Prince Charles has announced Louth to be the new location for the The Prince's Farm Resilience Programme, aimed at supporting local farmers.
The Prince of Wales attended Louth Livestock Market on Monday (19 March) to announce that Louth, in Lincolnshire, will be the new location .
Prince Charles said that the Farm Resilience Programme, run by The Prince’s Countryside Fund, would be opening in September to support up to 20 local family livestock and dairy farms.
Held in 15 locations across the country annually, The Prince’s Farm Resilience Programme helps farming families to become more resilient and prepare for the future, through a series of business skills workshops led by leading agricultural consultancies.
It will bring local farmers together in a network and help to further secure Louth market’s place as an essential rural hub for Lincolnshire.
Claire Saunders, Director of The Prince’s Countryside Fund said the team are "proud" to be bringing The Prince’s Farm Resilience Programme to Louth.
“Livestock farming, and farming families, are increasingly at risk but this programme of support ensures that the local rural economy can prosper, and as a result, vibrant rural communities can thrive,” Ms Saunders said.
“We would emphatically encourage farming families in the area to sign up when the programme starts in the autumn.”
Market closure
The Prince of Wales also met auctioneers and members of staff from businesses based at the livestock market, and heard of their efforts to save the market from closure in 2017 following a decade of uncertainty.
The district council landlords had earmarked the site for a supermarket and offered the site for sale.
As a result of a community led campaign, the district council and the auctioneers who run the market are now actively working together to ensure a sustainable and thriving market site with the rural community at its heart.
Simon Williams, a partner with Louth Market Auctioneers said that 2017 was a "tumultuous year" for the market.
“We now look forward to a secure future. We thank The Prince of Wales and The Prince’s Countryside Fund from the bottom of our hearts, and we think it’s great that His Royal Highness could be here today to launch the Farm Resilience Programme,” Mr Williams said.
