The post-Brexit rural landscape 

As the UK embarks upon the process of exiting the EU, it’s become essential to think afresh about where our food comes from, how farming and rural communities are supported, and how we invest in the many benefits the countryside provides.

The Food Farming and Countryside Commission (FFCC), launched in November 2017, is convening different kinds of conversations, bringing together citizens, producers, businesses and academics from different sectors and with diverse perspectives. They are working together to find common purpose, create new possibilities for action, and achieve a mandate for change. The goal is a safe, secure, inclusive food and farming system for the UK, a flourishing rural economy and a sustainable and accessible countryside. 

On Tour

Representative from FFCC are touring around the UK by bike, and in May Rural Action Derbyshire hosted a 2 day visit from Jonathan Schifferes (and his bicycle) to gather opinion and learn how the rural communities of Derbyshire have evolved over the years and how they see things changing in the future, for better and for worse.

To find out some of what Jonathan discovered from his trip, and the differences between rural Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, read his excellent blog.  There's more to come from Jonathan in the future. We've had a sneaky peek at it, but unfortunately we can't publish it yet. 

READ THIS!

On yer bike!

Johnathan visited a farmers social group in South Derbyshire, a farm in the Derbyshire Dales that has diversified into farm stay holiday accommodation (with wi-fi and hot tubs!), enjoyed locally sourced produce at a restaurant in Wirksworth, visited food poverty projects in ex-mining districts in the north east of the county, a rural housing manager and a Derbyshire MP. 

He did have to cheat a little and accept lifts in cars for some of it, but to give him his due he made a good effort on the bike which was out of its normal urban environment.