A ROYAL programme of support for small family farms struggling to cope with difficult times will be launched this month in a series of workshops organised by Exmoor Hill Farming Network.

The network is working in partnership with the Royal Countryside Fund, which was set up by the now-King Charles.

A network spokesperson said: “Farming is changing and it can feel hard to keep up.

“The ‘Farm Resilience Programme’ (FRP) will give support with the whole farm and the whole family in mind.”

The free programme includes a tailored farm business health check and three practical workshops to help farmers explore current and future business opportunities and plan for short-term goals and long-term business strategy.

The spokesperson said: “We are not telling you how to farm.

“We will work with you to see what options are available so that you can feel confident in planning your farm’s future.”

The first workshop is scheduled for 7 pm on Wednesday, February 25 in the Rest and Be Thankful Inn, Wheddon Cross, with Ed Thompson, of agricultural consultancy Ceres Rural, and includes a free carvery.

The aim of the FRP is to support small family farms by inspiring confidence, improving their financial resilience, productivity and profitability, and increase knowledge about environmental practices.

The programme will run until May, with a lambing and calving break.

Farmers will be encouraged to input their data into a business health check tool (BHCT) with their local co-ordinator, so they have a clear and up to date understanding of their farm’s financial position ahead of, or parallel to, the workshops.

The Andersons Centre agricultural consultancy will receive the data and be available for an hour’s telephone call with a farm to discuss their BHCT report.

The first workshop will concentrate on making sense of the shifting agricultural trends and explore the changing agricultural landscape, policy, markets, climate, and help farmers identify the information, tools, and actions needed to ‘build resilience in a volatile and uncertain world’.

The second workshop, run by the Andersons Centre, will concentrate on BHCT training, support and analysis, review options, and help farmers explore current and future environmental and business opportunities which align with their goals and local context.

This will identify opportunities that exist at local, regional, and national levels and assess potential focal points for a business to explore performance improvement potential.

The third workshop, conducted by consultant Promar International, will concentrate on planning for change and equipping farmers with the tools and confidence to develop both short-term plans and longer-term business strategies.

This will include identifying practical changes, evaluating their impact, and aligning with personal vision, succession goals, and business structure for resilience.

The Royal Countryside Fund, founded by the King in 2010, is a charitable organisation which supports family farms and rural organisations by providing grants and business and environmental programmes.

The fund has awarded more than £12.5 million in grants, supported more than 5,000 family farms, and backed more than 500 community projects.

Farmers can sign up to the programme online.