Northumberland County Council and the Rural Design Centre are hosting a conference to identify the non-technical barriers to reducing emissions in the county’s farming sector.
Farmers, allied businesses, supply chains, agricultural finance professionals, educators, agencies, and policymakers are invited to Kirkley Hall, Northumberland College, on Wednesday, October 9, from 10am to 4pm.
Sign up for the event here: https://nland.cc/FarmingandClimate
Topics will include business viability, resilience and environmental incentives, all with a focus on finding balanced solutions that safeguard the rural economy, preserve our natural landscape, and ensure food security. Attendees can expect in-depth discussions from expert speakers on the key sustainability challenges facing Northumberland’s agricultural sector.
There will be facilitated workshops to encourage collaboration, networking and to spark new ideas. Food and drink will be provided.
By participating, attendees will have the opportunity to have their say on how the Council supports agricultural enterprises in building continued resilience and sustainable practices.
Anyone working in the agricultural sector in Northumberland are also being encouraged to have their say, by filling in this short 5–10-minute survey: https://nland.cc/ruralsurvey
Participants are encouraged to answer as many questions as possible to provide comprehensive feedback. The survey is anonymous unless respondents choose to provide their contact details.
The feedback collected from both the event and the survey will play a critical role in shaping future Council policies and initiatives to ensure they are effectively tailored to the specific needs of Northumberland's farming community.
Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Glen Sanderson, said: “As a farmer myself, I understand the unique challenges we face in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in this sector.
“This project is dedicated to working closely with local farming communities to fully understand what the blockers are to more sustainable farming practices.
“Your feedback is vital to ensure that our policies are both effective and supportive of our agricultural community.”
The event is part of the Farming in a Changing Climate project, funded by Innovate UK, which aims to identify and address the non-technical barriers to reducing greenhouse emissions, such as knowledge transfer, skills, navigating policy landscape, finances, consumer awareness, succession, education and new entrants to the market.
The project, funded by Innovate UK, is scheduled to run until June 2025 and includes working collaboratively with local agricultural businesses to enhance resilience and promote long-term sustainability, with the aim of supporting rural communities in adopting environmentally sustainable practices.
For any inquiries or to request the survey in an alternative format, please contact Northumberland County Council at 01661 721001 or via email at agriculture@northumberland.gov.uk.