Small regenerative farms are changing the system, but it’s a huge challenge for these enterprises to stand up to a system built for different ends over many decades. Regenerative farm start-ups need to band together (which is coming soon, through the Regenerative Alliance) and they need support from us at critical moments.
The planning system was not built around the needs of small regenerative farming enterprises. To illustrate the difficulties this causes growers here in the Brecon Beacons National Park, we arranged a site visit for the Authority’s CEO and its Head of Planning at Tir Awen Farm in Gilwern, run by Rob & Zoe Proctor. Rob & Zoe have proposed a One Planet Development, but the process has ground to a halt in a planning mire.
We have since proposed a roundtable meeting with the Proctors for all the relevant arms of the Authority in a bid to get this resolved. Change comes about through individual cases, and Tir Awen challenges the planning system and shows where change is needed.
Another area we’re exploring is start-up funding for new farming enterprises. So we’re investigating requirements, in the form of grants, loans or a mix of both, and we’re starting conversations with foundations about creating a fund precisely designed to meet the needs of this new kind of farming. We’re also looking to learn from successful start-up funding models established elsewhere – so if you know of any good examples, please get in touch.
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