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Green Futures | 13 & 19 March

Green Futures, our annual joint online event with the CLA, is back for 2025 with two topical events.

This year's Green Futures will feature the latest updates for farmers relating to schemes, grants and policy changes. 

For more information and to register click here

Derbyshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy

Over the past 12 months we’ve worked hard alongside partners and local residents to look at what could and should be done to improve the natural environment across Derbyshire and Derby as well as identifying how and where work needs to take place.  We’ve taken the thousands of comments and views on board and used them to create a draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Derbyshire.

This means that it’s now time to have your say.

You can view the draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy below and provide your thoughts and feedback in the survey available through this link: 

The survey will be open until midnight on 20 March 2025.

You can also find out more about the draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy mapping below, as well as view and comment on our maps though this link: 

We are also holding a series of events during February and March, which includes two online sessions and five drop-in events around the county:

• Derby Arboretum Park: Saturday 1 March
• Glossop, Manor Park: Monday 10 March
• Swadlincote, Sharpe’s Pottery Museum: Wednesday 12 March

Further information available

The Big Farm Tea Break

Date

24 - 30 March 2025

Spring is the time of year on a farm when it seems everywhere you look there is a job waiting. Lambing, calving and tractor work all add to the pressure, it’s easy to feel there is no time to breathe.

Due to this pressure, we miss out on visits to the local shops, markets, Young Farmers or the pub. Those communities we are part of are still there and keen to always be there for you.

It’s amazing how stopping for a conversation puts everything into perspective for you and people around you.

So, during the Big Farm Tea Break, let’s all come together as a community.

Lynda and Andy wish they could have had the chance to say the right words at the right time.  They can’t but you can.

Please share your photos and #Lens Light

No one in the rural community should feel isolated or alone.

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

South Derbyshire Council – UK Shared Prosperity Fund

This is the final year of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and South Derbyshire Council want to ensure that all businesses and community groups within South Derbyshire are made aware that grant funding is still available.

If anybody has any questions about eligibility, please contact the Council on 01283 595755 or email [email protected]

Be vigilant of scam callers

If you receive a call that looks like it is from NFU Headquarters and are unsure then please hang up, do not pass on any personal details.

You can contact NFU CallFirst on 0370 845 8458 to check if we are doing any calls or promotions.

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  or contact Nike directly through [email protected].

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

Questionnaire for pilot study -

Branch Meeting

Date

10 March 2025

Venue & Timings

7.30pm at Red Lion, Hollington, Ashbourne, DE6 3HA

Booking

For more information, please contact the branch on 01332 342097

Light refreshments will be available

Branch meeting

Guest speaker: Rebecca Hallam. Rural Accountant Q&A

Date

12 March 2025

Venue & Timings

8pm at The Crispin Inn, Main Street, Great Longstone, Bakewell DE45 1TZ

Booking

For more information, please contact the branch on 01629 812481

Light refreshments will be available

Developing Water Resilience as a Farm Business Workshop

Are you a farmer interested in learning about how to manage your water more sustainably, while protecting natural resources and your business?

As climate change increases uncertainty, farm businesses face rising costs and impact on water availability. Sustainable operations and responsible water use are key to long-term success.

• Develop an understanding about the importance of water resources & current challenges
• Access a new water audit tool to help assess water usage, sources, and resilience
• Join our on-site walkthrough to observe existing practices
• Identify cost-saving and sustainability solutions

Date

24 March 2025

Venue & Timings

10am – 3pm at Lower Medhurst Green Farm, CW12 4TA

Booking

You will need to complete the survey to sign up, please click

Important things to know before attending: Please bring your own laptop in order to access the water audit tool. Paper copies will also be provided.

In conjunction with Catchment Based Approach, Groundwork Greater Manchester, Environment Agency, AHDB and Water Resources West

Peak District National Park – Active Travel Consultation

The Peak District National Park would like to hear from you on how to improve access for walking, cycling, disabled users, and horse riders in the within the National Park.

We’re consulting on a high-level network of routes for more active travel. This includes everyday trips like walking to the shops or cycling to work, as well as longer journeys for leisure.

The consultation includes interactive maps to provide details of your important places or suggested improvements.

Solid red lines show those routes already in place and dashed lines show routes where details are still to be developed. If you are unable to use the mapping, please provide your response in the text boxes.

In this online consultation we’d like to know:

1. Which places are most important to you and how often you use the routes
2. Where you'd like to see improvements to the network and the type of improvement
3. Any other comments or concerns on the network/routes shown

You can submit as many responses as you like.

The consultation ends on Sunday 16 March 2025

For more information and to complete the survey please click

Derbyshire Dales District Council Business Survey 2025

Derbyshire Dales District Council’s Regeneration & Economic Development Team is keen to understand more about businesses in the Derbyshire Dales district; their growth plans, barriers to change and challenges being faced, for example finding the right premises or attracting the right workforce.

They are asking businesses to complete a short survey, which is split into 5 sections and should take up to 10 minutes.

To view the survey please click (please read the T&Cs on the site before undertaking the survey)

Expanded SFI Offer Workshops (free)

Join Catchment Sensitive Farming for a morning of free, impartial advice on application process, choosing and management of options.

Main Speaker: Andrew Wells, Agricultural Consultant from Arable Alliance.             

In this ever-changing world of farming, keeping up with changes and details of the various schemes that are available from Defra is virtually impossible. Whilst we will mainly be trying to demystify the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), we are also happy to try and answer questions about other schemes or direct you to the correct organisation.

Agenda:

09:30 Registration

10:00 introduction and Housekeeping

10:10 Introduction to Catchment Sensitive Farming

10:30 SFI the application process

11:00 SFI options

12:00 Fitting options into your system.

12:15 Discussion

12:30 Lunch and further discussion

Venues & Dates

21 March: Marston Montgomery Village Hall, Derbys DE6 2FQ

26 March: Kilburn Village Hall, Nr Belper Derbys DE56 0LU

Booking

50 places available at each, so booking essential. Please click to register for your place. (Please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements)

BASIS and NRoSO CPD points available.

RABI Cheese & Wine Night (chargeable)

Date

29 March 2025

Venue & Timings

7pm for 7.30pm start at The Agricultural Business Centre, Agricultural Way, Bakewell, DE45 1AH

Cost

£20pp which includes food, nibbles and soft drinks.

Booking

To purchase ticket(s) please contact Angela on 07789 445118 or John on 07815 414317

Annual Branch Dinner (chargeable)

Date

20 March 2025

Venue & Timing

7:30pm at Hallowes Golf Club, Hallowes Lane, Dronfield, S18 1UR.

Booking

To confirm costs and to book your place(s) please call the office on 01246 454924

Emergency First Aid at Work Course (chargeable)

The Emergency First Aid at Work qualification is designed for individuals who wish to act as an emergency first aider in their workplace. Upon successful completion of this qualification, candidates will be equipped with the essential skills needed to give safe, prompt and effective first aid in emergency situations.

Date

14 May 2025

Venue & Timings

9.15am until 4.30pm at Bakewell Agricultural Centre, Bakewell

Booking

Places are limited so it is a first come first served basis. To reserve a place please email [email protected] or telephone 01629 812481 for more information including costs.