The North East Cotswold Farmer Cluster CIC

The Northeast Cotswold Farmer Cluster CIC is a farmer-led organisation leading regional regeneration efforts for land usage, local agricultural priorities, and community outreach.
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About

We are a group of farmers and landowners in the North East Cotswolds, who have got together with a bold plan. Together we farm land stretching from the A40 in the South, northwards to Moreton-in-Marsh, and Eastwards to Chipping Norton and Woodstock. To date, we have over 150 farms covering 42,000 hectares in our group; the initial 130 outlined in blue on the map. Our world is changing, and we will be better prepared for ELMs if we work together. Whether you want support making changes on your land, or you would like to work with your neighbours to build a better future, we would be delighted to welcome you to the Cluster.

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.

Objectives

  1. Improve the health of our soils: building soil carbon, reducing inputs, minimising leaching, introducing more diverse and resilient cropping & 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, The Great Project (Gloucs) & 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

Contact

Hillside

Albion Street

Chipping Norton

Oxfordshire

OX7 5BH