Wiltshire farmers offered £2m for greener countryside scheme

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 15 Nov, 05:01 · Archive

Wiltshire Council has been notified of a government intention to award £2m to help farmers work together on environmental improvements.

Hundreds of Wiltshire farmers could benefit from a £2 million government-backed scheme aimed at making farms more resilient while improving nature, soil and water quality. Wiltshire Council has been notified of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' intention to award £1,999,537.84 from its Farmer Collaboration Fund. The deal will go before Wiltshire Council's Cabinet on 18 November for approval.

The three-year programme would initially involve more than 600 farms belonging to 26 farmer-led groups, working across 176,500 hectares. By 2030, the council says as many as 800 farmers could have benefited. Rather than offering individual grants, the money is intended to encourage farmers and land managers to work together on problems and opportunities spanning entire landscapes.

The programme will be led through the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, hosted by Wiltshire Council, with supporting partners including Cranborne Chase National Landscape, the Cotswolds National Landscape, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, the Soil Association and Action for the River Kennet. Projects could address soil health, water quality, natural flood management, habitat connectivity, farmland birds and organic farming. The council says collaborative working could help join up wildlife corridors, restore hedgerows and trees, reduce chemical run-off and help soils retain more water.

How it is being reported

• Farmers offered £2m boost for greener Wiltshire countrysideHundreds of Wiltshire farmers could benefit from a £2 million government-backed scheme aimed at making farms more resilient while improving nature, soil and water quality.Gazette & Herald · 15 Nov, 04:44
• Farmers offered £2m boost for greener Wiltshire countrysideHundreds of Wiltshire farmers could benefit from a £2 million government-backed scheme aimed at making farms more resilient while improving nature, soil and water quality.Wiltshire Times · 15 Nov, 04:44
• Farmers offered £2m boost for greener Wiltshire countrysideHundreds of Wiltshire farmers could benefit from a £2 million government-backed scheme aimed at making farms more resilient while improving nature, soil and water quality.Swindon Advertiser · 15 Nov, 04:44

In this story: Wiltshire Council · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Wiltshire · North Wessex Downs National Landscape · Wiltshire Wildlife Trust

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