How Fresh Start can benefit your career in farming
Fresh Start is designed to help new entrants starting their career in farming, and existing farmers build their businesses.
"I found the Fresh Start Academy really helpful in developing my career and business ideas. I would recommend joining the Academy to anyone who wants to be part of the agricultural industry"
Paul Coburn, Fresh Start Graduate
Designed to help new entrants into farming, and existing farmers develop their businesses, Fresh Start Academies are an industry initiative to secure a sustainable future for farming. It aims to do this nationally by:
- promoting an entrepreneurial culture amongst the next generation of farm business owners
- promoting the use of generic business planning & management techniques
- promoting farming (and all its associated activities) as an attractive career option for new entrants
- developing a "matching service" that will link potential new entrants to those wishing to reduce their direct involvement or retire.
- developing a national mentoring capability for all new / growing farm enterprises
- practical support for a continual professional development culture to be adopted by everybody working in this industry
Since their launch in 2004, over 22 Academies have subsequently been founded with the latest in Cambridgeshire. More are also planned with the ultimate aim being that the process becomes, and is seen to become, fully independent and industry owned.
The first Fresh Start Academies covered East & West Sussex and Surrey and they were based at Chicester College's Brinsbury Campus and Plumpton College. Subsequent Academies have been launched in Kent with Hadlow College, and Hampshire with Sparsholt College. Academies in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire are also now running.
Fresh Start as a process is also aimed at encouraging succession planning amongst farm owners so that either family members, or interested new entrants, can enter the industry. This is achieved through joint ventures, share farming, partnerships or contract operations to build and retain equity.
To register your interest in your local Fresh Start Academy please complete our enquiry form.
