Harry Davies, 25, is a third-generation farmer and Harper Adams University graduate
A 25-year-old Herefordshire farmer is preparing to take on a 900-acre Duchy of Cornwall farm under a new 25-year tenancy designed to support long-term regenerative farming.
Harry Davies will become the tenant of Monkhall Farm under what the Duchy says is its first regenerative Farm Business Tenancy.
The agreement is intended to give him enough certainty to invest in the farm over the long term, including in soil health, biodiversity, water management, infrastructure and the resilience of the wider business.
The Duke of Cornwall visited Monkhall Farm to meet Davies and hear about his plans for the holding.
During the visit, the Duke toured the farm, joined Davies in a tractor during drilling work and met representatives from Regenified, which helped develop the tenancy model with the Duchy.
Davies is a third-generation farmer who has worked throughout his life at Hopes Ash Farm near Ross-on-Wye alongside his parents and grandparents.
The family business includes dairy, poultry, beef, arable and renewable energy enterprises.
He became a partner in the business in 2023 after graduating from Harper Adams University with a BSc (Hons) in Agriculture.
At Monkhall, the new tenancy will allow Davies to establish a baseline for the farm and track changes over time as regenerative practices are introduced.
The approach is intended to improve soil condition, encourage biodiversity and make land management more resilient while maintaining a productive farming business.
The Duchy developed the tenancy with Regenified, which provides a framework for assessing farms and measuring progress.
It forms part of the Duchy’s wider ambition for all of its equipped farms to follow regenerative principles by 2035.
Tenants who choose to participate will be offered support through the Duchy’s Farming and Nature programme, including practical advice, funding and opportunities to learn from other farmers.
Matthew Morris, executive director for rural at the Duchy of Cornwall, said the length of the tenancy was intended to give Davies more confidence to make investments that could take years to produce results.
“What makes Monkhall exciting is the chance to start with a long-term view from day one. Harry is taking on a rare and exciting opportunity, where he can plan for the long-term and pave the way for other farmers to develop regenerative farming practices.”
He said the pressures facing agriculture made long-term resilience increasingly important.
“Farming is dealing with some very real pressures, from rising costs to increasingly unpredictable weather, so resilience has to be at the core of how we support farming tenants.”
Morris added that the 25-year agreement should allow Davies to invest in areas including soil, water, infrastructure and the wider business with greater certainty.
“We’ll learn a lot from Monkhall over the years ahead. The important thing is that we share that learning with other farmers and keep proving that regenerative farming can make sense for the business as well as for the land.”
Davies said the long-term tenancy would give him greater scope to adapt the farm and invest for the future.
“I'm very pleased to be taking on Monkhall Farm. The dry summer has been a reminder of the pressures farmers are under, and support to adapt and plan for the long term makes a real difference.”
He added: “The long-term tenancy, together with support from the Duchy of Cornwall's Farming and Nature team, means I can invest in regenerative practices that should benefit both the business and the environment. I'm looking forward to getting started."
The farm visit formed part of a wider day in Monmouthshire and Herefordshire focused on flooding and resilience to extreme weather.
Earlier, the Duke met residents affected by recent flooding and organisations working on nature-based measures intended to reduce flood risk and strengthen community resilience.