09/09/2026
How does the County Council support farmers?
As a council, we do a great deal for our many farming communities, including:
🚜Supporting DEFRA on their engagement on their Farming Roadmap and supported engagement with the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission and DEFRA through “Farmers talk Climate” to influence national policy.
🌽Acting as the lead delivery partner for the £8.5m North East Rural Growth Programme, offering dedicated support to farmers through the Farming Advisory Service. This includes tailored advice to help farmers strengthen the resilience of their businesses, explore diversification opportunities, improve productivity and efficiency, and respond to changes and opportunities across the agricultural sector.
🧑🌾Delivering agri-tech demonstration days, giving farmers the opportunity to explore innovative technology to improve productivity, environmental sustainability and farm management, learn from other farmers and connect directly with suppliers.
🌳Providing advice and guidance to farmers and landowners about planting trees in a way which supports productive farming and benefits nature, using a right tree, right place approach. The Great Northumberland Forest team provide technical advice, access to capital grants and support farmers to access wider finance.
🍽️Working with farmers and the wider food and drink industry to explore opportunities for shorter food supply chains, increasing the amount of local food that is purchased and consumed in the region, reducing food miles, supporting local business, and helping local people connect with the fresh produce grown around them.
Council Leader Glen Sanderson, himself a farmer, said: "Northumberland is home to hundreds of farms and they are very much a backbone of our economy. It's vitally important we support our farming community and provide as much support as we can."
More information on support available can be found at https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/
