Farming
We're working with farmers to find and share practical wildlife-friendly farming techniques.
Farming near you
Farming after Brexit
Following the decision in June 2016 for the UK to leave the European Union, major decisions will need to be made about how all governments across the UK support the environment, farming and rural development to replace the Common Agricultural Policy.
The RSPB, in partnership with leading UK conservation organisations, has called on the government to grasp the opportunity to provide more support to nature-friendly farmers and secure a better future for our countryside. We are currently working with farmers and others with expertise in food, rural development and conservation to achieve this.
Advice
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![Skylark (alauda arvensis) sitting in heather, South Stack RSPB reserve, Wales]()
Get a farmland bird survey
Find out how to get a survey of the bird-life on your farmland.
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![Redshank Tringa totanus, in breeding plumage, Geltsdale RSPB reserve, Cumbria,]()
Helping species
If you know which birds are on your farm, then you can find out what they need and how you can help them.
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![Skylark Alauda arvensis, at the grassy edge of a small field. Cornwall]()
Managing habitats
Advice on how to manage habitats for wildlife on your farm, from margins, banks and headlands to meadows, scrub land and buildings.
Agriculture and land-use
Our work with government helps develop agricultural policies that support the vital work that nature needs farmers to do.
Hope Farm
EU LIFE+ Farmland bird project
The EU LIFE+ Programme supported our Farmland Bird Project, enabling us to provide free bird surveys, an annual wildlife-friendly farming competition and free practical advice for farmers from specialist experts in their own area.
Find out more about the project and how it’s helped us shape the new advice and support tools we have available for farmers.
Our work with farmers was kindly sponsored by the EU LIFE+ fund between January 2010 and September 2013, safeguarding the future of our farmland birds under the EU Birds Directive.
Nature of Farming Award
Our farming blog
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The importance of soil health
A blog on soil health by Georgie Bray - RSPB's Hope Farm Manager Playing the waiting game! Sitting in the farmhouse office, looking at another day with grey skies and puddles on the patio, you can’t help but wonder how much more rain can fall from th...
Posted 16/02/2020 by Steph Morren -
Cutting (h)edge management at Hope Farm
In this blog, Paul Cabrisy, research intern at RSPB Hope Farm, explains the importance of hedges and correctly managing them on a farm. Paul also tells us the outcome of a study carried by a masters student who looked at different preferences of farm...
Posted 13/02/2020 by Steph Morren -
Oxford Real Farming Conference part 5 - Climate and Net Zero
Citizen’s Assembly: Emergency Plan for Agriculture and Wildlife Climate and Net Zero - by Mair Floyd-Bosley and Melanie Coath (RSPB - climate change policy) Agriculture in the UK produces 45.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, 10% of UK total GHG emi...
Posted 10/02/2020 by Steph Morren -
Oxford Real Farming Conference part 4 - a Just Transition
Citizen’s Assembly: Emergency Plan for Agriculture and Wildlife A Just Transition - by Mair Floyd-Bosley (RSPB policy assistant) and Sorcha Lewis (high-nature value farmer in Wales) This discussion was geared around building a fair and equitable shif...
Posted 06/02/2020 by Steph Morren