DJM Consulting is offering FREE strategic business advice to farmers and land managers in the Midlands and surrounding areas.

About
The Future Farming Resilience Fund (FFRF) is a Defra scheme, designed to provide free business support to farmers and land managers during the ongoing period of change to direct payments and removal of BPS. The scheme is to help you to:           
    > understand the changes that are happening
    > identify how, what and when you may need to adapt your business
    > access tailored support/advice to adapt

There are eligibility requirements; you must be in England and a Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) claimant or a Higher-Level Stewardship (HLS) claimant, with a Single Business Identifier (SBI) number and you must not be signed up with another provider of FFRF support. 

What can we do for you?
Up to 2 days of free advice is available per farmer. We can tailor the advice to meet your need. We are offering:
  > Analysis of your accounts and BPS as necessary
  > Farm visit by one of our Rural Business Consultants
  > Providing recommendations and actions
  > Keeping in touch with you and providing additional advice

Examples of advice that we have provided includes:

  > Business review:
      - look at accounts (ID strengths, weaknesses, opportunities)
  > Strategic review:
      - where to go with your business in next 5, 10, 15 years
  > Ideas from a fresh face - a new/different perspective
  > Identifying potential diversification opportunities

  > Can we ID how you can do things better?
  > Business plan assistance
  > Setting up a structure to implement your ideas/plan
  > Joint venture initiatives e.g: 
      - Share Farming, Contract Farming Agreements, Service Contracts

  > Making more of your property/assets and long-term planning
  > Can you add value to your land and assets?
  > ID development opportunities; building conversion to houses?
  > Planning permissions: what can you get and how
  > Tax planning - Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax
  > Succession discussions, including tenancy successions e.g:
      - are potential successors eligible? Understand the process?

  > Should you have a solar park (with batteries)?
  > Should you have some solar on the roof with new grant?
  > Is there money to be had from natural capital?
  > Should you sell your carbon?
  > Should you explore Biodiversity Net Gain?
  > Could you host a wind turbine, AD plant or make biochar? 


  > Understanding new schemes e.g. SFI, Capital Grants
  > Practical solution for how schemes can work for you on the ground 
  > How to get a grant - new buildings, reservoirs, equipment
  > Grants update

  > Are your documents fit for purpose e.g:
      - partnership agreements, tenancies, grazing licences
  > What legal documents should you have in place?
  > Hosting a meeting with all family members
  > Making a plan before conflict arises

The above advice is what DJMC do on a day to day basis and normally charge for – under this you get it for free!

What is the catch?/Why are Defra funding it?

There is no catch!

Defra are removing agricultural support (BPS) and they want to provide support to farmers during this dramatic period of change. In England there has been support for farmers since the 1947 Agricultural Act – this ended on 31^st December 2023!

What should you do?
The free service is available for delivery until February 2025, but you should sign up now to secure the funding, even if you do not want to take the free advice now.

How to register
All you need in order to register is your Single Business Identifier (SBI) number and basic business information.

Click here to register, or contact our office on 01746 714089, djmc@theruralbusiness.co.uk