Farmers across Suffolk and Cambridgeshire trying to gain access to a government farm scheme are invited to seek help from a fund set up by King Charles.

Farmers seeking help with joining the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) have been given one more week to sign up for assistance through the Farm for the Future scheme.

The scheme - which has been running for two years - runs a programme to help farmers navigate the process and better understand the policy changes that will affect their farms in the future. 

It provides one-to-one support from the Royal Countryside Fund and its local delivery partners Pasture for Life. It has already helped more than 1,600 farmers in England access SFI.  

The Royal Countryside Fund  was founded by King Charles in 2010 when he was Prince of Wales.

Through its efforts, participants have gained a reliable income to support food production and the environment, says the charity. 

A surge in interest in recent weeks has prompted it to extend the enrolment deadline to October 7.  

The programme is aimed at farmers who received the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in England and provides workshops and a one-to-one meeting for every participating farm to guide them on SFI and other opportunities and improve profitability and resilience through the ongoing agricultural transition.

More than 95% of Farm for the Future participants say they have increased confidence in their ability to plan for the future, says the charity.

Farm for the Future Programme Manager Michael Bullen said: "The Farm for the Future programme has been incredibly well received so far so we wanted to give farmers across Suffolk and Cambridgeshire a final chance to sign up and take advantage of this funded support.

"The Royal Countryside Fund, as a charity, is able to give this advice entirely impartially, and we aim to provide ongoing support to Farm for the Future farmers long after the programme has ended.

Registration to take part in Farm for the Future closes on October 7. Workshops will be delivered until December 2024.  

Visit www.royalcountrysidefund.org.uk/farmforthefuture or for more information and to express an interest in taking part, contact Rebecca Mayhew 07900 814 252 eastanglia@pastureforlife.org