LandSkills North East, managed by Lantra on behalf of One North East, is supporting the growth of existing agricultural and forestry businesses with relevant training and skills development.

The project offers up to 70 per cent funding to assist with all types of training and knowledge transfer activities from general business skills through to technical training and advice on animal health and resource management.

To meet the region's strategic objectives, there are currently two main strands to the training on offer – firstly, strategically LandSkills North East can help businesses understand how to comply with the current legislation relating to animal health, nutrient management to consider how best to influence and manage supply chains to market, product development as well as general business management skills and development.

Secondly LandSkills North East is a demand-led project, so if people have a training need which is not currently available the project can try to source a provider for that training on a group or individual basis.

An example is the support provided to the North Northumberland Training Association, to organise a series of specialist farmer discussion groups over the winter period, where a group of experienced and younger farmers from a variety of farms attended meetings on farm locations to listen to high-quality specialists on the topics of interactive animal health plans, low intervention sheep management, wintering options for cattle, high welfare handling systems for efficient management and marketing benefits through improved animal health and welfare.

Beneficiary Suzanne Horn from Hedgeley Farms said: "I enjoyed the topics covered in the meetings I attended, which focused on current farming and food chain production aims.

"Combining both an expert speaker and a relevant farm venue, provided excellent practical advice which I will use to improve efficiencies at my farm."

Up until the end of April, 432 people have benefited from the LandSkills North East programme, covering a diverse range of projects including training Teesdale farmers for the Level 2 NPTC Sheep Dip qualification; leading agricultural discussion groups on animal health and welfare; helping young farmers in Durham and Northumberland to practise their stock judging and who in the near future will be given the opportunity to brush up on their leadership skills.

The project is currently arranging workshops on soil management using Planet software in conjunction with Adas and Strutt and Parker.

It is supporting improved water management and irrigation in the Till catchment area in association with Cheviot Futures whose partners include the Tweed Forum, The Environment Agency and The Northumberland National Park.