About Us
We are a group of farmers and landowners who have got together across the North East Cotswolds and have a bold plan for coordinated, landscape-scale change.
Our Cluster supports collaboration between farms to improve biodiversity, soil health, water quality and climate resilience, while maintaining viable farm businesses, safeguarding supply chains and agricultural production.
By working collectively, in partnership with researchers, advisors and public bodies, NECFC enables members to test new approaches, share learning and access opportunities that are difficult to achieve at an individual farm level.
Whether you want to support making changes on your land, or you would like to work with your neighbours and wider business network to build a better future, we would be delighted to welcome you to the Cluster.
Benefits of Joining the Cluster
As a NECFC farmer member, your business gains access to a powerful set of resources and a supportive network to drive positive change and secure your business's future.
1 / Access to Projects & New Funding
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Join private investment and public funding opportunities (e.g., carbon markets, BNG, ELMS, and transition funding) to scale up good practice and build more resilient farm business.
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Participate in data baselining projects (soil metrics, biodiversity surveys) to prepare your business for future schemes.
3 / Expert Advice & Mentoring
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Access in-house Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) Advisors for vital technical support on ELMS for water quality, soil health, environmental land management and access to funding.
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Gain preferential access to specialist networks, for focused mentoring and deep-dive learning.
4 / Strengthened Supply Chains
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Draw on the Food, Farming and Rural Services Directory to find buyers and expertise.
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Network with others, benefit from skills-building workshops and marketing, Investigate and implement new models for the local food economy, including direct sales, dynamic procurement, and support for a new farmer-led local abattoir.
Our Vision
To lead landscape-scale regeneration of the farmed environment and local food networks in the North East Cotswolds through collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Our Aims
To grow into an inclusive and pro-active group of local farmers, growers, landowners, foresters and advisers who work and learn together to enhance the natural capital on their land, tackle the climate emergency and build more resilient food and farming businesses.
Our Objectives
1 /
Improve the health of our soils: building soil carbon, reducing inputs, minimising leaching, introducing more diverse and resilient cropping and more
2 /
Map, create, enhance and link priority habitats (with a focus on species rich grassland, wetland, ponds, watercourses, tree planting, field boundaries, key pollinator and bird habitats)
3 /
Support entrepreneurial thinking and the growth of a local food economy investigating heritage grains, new horticulture, direct sales, dynamic procurement & more
4 /
Make the most of future policy and access private investment and public funding opportunities: carbon markets, biodiversity net gain, public money for public goods, ELMS, transition funding, natural capital, offsetting, and more
5 /
Evaluate progress and landscape/farm level outcomes and outputs: harmonise use of measurement, soil metrics, biodiversity surveys, benchmarking
6 /
Foster community engagement/outreach such as health, access, education
Join Us
If you would like to join or follow us please sign up using the button below.
Or contact@cotswoldfarmers.org and we will be in touch.
Farm businesses that wish to be members - all we need is your SBI number and £1 per hectare per annum. For this you will get multiple benefits and be part of a progressive group where all the latest ideas are discussed and (some) put into action, from the ground up. Raising funding is also key: to date we have received funding from several sources and acting together we will be better placed to secure more going forward. We can really make things happen.
For information on membership options - farmer member, farmer follower or Cluster friend - click here.