The Farmer Network has launched a series of workshops, supported by the National Lottery Reaching Communities fund to assist the next generation of farmers in setting up their own agricultural practices.
The four-part series will provide expert guidance from a range of spokespeople from agricultural banking, legal, accounting and marketing backgrounds, who will be on hand to help farmers overcome potential challenges and avail of opportunities in their new business ventures.
The series launched last weekend with a two-day training course on farm accounting and book-keeping.
This will be followed by a workshop at 7:00p.m on Monday, January 27, at the George Hotel, Penrith, which will comprise a business planning session hosted by area director of business banking at HSBC, Fiona Wilson, and a farm tenancy session led by the H&H Land and Estates Team.
Another workshop will take place online at 7:00p.m on Monday, February 3, consisting of a presentation and Q&A session with senior agricultural relationship manager at Oxbury Bank, Mark Pearson.
Pearson will cover the Oxbury New Gen package, which helps the next generation of farmers access finance to enter the industry, and will describe what is needed in a business and cash-flow plan to support loan applications.
Pearson will be joined by two local farm accountant business consultants, Rob Hitch, of Dodd and Co., and David Threlkeld, of Armstrong Watson, who will provide individual feedback for attendees who construct a business plan on the back of the session.
This feedback will be delivered during a follow-up online session on Wednesday, March 12, at 7:00p.m.
According to the Farmer Network, a final workshop will be offered to the group on marketing and promotion, with a date to be announced in due course.
Farmer Network project manager, Kate Gascoyne, said: “It is so important that we give our next generation of farmers confidence through learning the skills needed to plan, create, promote and sustain a new farming-related business.”
Farmer Network managing director, Adam Day added: “We are very grateful for the support and guidance offered by our guest presenters and advisors at these meetings.
“Also, to the National Lottery, without that support we could not make these events happen. We all share a common aim, to ensure a viable future for our Next Gen farmers.”
The Farmer Network has advised interested individuals to contact the organisation to register their attendance in advance of the sessions.
The independent, non-profit, farmer-led organisation was set up to provide help and support to farmers in Cumbria, the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland, and said it has helped over 200 young people set up their own businesses over the last 12 years.
