Farmers in the North Wessex Downs are being encouraged to join an innovative outreach programme to help them increase profits from grazing and build resilience.
Pasture and Profit in Protected Landscapes: Cotswolds, Chilterns and North Wessex Downs provides knowledge exchange, free mentoring and bespoke training. Farmers, graziers and land managers can learn how to reduce input costs and boost profits, while delivering environmental benefits through grazing.
A winter webinar series aimed at beef, sheep and dairy producers is underway and on farm events have focused on adaptive grazing practices, financial planning, plus improving livestock health and performance.
Zoë Charnock, who is Project Lead for Pasture and Profit in Protected Landscapes: Cotswolds, Chilterns, and the North Wessex Downs, says: “If you graze or farm in the North Wessex Downs, then please join us for free online and in person events. They are led by farmers and specialists, with opportunities to share ideas and learn from research. We’ve also been offering a limited number of free, flexible mentoring places, and bespoke training geared to the needs of your farm business.
“Adapting different approaches to grazing management will allow you to cut costs and reduce the workloads associated with housing livestock during winter. Your farm will potentially become more resilient to rising input costs and better able to mitigate climatic impacts.”
The programme is open to anyone farming or managing land in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape.
Farmers on the programme are sharing knowledge on how to:
- Maximise the use of pasture/forage as a feed source
- Improve animal health – reduce worm burdens
- Boost livestock performance
- Reduce input costs
- Improve soil health
- Build resilience – to mitigate the impacts of costs and of extreme weather, such as drought or flooding
- Boost biodiversity
Zoë Charnock adds: “Farmers who took part in the first phase of the programme in other South Eastern counties have reported mental health benefits, having cut costs, improved the health of their livestock and soil, and boosted business resilience.”
How to get involved
Interested farmers should contact Zoë Charnock e: ccnwd@pastureforlife.org t: 07398 745238.
For details of upcoming webinars and in-person events see: eventbrite.co.uk/o/pasture-for-life
About Pasture for Life
Pasture for Life champions the restorative power of grazing on pasture. Grazing animals on 100% pasture brings positive impacts for biodiversity and carbon, human health and wellbeing, and animal health and welfare. Pasture for Life works on the ground, every day, to restore ecosystems, implement positive change in our food and farming systems, and demonstrate the benefits of 100% pasture fed.
It works across every step of this process. Learning from farmers who are already there and supporting those who are on the journey. Pressing for the return of local abattoirs so animals can experience the most humane end of life possible. Developing routes to market and novel supply chains. Certifying products so people can have confidence in what they are buying, and advocating for better labelling standards.
Pasture for Life is a diverse movement, from farmers and butchers to artisans and academics, working together to champion ways of farming which are restorative for all life.
Funded by FiPL Farming in the Protected Landscapes that supports farmers and land managers within National Landscapes and National Parks to mitigate the impacts of climate change, protect/enhance the quality and character of the landscape, deliver nature recovery and provide opportunities for people to discover nature.
