FARMERS looking to better use their trees and hedges are invited to attend a free event focused on farm payments in Dorset this month. 

The Future Farm Resilience programme session, which is funded by Defra, will be run by Soil Association farming advisors who will provide business planning advice. 

Advisors will be offering advice on new options in the Enivironmental Land Management Scheme (ELM), Sustainable Farming Incentives (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship (CS). 

All farmers are invited, but there will be a focus on how organic and low input farmers can secure government incentives and cost-savings through nature-friendly farming.

The Dorset event will take place at Wilkswood Farm on Wednesday, September 25, from 10am until 3pm. To book, visit Farming events | Soil Association.

Soil Association senoir farming advisor Jerry Alford said: “Nature-friendly farming practices are not only set to receive ongoing government funding, but they can also offer a wide range of cost-savings and provide resilience for farmers in the face of a changing climate.

“We are really pleased to be offering free support for farmers to explore not only the available funding opportunities, but also where they may be able to tweak their farming practices to benefit both nature and their bottom line.

“Farmers are facing lots of uncertainty with considerable change taking place, so we are glad to be able to help them navigate the policy changes and opportunities over the next few years.

“Every farm is different and, as expert advisors working across all types of farming systems, the Soil Association farming team is ideally placed to offer advice that is tailored to each farm’s individual circumstances.”

Another session is taking place in Oxfordshire on Thursday, September 12, and there is a livestock event planned for October.