Creating the farm of the future

Beef and sheep farmers in the north east of England are being invited to take part in a project to create the farm of the future.

Funding has been secured from the Rural Development Programme for England, under the LandSkills initiative to establish two monitor farms in the north east, with the aim of exploring best practice farming and sharing this with other farms over the three-year period. It is hoped the farms will be situated in Northumberland and one in the Barnard Castle area.

Monitor farms have been successful in New Zealand and it is hoped the same success can be replicated in the north east, with the ultimate aim of improving returns for livestock farmers in the regions, says EBLEX’s Steve Powdrill.

“We are keen to hear from livestock farmers in the region who would like to be considered as a monitor farm, or who are interested in joining none of the regional business groups which will benefit from studying these farms,” he says.

The project is being launched with a series of free events around the region, which will offer guidance to beef and sheep farmers on timely subjects, including winter silage and feeding livestock before turnout.

For more information and to register for a free place call 0870 609 1840 or email brpevents@eblex.org.uk