Rural Enterprise and Skills
Viable, sustainable businesses are crucial to the prosperity of the countryside, and in Rural Strategy 2004 Defra made a commitment to working to ensure that rural businesses have access to appropriate business support and training. Since then, we have worked with partners from central, regional and local government on a number of projects to help rural businesses get the help and advice they need.
Business advice for farmers
The Farm Business Advice Service closed on 31 March 2007. This was a free service set up to help farmers in England consider the implications of the Single Payment Scheme to their business. Business Link is the national business support advice and information service. Business Link provides practical advice to all businesses and offers access to a wide network of business support organisations.
Supporting Rural Businesses
In 2004-05 Defra provided funds to the Business Link Network to support
projects designed to look at different approaches to increase the uptake
of business advice in economically underperforming rural areas. An evaluation
of the projects was carried out by Kingston University. The evaluation
examines the outcome of the projects - focusing on the effectiveness of
the approach used to reach rural businesses in the lagging districts and
how the take-up of support has benefited businesses [Further
Information 
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Rural Business Pathfinder
The Rural Business Pathfinder project led by the Small Business Service focuses on the delivery of business support services to enterprises in rural areas including farming enterprises. The project brings together local, sub-regional, regional and national partners in the Welland sub-region of the East Midlands to look at how to:
- coordinate activities of core advisory services delivered by national and local government within the Welland;
- provide a pro-active expert brokerage service to customers in the segment;
- create a coherent marketing offer that customers understand;
- ensure all partners understand and 'sell' the offer; and
- ensure customers can access the services they need in the way they want. The pathfinder is testing existing and new relationships from local to national level and ensuring 'joined up' services are a reality.
For more information see http://www.wellent.co.uk/Turnpike/Turnpike.htm
England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) 
Grants are available through the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) which aim to help farming, forestry, certain other rural businesses and rural communities adapt and develop. The Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES) can assist with the start-up costs for projects that help the rural economy adjust to the declining role of mainstream agricultural production, and thus provides support for farmers to adapt their businesses to take advantage of changing market demands and new business opportunities. RES also provides support for other, non-farming, elements of the rural economy, including those involved in marketing quality agricultural products, rural tourism and rural crafts. Funding can also be provided for small-scale community projects, including social enterprise. Under the Processing and Marketing Grant (PMG), grants for capital works over £70,000 are available for the development of processing facilities for primary agricultural products in England, for the benefit of processors and the producers of the raw materials. For farmers and foresters wishing to improve their occupational skills and competence, assistance is available through the Vocational Training Scheme (VTS) towards the costs of attending and providing training courses. This might be connection with a project eligible for assistance under RES or PMG, but also in relation to mainstream agricultural and horticultural production processes, the protection of the environment and improvement in hygiene and welfare of animals and diversification activities.
Sector Skills
Building on work under the Learning, Skills and Knowledge Programme (LSK), Defra continues to work with Lantra on the provision of, and demand for, skills training and development for rural businesses. During 2005/06 Lantra will be developing a competence framework for the land-based sector and piloting it within selected sub-sectors. We will be continuing to promote the benefits of improving skills to both employees and businesses. We are also working with Lantra to develop a mechanism for recognising skills acquired through experience as well as formal qualifications attained, which would in turn, identify areas for skills development. Reports on work undertaken with Lantra in 2004/5 are listed below:
Developing Business
Competence - The Business Case for a Competence Framework 
Rural Training
Group Support Network - Final Report
Rural Training
Group Support Network - Report Annexes
Useful Links
- Business Link
- Regional Development Agencies
- Small Business Service (SBS)
- Lantra
- Rural Development Service (RDS)
- Rural Payments Agency
Page last modified:
10 July, 2007
Page published: 11 November, 2003