5 key takeaways from the Future Farming Resilience Fund

The Defra-funded Future Farming Resilience Fund (FFRF) gave us the chance to provide free support to nearly 1,000 farmers, giving farm businesses across the country a health check and helping to identify opportunities to adapt. 

Now the scheme has come to an end, here are our five key takeaways:

1. The importance of a business health check

Farm business reviews give farmers the chance to analyse accounts, budgets, business plans, farming agreements and business structures. With government support declining, identifying ways to improve efficiencies is more important than ever, with small changes often making big differences. For example, we were able to improve pack out efficiency for a specialist vegetable grower where staff costs accounted for 50% of turnover.

2. Awareness of grant funding schemes 

While there has been a lot of publicity around the schemes that are no longer available, the project demonstrated a lack of understanding about what grant funding can be accessed by farmers, through schemes such as Countryside Stewardship, Farming in Protected Landscapes and creating or improving woodland. The support landscape is rapidly changing, as evidenced by the shock withdrawal of the Sustainable Farming Incentive, so guidance on how to make the most of what is available is vital for farmers. For example, the second round of the Rural England Prosperity Fund has recently been announced, offering £33 million to support community facilities and rural economic development projects such as glamping, tourism ventures, livery yards, kennels and access to green space.

3. The diversity of diversification

Diversification continues to be high on the agenda for farmers looking to add value to their business. Examples explored through the FFRF included setting up a glampsite, installing solar panels, biodiversity net gain and natural capital opportunities, and creating a deer park.

4. Start succession planning now

With the upcoming changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief for inheritance tax coming into effect in April 2026, succession planning is vital. Honest and open conversations between the generations are essential in order to understand expectations and requirements.

5. An outside view

Gaining an external perspective can be invaluable for evaluating your business; it can spark innovative ideas and highlight issues that might otherwise be challenging to address due to family dynamics, for example.


There is no easy fix to the challenges being faced by the sector, so a multifaceted approach, taking careful consideration of all of the above, is essential to ensure the best outcome. 

Further information

Contact Adrian Matthews