understanding ELMs and SFI (Sustainable Farming Incentive)?

If you’re an owner-occupied or tenant farm in England that received BPS, The Royal Countryside Fund’s Farm for the Future programme is in its final year, offering a last chance for free support which includes a 1-2-1 session with a consultant to talk about your farm.

Its online workshops can be joined from the comfort of your own home via Zoom to help you and your farm business navigate policy changes and become more resilient and sustainable.

To find out more and sign up to the online group, contact Christina Hutchings via email [email protected] or call 07715 353 546 or visit www.royalcountrysidefund.org.uk/farmforthefuture

What do rural businesses need in Malvern Hills District?

If you run a business within Malvern Hills District - please would you take a moment to complete this survey? Results will inform how the District Council allocate funding. It is important the rural and farming voices are heard! Your input is valuable in understanding the needs and challenges of rural businesses in the Malvern Hills district.

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/RBS2023/

Worcestershire Businesses access to Farming Recovery Fund

Defra will be writing to affected businesses in areas that have experienced exceptional levels of rainfall and outline what they are entitled to. There will be a flat payment rate, set in bands related to farm size, with the minimum being £2,895, with up to £25,000 at the top end. There will be no need for the business to prove entitlement; Defra will use mapping data to determine flooded land close to rivers, in counties most affected by flooding over this period, as well as rainfall data to establish other areas across the country which have experienced 70% higher rainfall than usual.

Farmers already contacted by the RPA and advised they are entitled to funding through the existing Storm Henk scheme will still be eligible as previously advertised and will receive at least the amount they’ve already been offered. They will receive payments based on the updated bands and minimum amount.

Defra has said farmers will have ‘the flexibility to spend the grant appropriately in their context and will not have to provide evidence of damage or costs or make further claims’.

For more information, visit: GOV.UK | Farming Recovery Fund expanded

Natural Networks Programme

The Natural Networks Programme is a Worcestershire-wide scheme offering grants and advice to projects which aim to create or restore wildlife-rich habitats. It is a partnership between Worcestershire County Council and the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.

The programme offers free professional Biodiversity surveys carried out by our partners the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust who will assess your project site and make recommendations on how to create or enhance your land to maximise habitats for wildlife.

Grants of £1,000 - £15,000 (representing 40% of the total project cost will be available to help you carry out the recommendations suggested in the survey.

The programme aim is to create a natural network of wildlife-rich habitats across Worcestershire that will enhance the quality of our blue and green infrastructure.

Further details can be found here: Natural Networks Programme | Worcestershire County Council

Applicants need to contact the programme manager, [email protected] to request a link to the registration application portal.

Farming in Protected Landscapes – We need more farmers to apply!

Defra is offering funding for projects in England’s Protected Landscapes through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme including the Malvern Hills AONB. It is for one-off projects and is not an agri-environment scheme. The programme is time limited: it opened in July 2021 and is due to end in March 2025. Funding is available for projects that reflect at least one of the four Farming in Protected Landscapes programme themes:

Support NATURE recovery
Mitigate the impacts of CLIMATE CHANGE
Provide opportunities for PEOPLE to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage
Protect or improve the quality and character of the PLACE

Help is available to discuss and complete applications. Please contact Sash Warden Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Officer Tel: 01905 844686 Mob: 07873 616395 email: [email protected] who can give 1:1 help with your application. Read from a selection of case studies on the MHAOB website.

NFU Farmers for Schools Programme

Emma Hamer, Worcestershire County Adviser went into a school in Coventry, talking to sixth form students about careers in Agriculture. As part of the NFU Farmers for Schools programme, we’re asking NFU members to deliver a 30 to 45-minute assembly in local secondary schools about day-to-day life on their farm. This gives you a chance to showcase the value of British farming and correct any myths or misconceptions, as well as answer questions from students.

Find out more at: NFU Farmers for Schools programme

Do you want financial support to upskill your staff?

SkillsBoost Worcestershire is a new programme to help you with the costs of upskilling and training YOUR employees.

In today’s competitive landscape, the requirement for enhanced skills and training poses a significant hurdle for many businesses, not just in Worcestershire but nationwide. Recognising this challenge, Worcestershire’s District Councils working with the County Council, has rolled out an innovative programme, designed to make training more accessible and affordable.

You can claim back 50% of the training costs, up to £6,000, for your Worcestershire based employees. This means that you can upskill or redeploy your employees to maximise their effectiveness.

Businesses of any size and sector are eligible for the programme as long as the employees they are looking to upskill or retrain reside in Worcestershire.

Funding for the SkillsBoost programme is limited on a first come first served basis and is only available from Tuesday 2 April 2024 until 31 March 2025.

To find out more about SkillsBoost and start your application, contact the Worcestershire Growth Hub team via their website or call 01905 677888.

Email – [email protected]

SkillsBoost is funded via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, distributed via all the District Councils in Worcestershire and delivered in partnership between Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Growth Hub.

Join ForFarmers to #Feedyourcareer

For the Future of Farming is ForFarmers’ mission. We work side-by-side with our farmers, we know their businesses, their opportunities and their challenges. We sell feed, but we also provide expert advice. By offering the best feed solutions for each individual business, we ensure a higher return, healthier livestock and improved efficiency.

Timescales:

October 2024 to December 2024 - Applications
January 2025 - Assessment Centres
February 2025 - Job offers

For more information and how to apply click here

Call for Participants: Advancing Fairness in the UK Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Sector – University of Leicester

Are you into fresh fruit and or vegetable cultivation in the UK? University of Leicester are conducting a study on advancing fairness in fresh fruit and vegetable sector and would love to hear from you!

Participation in the study involves farmers who are into the cultivation of fresh fruits and vegetables in the UK and who are suppliers to large retailers in the UK.

All data collected will be handled with the utmost confidentiality and anonymity based on University of Leicester's guideline and used solely for academic purposes.

To participate or learn more, please Visit https://bit.ly/3L6VQTZ or contact Nike directly through [email protected].

Members support would be invaluable to the success of this research.

Questionnaire for pilot study - https://drive.google.com/file/d/16Ip8UzYPUFmq1UG9FIUnzVaHnAQRUG1V/view?usp=sharing

Ragwort – control & disposal

The NFU is reminding livestock farmers to remain vigilant to the risk of ragwort poisoning. Here's some advice on control and disposal.

Ragwort poses a real risk to animal health, with potentially fatal consequences if it is ingested by horses or livestock, either in its green or dried state. Left unchecked, a ragwort problem is likely to become worse, as the species is highly vigorous. A single specimen can produce up to 150,000 seeds with a germination rate of up to 70%.

For more advice on control and disposal click here

Access Business Support to help your business

Worcestershire farmers and growers are being encouraged to engage with the Worcestershire Growth Hub to find out more about the support available for organisations. There is a variety of new business support, funding and grants available to help organisations across Worcestershire.

Local businesses are being encouraged to contact the Worcestershire Growth Hub team to find out how their growth could be supported. There is support available for businesses looking to upskill or train their staff, businesses looking to access specialist expert advice, funding for growth ambitions and much more.

Alongside this, organisations can also find out about all of the upcoming business support events via the Worcestershire Growth Hub’s events calendar. This events page pulls all of the available business support events being delivered in Worcestershire together into one place, regardless of the organiser, location or style of event. To contact the Worcestershire Growth Hub team: Call – 01905 677888 or email [email protected]

The John Tedstone Bursary

The Three Counties Agricultural Society is delighted to be able to offer a new Bursary for agricultural and horticultural studies.

The late John Tedstone of Kingland, Leominster was a renowned Orchardist and Farmer, his lifelong work was in the orchards of his home at New House Farm which was bequeathed to the Three Counties Agricultural Society. The proceeds from the sale of New House Farm will be delivered in accordance with John’s will, to provide bursaries for agricultural and horticultural studies and each bursary will be linked with his name. We are indebted to the generosity of Mr Tedstone and his faith in our Agricultural Society.

The Bursary was officially launched by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival on the 6 May 2022.

Further details: Bursaries – Agricultural Society (threecountiesagriculturalsociety.co.uk)

Applications are welcomed by the Trustees and more information can be obtained by emailing the Society. Contact Jayne Unwin, Education Executive, [email protected]

Boost your dissertation with NFU sponsorship

Every year, the NFU food business unit sponsors one final year university student's dissertation project relating to the UK's supply chain.

How can you apply for the NFU’s dissertation sponsorship award?

The NFU would like to sponsor you if your dissertation is linked to any of the following topics:

British food retailers
hospitality and public sector supply chain
UK food brands, manufacturers, or processors
the sustainable supply chain, or
supply chain collaboration or engagement.

If successful, you will receive £150, and gain access to a range of industry contacts.

To learn more about the NFU sponsorship and how to apply click here

Closes Sunday 10 November

Nature-based Farming Event (free)

Join us for a day of stimulating discussions and case studies around nature-based farming.

Key topics include Worcestershire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy, nature-based farming opportunities, the latest updates on SFI from NFU and the RPA, funding opportunities (including Biodiversity Net Gain) and mental health and well-being support.

BASIS and NRoSO points available.

Guest speakers include Worcestershire County Council, NFU, RPA, Severn Treescapes, Severn Rivers Trust, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust Facilitation Fund. Stands include: NFU, Yellow Wellies, FCN, Forestry Commission and Natural England (covering Catchment Sensitive Farming, SFI and SSSIs).

In partnership with: NFU, WWT Facilitation Fund and Natural England

Date

28 November 2024

Venue & Timings

9.30am – 3.30pm at Leigh and Bransford Memorial Hall, WR13 5DE

Booking

Contact: [email protected]

Please note this event is free to attend. Refreshments and lunch will be provided.

Free onsite parking available.

Mobile signal survey in Worcestershire

The digital connectivity team at Worcester County Council are looking at improving mobile connectivity across the county. As part of this process, they are looking to survey the quality and strength of the mobile service by undertaking drive trials (we put measuring kit in bin lorries that will soon start going round Worcestershire to establish whether mobile signal is as good as operators say it is. To view the article click here.

One of the things they have already started doing is loaning the kit out to landowners to establish connectivity on their farms. Would anyone be interested in carrying out a trial on their farm?

There is no cost for this, the kit is a small size suitcase that can be carried around or placed in any vehicle (powered by e.g. a cigarette lighter). Please contact Emma Hamer, Worcestershire County Adviser at [email protected] and she will put you in touch with the team at the Council.

Wireless Innovation Grant

A grant of up to £5,000 is available from the River Severn Partnership to help purchase and install wireless technologies.

The grant will be open to applicants until December 2024 and can help with:

Asset Management
Remote operations
Security
Assessing water levels and quality
Monitoring weather conditions
Recording emission rates
Testing soil conditions
Recording biodiversity
Smart metering
Livestock and crop monitoring

Further details Advanced Wireless Innovation Region | River Severn Partnership

Tenbury Wells Branch has the following member event:

North Worcestershire (Bromsgrove), Redditch & Inkberrow branch has the following member event:

Kidderminster, Hagley & Halesowen Branch has the following member event:

Pershore & Upton Branch has the following member event:

Evesham branch has the following member event:

Farming Breakfasts for the Farming Community (free)

Come and socialise, enjoy a wonderful breakfast, learn more about Clive’s Fruit Farm. It is also an opportunity to let the organisers know what you would like to see in the future.

Date

8 January 2025

Venue & Timings

9.30am to 12.30pm the Café, Clive’s Fruit Farm, Nr Upton on Severn, WR8 0SA

Booking

For further information and to book please contact [email protected] or call 01684 862165. BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL

Organised in partnership with the NFU and Malvern Hills District Council.

ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY BUILDERS

The Community Builders Team at Malvern Hills District Council works with local people and partners across the area to strengthen community connections, with the aim of reducing isolation and improving health and wellbeing. You can find out more by searching for Community Builders at malvernhills.gov.uk

Event details

Start Date: 15 December 2023 at 12:00
End Date: 15 December 2024 at 12:00
Location: Various locations and times

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