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Helping Rural Businesses Thrive |
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All systems are go at the Hub as we prepare for our annual Rural Business Advice day this Wednesday. Rhia is busy coordinating our team and suppliers to get Lyde Arundel set up ready for your arrival in two days time!
We’re excited to announce that 100 farmers will be fed for free by our on site caterers The Hungry Farmer when they sign up for one of our Farmgate Nutrient Balance visits – visit the Hub’s stand or any of our Farm Herefordshire partners on the day to get your lunch voucher!
Drop in anytime on the day between 11am and 4pm – you can speak to our fantastic range of standholders and catch one of the topical presentations – details and times below.
It’s a great reason to venture off the farm or away from your desk, access advice for your business and enjoy great food and company while you’re at it - We’ll see you there! |
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| Re Hefted : Micro Enterprise Support Morning
Tues 4th November
8:30am to 10:30am
Longtown Village Hall, HR2 0LD
More information click here
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| | Farm Safer: Free First Aid Training Workshop
Mon 10th November
8:30am to 4pm
Monkland Village Hall, HR6 9DB
*FULLY BOOKED*
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| Herefordshire Grassland Society: Winter Meeting
Global Red Meat Markets - Demand for Dynamics for Dairy, Beef & Lamb with Tom Spencer, AHDB Analyst
Tues 11th November
6:30pm to 10pm
Grange Court, Leominster HR6 8NL
All welcome, more info click here |
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| | WAFM - Working Men in Agriculture - An Evening with Ryan Jones
Wed 12th November
7pm to 10pm
Luctonians Rugby Club, HR6 9SB
Booking is essential
Click here to book |
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| Don't miss the FREE BridgeAI Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning in AgriFood Workshop
Tues 18th November 2025
10am to 4pm
Ledbury RFC, HR8 2LP
Click here for more info & to book |
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| | Marches HR : Hereford HR Clinic
Thurs 20th November
12:30pm to 4pm
Rural Enterprise Centre, Rotherwas HR2 6FE
Click here for more info |
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| WAFM - Women What Farm: Christmas Wreath Making
Mon 24th November
10:45am to 1:45pm
Holmer Parish Church Centre, HR4 9RG
Booking is essential
Click here to book |
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| | Farm Herefordshire Partnership: CSF, NFU & WUF - Water Abstraction Event
Wed 10th December
12:30pm to 4pm
Farm Walk at Ditton Farm, HR2 8LL followed by presenation at the Red Lion, Peterstow HR9 6LH
Click here to book |
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It seems the legislative changes to cap Inheritance Tax reliefs to £1m per person from 6 April 2026 will be going ahead. With reasonable sized estates there will now be Inheritance Tax liabilities whereas before possibly not.... |
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Bluetongue Update
Defra has confirmed 135 cases of bluetongue across Great Britain.
With cooler temperatures in recent weeks, experts now consider the risk of onward spread by midges in the South East, East Anglia, South West, and North East to be low.
However, there remains a risk of animals becoming infected through already infected midges or infected germinal products.
The overall risk of bluetongue virus incursion (including serotypes not currently present in England) remains at ‘medium’ and continues to occur regularly.
Farmers and livestock keepers are urged to stay vigilant, watch for symptoms, maintain strong biosecurity, and follow testing and movement rules.
⚠️ Bluetongue is a Notifiable Disease
Any suspected cases—including abortions or birth defects potentially linked to bluetongue—must be reported immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
For full details on movement restrictions, testing requirements, and control measures, visit the government’s bluetongue guidance page. |
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Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax
Make sure you tare prepared; from 6 April 2026, sole traders and landlords with turnover more than £50,000 must use MTD (Making Tax Digital) for Income Tax.
To help you prepare for the change, HMRC have recorded and live webinars available. To view please click the following link HMRC are hosting a series of webinars.
You can also read more about MTD for Income Tax and how to prepare on the Making Tax Digital website
One of the Hub’s Go-To Businesses, The Hutchinson Partnership, has published an insightful blog post about Making Tax Digital - click here to read. |
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Ready to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence and
Machine Learning in your AgriFood operations? |
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Book your FREE space for a in-person workshop. Discover how cutting-edge technologies can boost sustainability, increase effeciency and drive profitability in your business. |
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Guided by experts, you'll gain hands-on experience with tools for better operations, forecasting, and predictive insights.
You'll also have opportunities to network with industry leaders and peers. Lunch is provided, and the events are CPD registered.
Spaces are limited, so secure your place today:
Tuesday 18 November 2025, 10am to 4pm at Herefordshire, Ledbury Rugby Club, HR8 2LP. REGISTER HERE
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If you prefer online learning, the course is also being delivered as a self-guided set of Moodle courses click here.
It is also being delivered as a series of online webinars on the first Wednesday of the month .
Self-guided, online learning course (offering certificates to demonstrate completion, and CPD points)
Please register click here
Leading AI Adoption in Agriculture and Food Systems
Wednesday 5 November | REGISTER HERE
Responsible AI: Governance, Compliance and Ethics
Wednesday 3 December | REGISTER HERE |
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Apprenticeships, Training &
Short Courses availableRural Apprenticeships available, based at Holme Lacy campus include: - Animal care & welfare
- Farm Worker
- Forestry & arboriculture
- Welding
- Farriery
For more details click here or for enquiries click here.Training & short courses available throughout the year for: - Felling & processing trees
- Safe use of pesticides
- Tractor Driving
- Welding, metal work & fabrication
- Blacksmithing
- Chainsaw maintenance
For full course details click here or for enquiries click here. |
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| | The Jack Hughes Fund supports the cost of training for members of Herefordshire’s farming community. |
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Who was Jack Hughes?
Jack Hughes was the late founder of the Herefordshire Proficiency Test Committee (HPTC). Jack Hughes did much to ensure that training was available to the county’s farming community, particularly in relation to young farmers.
How much funding can I claim?
The Jack Hughes Fund will fund 70% of the cost of training up to a maximum of £200.
Are there any limitations?
Applicants must live in Herefordshire. Funding is limited to two applications per annum from a family farming business. Applicants must be over 18 years. Applications must be received and approved before you attend your course.
How do I apply?
The Jack Hughes Fund is managed by the Herefordshire Community Foundation for an application form you need to go to their website: Click Here |
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Extension Offer for 2021 Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier Agreements
Defra is offering a one-year extension to over 5,000 Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier (CS MT) agreement holders whose current agreements end on 31 December 2025.
This time-limited extension will help maintain support for sustainable food production and nature recovery while Defra develops the reformed Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) for 2026, updates the Environmental Improvement Plan, and launches the new Higher Tier scheme.
Key details:
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Agreements can be extended to 31 December 2026 under the same terms and conditions.
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You cannot add, remove, or replace options or capital items.
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Any unfinished or unpaid capital works will be removed.
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Short-term options (less than 5 years) cannot be extended.
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will contact eligible agreement holders shortly. If you wish to extend, you must reply to the offer to continue receiving payments after 31 December 2025.
If you haven’t heard from the RPA by 6 November, and your agreement expires this December, please contact them directly.
More information is available on GOV.UK – Countryside Stewardship.
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Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) – Applications Open
The Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) scheme is now open for applications. Invitations are being sent in phases through the Rural Payments service to those who have already completed pre-application advice.
What’s on offer:
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Over 130 actions and 140 capital items to support biodiversity, woodland, water and habitat management.
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Rolling applications with monthly start dates and quarterly payments to support cashflow.
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Agreement lengths of 5, 10, 15 or 20 years depending on the options chosen.
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Woodland and agroforestry options require an approved management plan.
Applicants should be ready to provide supporting documents (maps, quotes, business information) as part of the review process.
The scheme is part of the government’s plan to expand environmental land management, with funding increasing to £2 billion a year by 2029.
👉 Find out more and check eligibility on the GOV.UK blog.
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| | Over £12 Million Available for Farm Innovation
The Farming Innovation Programme (FIP) is set to award over £12.6 million this autumn to support innovative projects across agriculture, horticulture, and forestry.
Funding opportunities include:
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Feasibility Studies: £200,000–£500,000 for projects testing new ideas in real-world conditions.
The competition will open 13 October 2025
A consortia-building event will be held 14 October 2025
The competition closes 3 December 2025.
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Small R&D Partnerships: £1 million–£3 million for projects developing new products or services closer to market.
The competition will open 15 September 2025
A consortia-buidling event will be held on 18 September 2025
The competition will close on 5 November 2025.
These competitions are part of the government’s wider plan to invest £200 million in agricultural innovation by 2030, helping farmers and growers increase productivity and sustainability.
Find out more and apply via the Farming Innovation Programme. |
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Skills Boost Upskilling Grant (April 2025 - March 2026)
Helping an individual learn whilst they work in your business is a great way to develop a motivated, skilled, and qualified employee. Working with colleges, training providers and learning and skills consultants, you can adapt training programmes to meet the needs of your organisation and fill gaps within your workforce skillset, and offer professional development for existing employees.
✅ Matched funded grant for Herefordshire and Worcestershire Businesses
✅ Upskill your Herefordshire and Worcestershire* resident employees and claim up to 50% of the costs back (up to £6,000 per business). Maximum grant per employee is £1,500
✅ Businesses of any size eligible
✅ Grant to support training with accredited and non-accredited courses
✅ 1st April 2025 – 31st March 2026 (or until the money runs out!)
❌ Courses legally required e.g. Health and Safety, First Aid are not eligible
*postcode eligibility applies
To register your interest please complete the following online form |
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FiPL Grant Applications Process is Open
The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme, which runs until March 2026, offers support to farmers and land managers in the Wye Valley National Landscape to carry out projects that support nature recovery, mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and cultural heritage, or support nature-friendly, sustainable farm businesses. This is a DEFRA programme for funding one-off projects. It is not an agri-environment scheme.
The programme works alongside existing and new DEFRA schemes, adding value where it is most needed.
Please contact Richie Alford, Farming in Protected Landscapes Officer on 07496 487645 of farming@wyevalleyaonb.org.uk or check the webpage: Farming In Protected Landscapes (England only) - Wye Valley AONB for more details. |
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FarmGate Nutrient Balance Approach Expanded for 2025
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Farming with Nature
Herefordshire Wildlife Trust supports customers with habitat and conservation advice including:
- Wildlife & Habitat Surveying
- Habitat Management Plans
- Biodiversity Net Gain
Find out more and get in touch via www.herefordshirewt.org/farmingwithnature |
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| | Species-Rich Grassland: Advisory Services from Herefordshire Meadows
Herefordshire Meadows offer several charged services for landowners:
- Advice & guidance regarding management or restoration of species-rich grassland.
- Grassland assessment for suitability of SFI options for livestock, soil health, flood and drought resilience and biodiversity.
- Grassland surveys e.g. assessing suitability for GRH6 option.
- Guidance regarding permanent grassland, floodplain and cultivated land.
Visit the website to find out more, including current availability of funding for capital works or other free services. |
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Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) SupportCSF have four advisers working across Herefordshire: Alice Probert and Rob Edwards cover the Arrow, Lugg, and Frome catchments, Nick Hinchliffe covers the Wye, and Amy Stephens handles the Leadon. CSF offers free, confidential and impartial advice. The team of local advisers can help you with: Nutrient, slurry and manure management, Soil health, Pesticide handling, Natural flood management , Reducing ammonia emissions, Sustainable water use, Guidance on farming schemes and regulations, Even though DEFRA capital grants are currently closed, CSF can still offer advice visits which can include discussions and potential approvals for any future capital grants windows. If you are interested in applying for future grants we would strongly recommend getting in touch with CSF as soon as possible to ensure you have the right supporting documents lined up ready to apply in good time before the next window opens.
Booking a CSF Visit
To request support, email a completed Catchment Sensitive Farming Advice Request form to csf.severn@naturalengland.org.uk. |
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| | Herefordshire Natural Flood Management (NFM) Project:
Advice & grants availableAdvice and grants are available to support farmers in priority catchments to deliver actions on their farm to store more water on their land and in their soils to protect properties downstream at risk of flooding. The project covers: - Bodenham Brooks (above Bodenham)
- Brimfield Brook (above Brimfield and Orleton)
- Cheaton, Cogwell and Ridgemoor Brook system (above Leominster and Frome)
- Dulas Brook (above Ewas Harold)
- Pentaloe Brook (above Mordiford)
- Tedstone Brook (above Bromyard)
- Red, Norton and Twyford Brook system (above Rotherwas, Hereford).
To find out more click here and/ or contact the WUF Advisers Tom Jolley: tom.jolley@wyeuskfoundation.orgJonny Pugh: jonny@wyeuskfoundation.org |
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Have Your Say on Rural Crime Prevention
The Rural Resilience Research Group at Harper Adams University is inviting Herefordshire farmers and contractors to take part in research on crime prevention and protecting agricultural assets.
The study explores how people make decisions about crime prevention, particularly the use of technology-based measures to safeguard machinery, tools, and livestock. Researchers are keen to understand:
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What influences your decisions on security?
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What barriers stop you from using certain prevention methods?
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How do the police support you in exploring available options?
If you’d like to take part, contact Kreseda Smith to arrange a short interview and brief questionnaire (taking place between December and May). Interviews can be held at a time and place that suits you. |
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To advertise events, services, training and job opportunities with us click here.
Deadline for print copy 24th of each month. |
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| | Kate Speke-Adams -
Hub Managing Director
For details about our projects & opportunities to work with us click here. |
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| | | | Sarah Starkey -
Hub Farm Resilience Project Manager
For info about any of our resilience projects click here. |
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| | Sue Powell -
Hub Finance Officer
For queries about finance & invoicing
click here. |
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| | | | Rhia Bell -
Hub Administrator
For info about our events, newsletter & partnerships with Hereford Grassland
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| | Dan Smith -
Hub Farm Facilitator
For advice & support on nutrient management, grassland management or to share potential event topics click here. |
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| | | | Max Eckert -
Hub Wyescapes Programme Manager
For information about our Wyescapes Landscape Recovery project click here. |
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| | Jennie Hermolle -
Hub Wyescapes Engagement & Communications Manager
For information about our Wyescapes Landscape Recovery project click here |
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We're proud to be part of the
Royal Countryside Fund's
Farm Support Group Initiative |
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Disclaimer The Herefordshire Rural Hub accepts no liability for any direct, indirect or consequential loss arising from any action taken in reliance on the information contained. |
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Herefordshire Rural Hub,
Agriculture House, Beech Business Park,
Tillington Road, Hereford
HR4 9QJ
Tel: 01432 268428
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