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May 29, 2025

Barbour helps raise money with rewaxing at the Northumberland County Show 

Once again, the RCF team were warmly welcomed by the charity’s longstanding partner, Barbour. The team from Barbour ran a popular jacket re-waxing stand, raising close to £600 in donations for the RCF.

Sue Newton, Senior Global Corporate Communications Manager from Barbour said: “We are delighted to be back at the Northumberland County Show and to continue our partnership with the RCF, a charity we have supported for over 10 years.” 

Keith Halstead, Executive Director, The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “We are very happy to partner with Barbour once again in this popular re-waxing initiative at the Northumberland County Show. Our longstanding partnership with Barbour enables us to continue to support rural communities in Northumberland and across the UK, who are facing enormous social, environmental and economic pressures.

“It’s very fitting that the proceeds from this sustainable re-waxing service will go towards protecting and caring for our countryside – taking care of what is valuable. We are deeply grateful for Barbour’s continued support and commitment to rural life, which truly reflects the spirit of both our organisations.”

Find out more about how Barbour and the RCF have supported Northumberland farmers, here.

Later in the day, the RCF held a well-attended afternoon tea event, for local supporters and beneficiaries, bringing together the charity’s corporate partners and funders with Northumberland farmers and community organisers.

The event provided an opportunity for local organisations to meet and network, and hear more about the charity’s plans in Northumberland.

Find out more about the RCF’s support of Northumberland’s rural communities here.

May 19, 2025

Launching new support for Northern Ireland’s farmers at the Balmoral Show

To date, the Savings in Soil programme has supported over 120 family farms across England and Wales to better understand their soil health and how healthy soil can benefit both the environment and the resilience of their business. Over 78% of attending farmers are now making changes to their soil management as a result of the workshop, impacting thousands of hectares of UK farmland.

The announcement was made by the RCF’s Executive Director, Keith Halstead, at an RCF breakfast reception for local farmers, kindly hosted by NFU Mutual’s Chairman, Jim McLaren on their stand at the show. At the event, Claire Saunders and Bronagh O’Kane, from the Northern Irish regenerative agriculture festival Fields Good, were joined by Mark Palmer from the Soil Association Exchange, to discuss the importance of soil and how regenerative agriculture can benefit Northern Irish farmers.

Attending farmers received a copy of the RCF’s practical guide to soil health and addressed questions to the panel.

NFU Mutual has been hosting breakfast receptions for The Royal Countryside Fund at the Balmoral Show since 2018, to aid the recruitment of farmers to its resilience programmes. The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust has also been a longstanding donor and supporter of the RCF, as has NFU Mutual, for which the RCF is most grateful.

To register your interest for the Soils programme, access free resources and watch our short film on soil health, click here.

Later in the day the RCF team attended the Marks and Spencer Select Farm Awards, where Emma Little-Pengelly, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, presented the RCF Family Farm Award. The awards, run by the RCF’s longstanding partner, M&S, celebrate exceptional M&S Select Farms across the UK.

The Compston family (pictured above), who run Ratarnet Eggs, accepted the award at a special reception on the M&S show stand. The family were recognised for their deep-rooted commitment to sustainability, animal welfare, and community-focused farming.

Keith Halstead, Executive Director, The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “I am very happy to see the Compston family receive this very well-deserved award, recognising their outstanding work. The Royal Countryside Fund turns 15-years-old this year and finding ways to farm in harmony with nature is more important to the countryside now than it’s ever been. It’s exciting to see family farms like the Compston’s lead the way and show that good environmental stewardship can go hand-in-hand with productive farming and building a more resilient farm business.”

“As we celebrate our 15th anniversary, we also want to say a massive thank you to everyone at M&S who have supported our charity since 2010, demonstrating their continuing commitment to our partnership helping farmers to build a resilient future.”

Cara and James Compston said: “Farming has always been a way of life for our family, and we’re proud to build on the foundations set by James and Matthew’s parents. Winning this award means so much to us — it’s a real encouragement to keep doing what we love, and a reminder of the important role that small family farms play in feeding the nation and looking after our countryside.”

The Balmoral Show also provided an opportunity for Keith Halstead and RCF trustee, Janet McCollum, to meet with Northern Ireland’s Minister of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir.

At the meeting they discussed the RCF’s work in Northern Ireland and the practical, grounded support that the charity provides for farming families to work in harmony with nature and to build a strong, sustainable farm business.

Members of the RCF team also met with Rural Support, a farm support group and RCF local delivery partner, that does vital work in Northern Ireland to support family farms and rural communities.

The RCF has been a longstanding supporter of Rural Support, most recently awarding the charity £45,000 over three years to provide more help for family farms across Northern Ireland, to help them weather economic difficulties and combat the rural mental health crisis.

The RCF team would like to extend their thanks to everyone from NFU Mutual, Rural Support, the Soil Association Exchange, Fields Good, Marks & Spencer, and all the attending farmers for their steadfast support of the charity and for providing such a warm welcome at the Balmoral Show – the first agricultural show of the season.

April 16, 2025

We’ve awarded £20,000 to provide pressure checks for farming families

The project, delivered in partnership with trusted local farm support groups, aims to tackle the serious health challenges facing the UK’s farming communities by meeting them at the centre of their social and economic life, at livestock markets and agricultural shows.

It will run in collaboration with four members of the RCF’s Farm Support Groups Initiative, who are embedded within their farming communities:

This new funding will allow each group to extend their existing services, providing more dedicated healthcare hubs at their local marts, to help reach farmers. These drop-in clinics offer tailored services based on the needs of each region, including health screening, blood pressure and cholesterol checks, referrals to GPs or specialist services, advice on nutrition and fitness, and mental wellbeing support.

Research shows that farmers are at significantly increased risk from a range of health issues, with poor mental health being the biggest hidden problem facing the industry. In 2023, 62 farmers tragically took their own lives, up from 55 the previous year. With long days sitting on a tractor, many farmers also do not get enough physical exercise to maintain their health, are at the highest risk of developing skin cancer due to working long hours exposed to UV rays, and male farmers over 45 have an increased risk of heart disease compared to non-farmers.

Keith Halstead, Executive Director, The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “This funding supports vitally important work, which addresses the often invisible crisis in rural healthcare. These programmes are all about recognising the unique pressures of farming life and meeting these challenges with compassionate, practical and community-based solutions.

“We are very grateful to The Health Lottery Foundation and the Health Lottery Players for their support, which will make a clear and tangible difference to the lives of farmers and their families in Scotland, Wales, Lancashire and Lincolnshire.”

April 1, 2025

The Royal Countryside Fund receives renewed funding from McDonald’s to support British farmers

As part of the new agreement, McDonald’s will support the charity to provide free-to-access programmes for family farmers for the first year of a new three-year partnership. The funding renewal was announced at a regenerative farming event, held at Somerset House, and attended by McDonald’s and a number of Herefordshire farmers.

This new funding will allow the RCF to continue its popular ‘Savings in Soil’ programme for a further year. To date, the RCF’s Savings in Soil programme has supported over 120 family farms across England and Wales to better understand their soil health and how healthy soil can benefit both the environment and the resilience of their business. Over 78% of attending farmers are now making changes to their soil management as a result of the workshop, impacting thousands of hectares of UK farmland.

At the event the RCF, in partnership with McDonald’s, also unveiled a new publication Savings in Soil – a practical guide to soil health for farmers – and showed a short film on the importance of soil health, filmed with farmers from across England who have benefited from the RCF’s programme.

Keith Halstead, Executive Director, The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “At The Royal Countryside Fund, we want to see a thriving countryside, and productive farms that work in harmony with nature. Our Savings in Soil programme, run with the valuable support of McDonald’s, has already helped farmers to measure and monitor the health of their soil, and improve its quality, which is a vital part of this work.

“As family farms face increasing pressures from climate change, extreme weather, and the unrelenting costs of fertiliser, fuel and feed, it has never been more important to find ways to cut input costs and protect the longevity of our soils. By extending our Savings in Soil programme, we want to increase the resilience of UK farms and invest in the future of farming for generations to come.”

Alistair Macrow, Chief Executive Officer, McDonald’s UK and Ireland, said: “Sustainability is front of mind at McDonald’s, which is why we have supported the Royal Countryside Fund’s Savings in Soil programme for the last three years to help farmers deliver environmental benefits, protect their farms from extreme weather, and maintain their soil for generations to come. Soil is at the heart of so much of what farmers do and we know how important good soil health is to the farmers we work with.

“As part of our sustainability strategy, Plan for Change, we have committed to becoming net-zero carbon – including across our supply chain – by 2040. We’re proud to work with the Royal Countryside Fund to provide farmers with the support they need to remain resilient to the evolving challenges they face.”

McDonald’s is committed to supporting British farmers as part of its global involvement with the Sustainable Markets Initiative, a private sector organisation founded by HM King Charles III. The SMI’s Agribusiness Taskforce, of which McDonald’s is a proud member, aims to accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices and address climate change.

April 1, 2025

A new regenerative farming programme in partnership with Regenified 

The funding from Regenified, a verification and product certification programme that champions regenerative agriculture, will allow the RCF to deliver three free-to-access workshops for a pilot group of Herefordshire farmers, to help them adopt more regenerative farming practises, benefitting their businesses and the environment. The programme will be delivered with the support of the Herefordshire Rural Hub.

Regenerative agriculture involves restoring the health of the entire ecosystem, promoting biodiversity, soil health, water conservation, and climate resilience. The participating Herefordshire farmers will focus on producing nutritious and high-quality food, while also contributing to the overall well-being of the environment and the local ecosystem.

The participating farmers will also look at how a more regenerative approach could boost their business. Research from Regenified in the US, has shown that over half (56%) of values-based shoppers are willing to pay more for regenerative farmed food, and the study also emphasised the importance of clear certification and labelling for consumers. In the UK, research from Savills has found that after six years the margins of a regenerative farming system could exceed those of a conventional system by 31%.

The new programme was announced at an RCF regenerative farming event, held at Somerset House. After the event the RCF’s Royal Founding Patron, His Majesty The King, met with farmers from Herefordshire who are participating in the pilot programme.

Keith Halstead, Executive Director, The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “As a charity we’re committed to supporting family farms, to secure their viability now and for generations to come. The long-term future of farming and food production is inextricably tied to the health of our soils. That’s why we want to support farmers to find new ways to engage in productive agriculture in harmony with nature. We’ve seen high demand from farmers for such support, particularly as it also reduces input costs, and this partnership with Regenified is an important next step in expanding the support we offer.”

Salar Shemirani, CEO and Co-Founder of Regenified, said: “Regenerative agriculture has the power to positively transform the lives of farmers, rebuild resilient rural communities and restore depleted nature; farming regeneratively is truly a powerful act of transformation. The whole Regenified team is so proud and excited to be involved with The Royal Countryside Fund and this wonderful and progressive group of farmers in this incredible initiative.”

March 27, 2025

Herefordshire farming families meet The King at RCF event

Farmers spoke with The King about the Regenerative Agriculture roundtable they had taken part in earlier that morning. Discussions from earlier in the day focused on the importance of soil health and enabling more farmers to adopt regenerative farming practices, cut input costs, and improve the resilience of their business.

The RCF event brought together Herefordshire farmers, as well as soil health experts and corporate partners including McDonald’s UK and Ireland and Regenified, to mark the launch of new support for farmers. 

The RCF is committed to supporting the UK’s farmers, helping them to farm in harmony with nature and build resilient businesses that will protect the countryside for generations to come.

At the event, the RCF also launched its new Savings in Soil publication – a practical guide for farmers to boost their soil health and strengthen their business.

Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “As farmers face pressures such as climate change, and the unrelenting expenses of fertiliser, fuel and feed, it has never been more important to examine what lies beneath our feet. This practical guide outlines easy steps that you can take on your farm to improve your soil, explaining different strategies and their benefits.

“Maintaining and protecting your farm’s soil through effective management can help produce higher yields and better returns, which we all know are essential components in supporting strong, sustainable farm businesses. We hope this publication brings you some new information and ideas – to make your soil the best it can be.” 

January 6, 2025

RCF launches new initiative with Denhay Farms Ltd to support UK farmers

The collaboration marks a significant step in supporting sustainable farming practices and promoting the vital role of rural communities across the UK.

Initially launching on their Spoiltpig Bacon range, every purchase of dry cured bacon contributes to the RCF’s work helping rural communities and farming families create a sustainable future.

Spoiltpig puts its trust in the best of British farmers to produce outstanding outdoor-bred pork. Alongside displaying the RCF’s logo across its range of products, Spoiltpig is committed to making an annual contribution to the RCF to support rural communities across the UK, helping to sustain a living landscape of working family farms and prosperous rural life.

Executive Director of The Royal Countryside Fund, Keith Halstead, said: “We’re very grateful to Denhay Farms for this funding, which will help us reach more family farms across the UK at this difficult time and give them the support they need to plan their future. Denhay Farms is an organisation that shares our vision for a resilient and successful countryside, and we’re proud to have our logo on their products.”

Denhay Farms Managing Director, Jim Loescher, said: “Knowing where our food comes from is now more important than ever, which is why we only work with the best of British farmers we trust in producing our bacon. We’re incredibly excited by this collaboration and are proud to be supporting the RCF’s mission because we want to give back to these farmers and their rural communities, to help them thrive for generations to come.”

For more information about Spoiltpig, please visit: https://spoiltpig.co.uk/

October 23, 2024

The Royal Countryside Fund announces £170,000 of new support for farming groups across the UK

These farm support groups are trusted partners of the RCF and are embedded in the rural communities they serve. This new funding will go towards a range of sustainable projects to help create a successful future for farming families. The RCF’s Farm Support Group Initiative is supported by Waitrose & Partners and the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust.

The nine farm support groups which are receiving RCF funding are:

  • Dartmoor Hill Farm Project, which has been awarded £20,000 to allow it to provide trusted and accessible advice to local farmers at a vital time, as they transition from direct payments to the new Environmental Land Management schemes.
  • Exmoor Hill Farming Network, which has been awarded £20,000 to fund its programmes to help enhance farmer health and wellbeing, ease rural isolation, and prepare the next generation of local farmers.
  • Farm Cornwall, which has been awarded £20,000 to support and advise local farmers on new environmental schemes and continue the charity’s role as a source of support for farmers and their families as they deal with the stresses and strains of the industry.
  • Herefordshire Rural Hub, which has been awarded £20,000 to grow the farm support group and further develop its service, so that it can bring its help to more local farmers.
  • The Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI), which has been awarded £15,000 to help run its existing programme and manage the delivery of the RCF’s Farm Business Resilience Programme.
  • Rural Support, which has been awarded £15,000 to provide more support for family farms across Northern Ireland, to help them weather economic difficulties and combat the rural mental health crisis.
  • The Farmer Network Ltd, which has been awarded £20,000 to continue to run a not-for-profit support network, helping farmers across a large area of northern England.
  • The Farming Life Centre, which has been awarded £20,000 to invest in their organisation to ensure it continues to meet the needs of farmers in Derbyshire.
  • Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services Ltd (UTASS) , which has been awarded £20,000 to continue to fund its activity in the north east of England and allow it to bring vital support to local farmers.

Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “This funding is about powering-up family farms and giving them the support they need to survive and thrive. Our aim is to support rural communities across the UK, helping to sustain a living landscape of working family farms and prosperous rural life. Farming can be so different across the UK, so it’s important to us that we support locally-run farm support groups who are embedded in the communities they serve and therefore know what will make the biggest difference in their local area.

“Farmers are currently facing a whole raft of challenges and we know it’s a difficult time for so many families, so it’s vital our funding goes to where it will make the most impact. The farm-support groups we’ve chosen to fund are truly innovative and collaborative organisations that are working with their local communities to find new and sustainable ways to build a better future. These are all community-led support groups which can help farmers find the right opportunities, look after their health and wellbeing, and promote sustainable, economic, social and community development.

“I want to thank our supporters and corporate partners who help us fund this change. To all these generous organisations and individuals, I want to say: thank you, your support is making a real difference.”

To find out more about the RCF’s Farm Support Group network, please visit: http://www.royalcountrysidefund.org.uk/farmsupport

October 10, 2024

The Royal Countryside Fund gathers farmers in Lancashire to explore biodiversity

The session saw 24 farming families attend from across the county with active participation and discussion throughout. 

The workshop, delivered by Yorkshire farmer and consultant Fraser Hugill, provided attendees with valuable insights into how biodiversity can benefit both farm ecosystems and business sustainability. Emphasising the importance of biodiversity in farming systems, the workshop offered practical steps farmers can take to protect and enhance habitats. The session also outlined available funding opportunities to support biodiversity on farms.

Attendees discussed what species and habitats they would like to see in the future and how taking photographs throughout the year can create a good baseline record of what is already present.

Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “It was encouraging to see so many farmers attend at the end of a busy day on their farm demonstrating how much enthusiasm and interest there is for this topic, as biodiversity not only forms an essential part of our farming systems, but also contributes to the overall quality of all our lives.”

The Royal Countryside Fund would like to acknowledge our thanks to The Royal Warrant Holders Association Charity Fund for their generous support of this workshop. 

Claire Anderson, Manager of The Royal Warrant Holders Association Charity Fund, said: “The Trustees and I were delighted to support a wonderful initiative. Great to hear that so many farming families attended from across the UK, hopefully they will action the practical steps to reduce the impact on biodiversity.”

October 8, 2024

Saving money from the ground up

Soil is at the heart of our farmed landscape and provides a source of fertility and resilience in the production of crops and grassland. Maintaining and protecting quality soil through effective management can help produce higher yields and better returns, and therefore is an essential component in supporting a strong farm business.

Baselining our soil through regular testing is vital to interpret the chemical, physical and biological status of our soil, and so the programme kicked off with a free soil test. The samples were sent to the laboratory for analysis and each farm received their organic matter report at the on-farm workshop delivered by Emma Adams from The Farm Carbon Toolkit. 

These sessions involved an analysis and discussion of the test results, highlighting differences between the best and worst performing fields and working through some of the reasons why. Emma then delved into topics surrounding soil health management, looking at practical ways to improve soil health to maximise agricultural efficiency. In addition to this, the sessions introduced ideas linked to regenerative agriculture, such as the role of herbal leys, reduced movement and disturbance, and touched upon carbon sequestration opportunities.

It was great to visit the Norfolk group at their workshop at the end of August, which concluded with a farm walk and demonstration on how to complete different tests, such as an infiltration test and VESS (Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure).

Anna Wright, Environmental Programmes Manager at the RCF, said “Soil is the foundation of any farm and is a fundamental asset, so we are thrilled to be supporting farmers in their soil health journey. Many thanks to McDonald’s UK & Ireland for their continued support.”

Thank you to our delivery partners at Herefordshire Rural Hub, Norfolk FWAG and Thomas Burston in Northumberland for coordinating our first three groups; we are looking forward to the next cohort in Devon, Cumbria and Clwyd this Autumn!

If you would like to find out more about how to improve soil, you can read a copy of our Great Grazing Guide here or watch our recent webinar here.

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