Project aims to improve farm profitability in uplands

“There is a clear need to help upland farmers improve the returns from their farming businesses”
“There is a clear need to help upland farmers improve the returns from their farming businesses”

A livestock association has been awarded funding to find ways to improve upland farm profitability.

The Pasture-fed Livestock Association (PFLA) has been awarded the funding from The Prince’s Countryside Fund.

The PFLA promotes the unique quality of produce raised exclusively on pasture, and the wider environmental and animal welfare benefits that pastured livestock systems represent.

Initially working with farmers in Cumbria and on Exmoor, the project will expand to two further areas later this year.

This initiative provides a small amount of funding for two years, for groups of farmers to gather together to learn and gain new knowledge about how pasture management can be used to increase the profitability of ruminant livestock farms.

Activities could include farm visits, guest speakers or facilitated discussions and will be aimed at giving farmers confidence to make changes on their own farms.

Each group will be led by a local coordinator who will receive a small honorarium in return.

“There is a clear need to help upland farmers improve the returns from their farming businesses,” says PFLA general manager Russ Carrington.

“Many farm business surveys show very low or negative incomes from upland livestock enterprises and a total reliance on subsidy to make any living. We are very pleased to have received this funding from The Prince’s Countryside Trust to try and do something about this.”

Last month, twelve community-led projects across the UK, which will benefit people living and working in rural areas, was awarded £400,000 of grant funding.