“Farmer Clusters”

Pete Thompson

Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust

Biodiversity Adviser

Landscape scale - the best way to manage soil, water & wildlife?

So, what are “Farmer Clusters”?

• Farmer clusters set

out to improve soil,

water and wildlife, by a

number of farmers

joining forces to work

closely together on a

landscape scale, rather

than as individuals on

their own farms.

But, will farmers work together and do they understand the potential benefits?

• Absolutely, but a good “leader” is crucial.

• They find this new approach - listening to them and

helping them to address issues – more bottom-up &

less top down – very refreshing.

• They enjoy the social aspect.

• They feel empowered by having ownership of their

own group.

•

It is ALL about “bottom-up” and NOT “top-down” - plus working together

Farming – the good life! – CAP Greening measures. Water framework directive. SSAFO.

– Pesticide regulation. Neonicotinoids. Pollinators. Farmland birds.

– Biodiversity. Bees. Controlled traffic farming. Precision farming.

– Minimum tillage. Rotations. Resistance. Disease. LERAPS. CRD.

– X compliance. Welfare regulations. Access. GAEC. Poaching.

– RPA inspections. Fly tipping. Flooding. Drought. Climate change.

– Badgers & TB. NVZs. Sewage sludge. Farm animal ID. GHGAP.

– Sustainable Use Directive .Environmental impact assessments.

– SSSI’s. Scheduled monuments. CPD. Hedgerow regulations.

– Soil protection review. Control of noxious weeds. Diffuse pollution.

– Tree preservation orders. Catchment sensitive farming. HSE.

– Soil erosion. Off road vehicles. NRoSO. Food Hygiene Regulations.

– CPD. Water abstraction. Disposal of hazardous waste. Crow act.

– Point source pollution. Safe disposal of enzyme treated sheep dip.

– Voluntary initiative. Tried & Tested. Wildlife & countryside act.

– Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) & Phosphorus Regulations ............

Training:

• Bring training events to

the farmers – relevant

to the area

• The farmers choose

what they want or

need up-dating on

• They choose when,

where, how, and by

whom

Engaging with the public

Monitoring: Harvest mouse survey – Selborne Farmer’s cluster

An quick lesson on how to find a harvest mouse nest!

Harvest mouse nest

Ready for the off!

Harvest mice around Selborne

• One record for the species in a 5km radius of the

village – way back in 1999 on a nature reserve!

• Assorted volunteers, including many farmers

turned up to survey

• Nobody had ever found a nest before.

• At the end of the day we had found 159 nests!

• The survey continued and has now found and

recorded 481 nests in the area

DEFRA minister Liz Truss visiting the Selborne Landscape partnership

The facilitation fund

Facilitated groups: • Worth 7.2 million over

3 years

• 49 farmer clusters

• 981 farmers involved

• Covering 210,404

hectares (519,697

acres)

• 12 more farmer

clusters targeting flood

prone areas

Martin Down “super cluster” – around 33 farmers covering 12,000+ hectares

Farmer clusters – the future?