A FARMING charity is offering a free programme of workshops to help farmers navigate the changes that will affect their businesses in the future.

The Farmer Network is delivering Farm for the Future with the Prince’s Countryside Fund to help farmers become more resilient. It is funded by Defra’s Future Farming Resilience Fund and any farm currently receiving the Basic Payment Scheme is eligible.

The Farmer Network will be working with four groups of farmers including with a group that will be based at Threshfield, near Grassington, in the Yorkshire Dales.

The Farmer Network’s Senior Project Manager Veronica Waller said: “In the last phase of the programme, we worked with over 200 farmers and are delighted to be able to support four further groups of farmers this winter including a group at Threshfield.

“The series of workshops includes help to analyse the farm business, information about environmental schemes and two workshops on topics decided by the group. This is followed by one-to-one support to help each business consider their options for the future.

“The programme is designed to help farmers and their families come together with other farmers from their local community to understand what the changes mean for their businesses and benefit from their shared experience.”

Farmers are invited to attend a Welcome Meeting on Thursday, November 10, at the Gamekeepers Inn, Threshfield, BD23 5PN. The meeting will start at 7pm with refreshments provided and will include a presentation about the changes to farm support and more details about what the programme will offer. Any farmer can attend the welcome meeting without obligation to sign up and can then decide whether the programme is suitable for them.

For more information about the programme and to book onto the Welcome Meeting, email admin@thefarmernetwork.co.uk or call 01768 868 615.