Benefitting from the New Farming Subsidies: Grass and Soil
Monday 23 June 2025
Clandeboye Estate
Part of the Historic Houses Global Crossroads project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the United Kingdon (Standard Research Grant AH/Z506436/)
Organised by:
Professor Joy Porter, University of Birmingham
Professor Annie Tindley, University of Newcastle
This workshop is designed to support Northern Irish farmers to profit from the evolving agricultural and environmental subsidy regime and the rapidly changing policy and ecological landscape. This matters more than ever as the sector faces increasing environmental challenges, both global and specific to the NI sector. Government directives supporting a shift to ecological priorities and increasing value of natural capital in agriculture requires a new approach to thinking about the industry and changes to the way farming entrants are trained and supported.
How can Northern Irish farmers and land managers respond to these challenges and profit from the new funding landscape?
This workshop will bring together farming interests, trainers and educators to map out future directions and support for the sector.
Keynote speakers:
Alex Reynolds, Kings Foundation at Dumfries House (17) Alex Reynolds | LinkedIn
James McCluggage, Ulster Famers Union Our Staff | Ulster Farmers Union
Seamus McCaffrey, S P McCaffrey & co Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors spmccaffrey.com
Perfect for those interested in:
- Northern Irish farming – practice and policy; funding
- Education & rural skills
Workshop objectives:
- Share best practice between Dumfries House and the Dufferin Foundation as leadership sites for rural education and skills.
- Collectively define the opportunities in the agricultural and environmental policy and subsidy changes: diagnose the potential barriers – what needs to change for farmers to benefit?
- Disseminate and share best practice between Scotland and Northern Ireland
Programme
09:30-13:00 Part 1: NI farmers – the financial and environmental future
09.30-09.45: Welcome, introductions and purpose of the workshop
09.45-10.15: Keynote talk – Alex Reynolds, Dumfries House: ‘Advancing natural capital in Northern Ireland’
10.15-10.45: Keynote talk – James McCluggage, policy, technical and communications manager with the Ulster Farmers’ Union: ‘Co-designing new agricultural policies & marketing Nis farming strengths’
10.45-11.15: Coffee break
11.15-11.45: Keynote talk – Seamus McCaffrey, S P McCaffrey & Co Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors
11.45-12.15: Discussion groups
- Benefitting from changing government subsidies
- Developing Environmental Land Management schemes
- Strategies for agile future planning
12.15-12.30: Next steps / wrap up
12.30-13.15: Walk to yoghurt factory and viewing
13:15 Lunch
14:00-16.30 Part 2: Dumfries House, the Dufferin Foundation & NIFSA
Sharing best practice between the King’s Foundation at Dumfries House and the Dufferin Foundation and NIFSA, Clandeboye: creating an educational, environmental and rural skills hub.
Panel presentations from Dumfries House colleagues
- Alex Reynolds, ‘Rural skills and employment strategies’
- Satinder Kaur, ‘Managing new audiences for heritage and tourism’
For further information please contact: Lynn Wadding, Project Administrator, University of Birmingham: [email protected]
