Rachel Hallos, NFU vice president, invited more than 80 farmers to her farm in the South Pennines to explore ways to maximise business, share ideas, and learn more about food production and the environment.
The 2,000-acre farm is tenanted from Yorkshire Water and is rich in wildlife, being part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Alongside her husband and two children, Rachel runs a commercial beef and sheep enterprise and was joined by a panel of industry experts for the event.
There are special habitats on farm, including blanket bog, heathland and acid grassland, which are all species-rich and home to upland birds such as golden plover, curlew, twite, dunlin and merlin.
“I was delighted to have so many members and farmers from different parts of the country come along to have a day on our farm and listen to our farm experiences as upland and tenant farmers, and also hear from a panel of experts,” Rachel said.
“With the changes to SFI and farm subsidies, ever changing weather conditions and running costs, a lot of farmers are really struggling to make a living. We want to host these events to share experiences and help each other make the most of our farm businesses.”
Amelia Stratton, NFU head of member experience, added: “It’s so important to host events like these to share experiences good and bad on how to make the most out of farm businesses and explore different opportunities. The event also gave people the chance to network with friends old and new.”