Sustainable Farming and Forestry
To support the development of farming and forestry supply chain businesses in order to create a more effective farming and forestry sector with the objectives of:
- Increasing the competitiveness of farming and forestry industries through responsiveness to market signals and shifts in demand
- Creating a farming sector focused on the market, producing food and non-food crops in a more efficient way
- Greater collaboration and co-operation within supply chains
- Farm businesses accessing new markets and producing new added value products such as renewable energy products, non-food crops and high value food products
- Woodland managers and forestry supply chain businesses accessing new markets and developing business opportunities associated with woodland and quality forest products
Hay baler
Example outcomes:
- Enhanced rural business productivity
- Improved connections between producers and their markets
- Increased processing capacity for farm and forestry products, delivering improved local value added to commodity products
- Increased ability to respond to public demand for regional farm and forest products
- Improved revenue streams for primary producers and forest managers, supporting sustainable land management practices
- Improved local marketing
- Stimulate business enterprise/developing skills and learning
Northumberland Uplands will support initiatives which add value to the local farm products. The Local Action Group will work with Business in the Community, local farmers and key stakeholders to assess the potential for a high value area based marquee. Currently, Business in the Community is undertaking market research to establish the potential for such an initiative. Prince Charles has pledged his commitment should there be value in developing an initiative in the Northumberland Uplands similar to ones in the Peak District and Dartmoor. This initiative would add value to local produce, create greater cooperation between upland farmers and provide tangible benefits for the environment.
The Local Action Group is committed to generating an ambition for innovation. Northumberland Upwards aims to facilitate new thinking in agricultural businesses by sharing the results of learning exercises from the area and from similar agricultural areas such as the North Pennines and Cumbrian Fells and Dales. Northumberland College will use their resources (Kirkley Hall and associated training venues and mobile venues) to help farm managers to increase their knowledge and test new ideas in a supportive environment. Land managers will be encouraged to look at their potential assets such as under-utilised buildings and small woodlands to see where they could contribute to the farm businesses income. Learning the successes and pitfalls of diversification will be a key enabler to make agricultural businesses stronger.
The beautiful landscape of the Northumberland Uplands has been shaped by land management practices of past generations. This inheritance is often thought of as being on loan for us to maintain and enhance for future generations. It provides priceless natural assets for community use, recreation, tourism and biodiversity. Effective maintenance can also protect cultural heritage features such as dry-stones walls, ancient woodlands, traditional hedgerows and historic buildings. The UK’s commitment to reducing the effects of climate change can also be effectively assisted by sustainable woodlands and the management of the country’s most effective natural carbon sinks – peat bogs. Northumberland Upwards is committed to provided training and development opportunities to provide land management skills for the upkeep and enhancement of the high quality environment. This offers:
- New businesses opportunities for existing agricultural businesses and employees
- A means to maximise the benefits to farmers from the growing funding from environmental land management support mechanisms under the Common Agricultural Policy, focussing on the delivery of wider eco-system services
- New pathways for young people to become introduced to land management employment
- Improvements to address the lack of highly-skilled crafts people in key areas including managing ancient woodlands and traditional building skills
The Local Action Group is keen to work with farmers markets to ensure they are effective in supporting rural businesses from the Northumberland Uplands. A number of these markets will be outside the Northumberland Uplands, however, it is recognised they benefit local businesses. Thus Northumberland Upwards will develop effective working relationships with regional farmers markets and also with the principal Market Town Initiatives at Hexham, Morpeth, Alnwick and Berwick-upon-Tweed.
The value of local produce is embedded as a new paradigm when the local population sees real value in purchasing the product. Northumberland Upwards will urge the local population to support local produce. Opinion formers such as local restaurant and shops are vital to the success and so working with local trade associations will be critical. The role of the public sector as a purchaser is also critical and their support will be needed to establish purchasing practices which take full account of their wider socio-economic remit including market development and reducing food miles.
Most agricultural businesses are price takers in a very competitive environment where the market can move dramatically in a short time. The Local Action Group aims to support farmers to work together on initiatives which provide better supply chains, enhancing quality, adding value, and improving routes to market.
Northumberland Upwards also aims to build on the existing skills of the forestry sector businesses. Forestry contracting is a skilled occupation in which existing contractors are experienced and have often developed modifications to equipment and created working practices to suit local conditions. Local knowledge indicates that young people are not being attracted to forestry therefore Northumberland Upwards will aim to encourage opportunities for young people become involved with the forestry sector through supporting training and apprenticeships. In addition, it is generally recognised that there is potential increase the numbers employed in forestry and the Local Action Group will work the Forestry Commission and business representatives to provide training for people to enter forestry employment.
To improve environment management of the woodlands it is recognised that skills transfer is required to enhance the skills of existing land management practitioners. The Local Action Group will also seek to increase the economic potential of wood as a plentiful commodity in the Uplands. New ways will be sought to add value to wood within the area. Northumberland Uplands will look to provide low impact recreational opportunities for the local community and tourists, in order to enhance the attractiveness of the tourism and recreation economy.
The Local Action Group is keen to provide ways in which the existing forestry sector can share and learn from innovative solutions to the local circumstances in the Northumberland Uplands. Northumberland Upwards will aim to capture best practice and disseminate this intelligence amongst the forestry business network.
