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October 24, 2025

RCF Executive Director awarded Associateship of The Royal Agricultural Societies

The awards highlight individuals who have gone above and beyond, driving change in sustainable agriculture, supporting charities and pushing the boundaries of research and technology.

The citation praised Keith’s leadership of The Royal Countryside Fund through a critical period of agricultural transition, as the charity expanded to support thousands of smaller, often isolated, family farms.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, where 32 individuals received awards, Al Brooks FRAgS, Chairman of the English Panel, said: “These 32 exceptional individuals represent the very best of British agriculture. Through their leadership and dedication, they have become ambassadors for our industry, exemplifying excellence in important areas such as climate change, animal welfare, farm safety, product development and research as well as communicating farming’s message with the public.”

Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “It is a great privilege to lead an organisation like The Royal Countryside Fund, which has done so much good for so many family farms and rural communities across the UK. The charity marks its 15th anniversary this year and since His Majesty The King created the RCF in 2010, we have supported more than 5,500 family farms and invested over £12 million in 550 rural community-led projects. I am incredibly grateful for the part I have been able to play in the charity’s successes, and I am very honoured to receive this award of Associateship of the Royal Agricultural Societies which I see as reflecting the work of my team as much as my own endeavours.

“Everything that the RCF does is built upon bringing people together and collective effort, so it seems very appropriate to take this occasion to thank all the RCF staff and the charity’s trustees, past and present, for their tireless work. Their efforts, combined with the support of our partners and funders, have made a real and much-needed difference to farming and rural communities across the UK – and when our countryside thrives, we all do.”

The awards scheme is sponsored by the Royal Agricultural Societies of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and is a recognition of significant contribution to the agricultural and land-based industries of the UK. It is awarded to those who can demonstrate the required high level of achievement. There are currently over 395 English Fellows and 180 English Associates.

Find out more about the awards here: https://royalagriculturalsocietiesawards.org/

October 20, 2025

Celebrating the harvest at Westminster Abbey

During the service Westminster Abbey was decorated with displays of British produce and filled with over 2,000 guests, including charity volunteers.

The Order of Service included a written message of support from His Majesty The King, in which he said: “Celebrating the harvest by gathering together to give thanks for the food from the land is something that is shared by communities all over the world and I am so delighted that this tradition is continuing with a National Harvest Service in a different part of the country every Autumn. As you honour that tradition here today, may it be an opportunity to reflect anew on the refrain from that great harvest-tide hymn: ‘All good gifts around us are sent from heav‘n above; Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord, for all His love.”

The service included readings from Charles Dance OBE; Matt Baker MBE; Simon Armitage, the Poet Laureate; and Charlotte Hill OBE, CEO of The Felix Project. The Harvest Torch was carried by Tom Bradshaw, President of the National Farmers’ Union.

Helen Day, the RCF’s Governance Manager, represented the charity at the service and we would like to extend our thanks to Alexia Robinson, Founder and CEO of Love British Food. We are very proud to have been included in this special occasion along with many of our partners, funders and trustees.

In a message in the Order of Service, Alexia Robinson, founder of Love British Food and organiser of the Harvest Service, said:“Harvest festivals have long played a role in bringing communities together to give thanks for the abundance of food we enjoy from Britain’s beautiful countryside while recognising the importance of sharing food with those who do not have enough. It is a tradition that continues to flourish in other countries, but in Britain it is no longer as established a part of our national calendar as it used to be. We hope that today’s service at Westminster Abbey will help continue this joyous tradition.”

The National Harvest Service was inaugurated at Westminster Abbey in 2013 by Her Majesty The Queen, then Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall, as part of  Love British Food’s campaign to rekindle the tradition of celebrating the Harvest. Every year since then, the celebration has been marked in different regions across the country.

The full Order of Service is available to read here.

July 25, 2025

Celebrating community at the Royal Welsh Show

On Monday 21st July, the RCF team attended the Marks and Spencer Select Farm Awards, where Keith Halstead presented the Royal Countryside Fund Family Farm Award to the Roderick Family, from Brecon. The award, which is run by the RCF’s longstanding partner, M&S, celebrates family farms that show an exceptional commitment to good animal welfare, sustainable practices and future generations — all while helping keep rural communities thriving.

At Newton Farm, Richard Roderick and his family (with son Tudor pictured above) run two well-managed sheep flocks and a 100-head Stabiliser suckler herd, supplying beef and lamb to M&S through Dunbia. The Rodericks stand out for their hands-on approach to animal care, thoughtful breeding choices, and the calm, well-handled livestock they raise in the heart of rural Wales.

Importantly, the Roderick story is about succession done right: Richard’s son Tudor is now fully involved in day-to-day flock management — proving that when family farms thrive, so do rural jobs, skills and communities.

Richard Roderick said: “For us, it’s simple — if you look after your animals and your land properly, they look after you in return. We’re proud to keep that approach alive as a family and it means a lot to have it recognised by M&S and the Royal Countryside Fund.”

Keith Halstead, Executive Director, The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “We’re delighted to see the Roderick family recognised with this award. They’re leading a way of farming that puts careful stewardship at its heart whilst inspiring confidence in the next generation, which reflects the very vision and hope we have at The Royal Countryside Fund for thriving family farms.

“As we celebrate our 15th anniversary, we’re also incredibly grateful to M&S, which has supported our charity since 2010, demonstrating their continuing commitment to our partnership and to the resilience of Britain’s farming families.”

Steve McLean, Head of Agriculture and Fisheries at M&S, said: “The Roderick family are exactly what British farming is all about: skilled, dedicated and deeply rooted in their community. They care for their animals the right way, they think long-term, and they’re passing that knowledge on to the next generation — which is vital for the future of UK food and farming.”

At the show, the RCF team caught up with old contacts and made new ones, as they spoke with a wide range of individuals and organisations who work to support rural and farming communities across Wales.

We also spoke with successful rural community organisations, which we have previously funded, including Black Mountains College and The National Hedgelaying Society – the charity dedicated to promoting and preserving the traditional craft of hedgelaying.

As always, the Royal Welsh Show provided a valuable opportunity to hear directly from Welsh farmers about their concerns and hopes for the future. We also spoke with a wide range of farm support organisations, including Tir Dewi and Monmouthshire Rural Support Centre, as well as the teams from NFU Mutual, FUW, RABI, Yellow Wellies, The Farming Community Network, and the Nature Friendly Farming Network.

The RCF team would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to everyone who gave us such a warm welcome at the show.

July 22, 2025

The Royal Countryside Fund marks 15 years of support for the people of the countryside

The charity was founded in 2010 as The Prince’s Countryside Fund, by His Majesty King Charles III, then The Prince of Wales, after a visit to a Cumbrian hill farm where he met with a group of farmers, who were still dealing with the aftermath of the foot-and-mouth crisis. Since then, the charity has continued to adapt and grow, supporting rural communities through devastating flooding, Covid-19, and periods of deep uncertainty.

Through its place-based farming programmes, covering topics such as succession planning, benchmarking, biodiversity and soil health, the RCF is currently helping farming families discover achievable ways to build more financially and environmentally resilient farms now, and for generations to come. The charity also empowers rural communities – combining their ideas with funding and guidance – to grow community-led projects that will stand the test of time.

Later this year, the RCF is set to announce new support for family farmers in the form of its ‘New Farming Programme’, as well as new funding for rural community organisations across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “We would like to express our gratitude to our Royal Founding Patron, His Majesty The King, who created The Royal Countryside Fund and has remained steadfast in his support for the countryside. For the last 15 years, the RCF has provided practical, grounded help to ensure a resilient, rebalanced and regenerative future for the people of our beloved countryside.

“Hardworking family farms and rural communities are facing social, environmental and economic pressures that threaten the livelihoods they love. They shouldn’t have to face these challenges alone – and with us, they don’t have to. Over the last 15 years the RCF has supported over 4,000 farming families, helping them to make their farm businesses more financially resilient so they can secure their farms for generations to come, all while providing the support they need to farm in harmony with nature. We’ve also invested more than £12.5 million in over 500 rural community-led projects, creating real and lasting change.

“None of this work would be possible without the time, energy, and financial support that we have received from the incredibly generous individuals, trusts and foundations, corporate partners, and other organisations that share our vision. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported the RCF and helped to build a thriving countryside. 

“As we look forward to the next 15 years and beyond, we’re well aware of the scale of the challenge that faces us, but also the incredibly potential and opportunities that wait. By donating or even just spreading the word, you can help hardworking farmers build more resilient family farms, support brilliant community-led projects, and make sure the next generation has the opportunity to live and work on the land they love.”

 

July 11, 2025

Fieldnote: Da Byw 2025

At the start of June, we made our way to the idyllic setting of North Wales for the annual Da Byw conference. This was our second year supporting the event, which is growing with each iteration.

The first day of the conference had a stellar lineup of speakers, starting with a keynote from Allen Williams, who spoke about the many benefits of regenerative agriculture and the evidence for this from the ‘Roots so Deep’ research. We heard all about how increased soil fungi leads to increased species diversity, how regenerative farms can be powerful greenhouse gas sinks, and how soil and species diversity builds nutrient density in food.

Other talks included a political panel, a feature on time management from Michael Blanche, and a talk from Coed Coch’s very own farm manager, Rhys Williams.

The standout from the conference was a panel of farmers, both local and from further afield, discussing their journeys into regenerative agriculture. All those on the panel were at different stages in their journeys, giving raw and honest insights into their biggest challenges, learnings and joys from shifting their farming systems.

What sets Da Byw apart from many other conferences is the focus on practical examples. The conference itself featured a series of demonstrations on the farm, looking at soil structure and infiltration rates.

The following morning was spent having a tour of the farm from Rhys and Dafydd, learning about everything they have tried and are trying on farm, and what has stuck. Of particular note was learning about the issues with thistles in one of the fields, and hearing from Allen about different grazing methods that can be used to try and tackle these plants.

Our thanks go to Harry and Davina Fetherstonhaugh and everyone else involved in putting on Da Byw!

Anna Wright, Environmental Programmes Manager, The Royal Countryside Fund

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.”

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