Agroecological Pathways – Arable

Working on an already established arable farm in exchange for money.

Experience needed: A good level of knowledge and experience in arable production (usually gained via ongoing or long term volunteering, accreditations or qualifications)

Qualifications needed: Not all jobs in arable production will expect an accreditation or qualification, however it is a benefit to have one to prove your level of knowledge and understanding of this sector

Skills needed: Ability to carry out heavy lifting and intensive, repetitive practical tasks around the farm, capacity to use initiative and take the lead on tasks, an ability to work within a team as well as alone, ability to manage competing workstreams, good organisational skills and knowledge of all day to day running activities of a farm including tool and machinery usage 

Qualifications gained: None 

Pay/benefits attached: The national minimum wage or more

Where does this lead me? Paid work can lead to further training and mentoring opportunities as you progress your arable knowledge on the farm. From here many will go on to start their own arable businesses or become Farm Managers.  Possible sideways moves into other sectors/adjacent careers are also available, for example campaigning, farm advisory positions, research, teaching, business development/support, policy and advocacy work, community engagement etc.

Finding paid work is a great way to: 

• Put all of your previous skills and learnings to use
• Gain access to many skills and responsibilities not otherwise available to you via volunteering or training networks
• Gain experience on the job (offering financial support whilst you learn and progress your arable skills) 
• Learn from your wider team members and farm managers 
• Glean experienced knowledge 
• Deepen your understanding of arable industry
• Give you the opportunity to develop your interests in certain areas of arable production 
• Give you an in-depth understanding of how to run a farm business

Whilst paid work is beneficial in many ways, finding relevant paid work is highly competitive and opportunities in the agroecological sector are few and far between, particularly in the arable industry. 

Even if you cannot find a paid position on an agroecological farm, perhaps starting with a larger organic farm who may have more resources to support paid staff is a great place to start. This knowledge will be transferable to the agroecological sector. 

It is also the case that many growing projects will keep on volunteers as paid staff when the opportunity arises. So having your foot in the door at projects that you feel passionate about is a great way of eventually finding paid work (check out the ‘Volunteering’ section of this pathway to find aligned projects). 

Accommodation 

Another thing to consider is that accommodation on the farm or close to your place of work (particularly in rural areas) can be a challenging find and especially on a relatively low wage. If you don’t already live in the area of your new work position, make sure to speak to your manager to find out about accommodation opportunities either on the farm or nearby. Some farms will offer accommodation with the job for a reduction in your wage. However if they do not then be sure to check out local accommodation options before making the move as this can sometimes be a barrier to working, particularly in rural areas with limited options. 

Many opportunities will come via word of mouth and will be available to you if you are linked into the sector via the networks and alliances as outlined in the ‘Volunteering’ section of this pathway. However there are some ways of finding opportunities online. 

Jobs in the agroecological or regenerative sector

Jobs in the agroecological arable sector are hard to come by but it is worth looking into the links below and keeping your eye on these networks to find suitable positions should they come up:

• The Landworkers’ Alliance often advertise paid work opportunities via their newsletters and membership communications 
• The Great project website is also a good place to find paid work
• Roots to Work is a job site in good food that sometimes advertise paid farm work opportunities as well as work in other supporting areas of agroecology such as campaigning, policy work etc.
• Environment job posts work in both the on-farm and off-farm agroecological sector
• Agroecology Europe is a great place to look for EU based positions
• Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media channels are a great way to find paid work opportunities directly from organisations – so make sure to follow all prospective work places
• Also visit the websites of prospective farms (outlined in the ‘Volunteering’ section of this pathway,  to find out about upcoming work opportunities. 

Jobs in the conventional arable sector

• Check out job sites such as Jobs in Agriculture, Farming UK, Farmers’ Weekly Jobs,  Agricultural and Farming Jobs, 4XtraHands and Indeed. Jobs via these pages will be useful if you wish to learn on the job and then transfer this knowledge into your own agroecological project.
• Careers Wales is a great resource for finding work in Wales

Setting up your own arable business

Experience needed: It is essential to have a good amount of on-farm practical knowledge and experience before starting your own business, usually gained via  volunteering, test and trials, paid work, accreditations or qualifications

Qualifications needed: No qualifications are needed but they will be advantageous to your level of knowledge 

Skills needed: An understanding of how to run a business and of UK business requirements e.g tax, health and safety certificates, insurance etc., entrepreneurial thinking and operating, a high level of flexibility and adaptability, ability to manage customers and volunteers, basic accountancy, ability to carry out heavy lifting and intensive, repetitive practical tasks, capacity to use initiative and take the lead on tasks, ability to manage people and work within a team as well as alone, ability to manage competing workstreams, good organisational skills and knowledge of all day to day running activities of an arable farm including tool and machinery usage, marketing or promotional skills or willingness to learn

Qualifications gained: None

Pay/benefits attached: You will be in charge of your profit margins and therefore your own wage

Where does this lead me? Starting and establishing a business can open up a world of opportunity into: 

• Many areas of agroecological arable production and processing from pulses and grains to flour, bread and alcohol. 
• Expansion and diversification into other industry sectors and land based practices such as horticulture, dairy, livestock, poultry, forestry and woodland management, conservation, rewilding and much more. 
• Community/social based enterprise structures and land management models
• A diversity of processing and product design opportunities that go beyond your raw product offerings
• Carrying out specific agroecological training via courses 
• Participating in knowledge exchange networks with other similar businesses for local or national support including tool and machinery sharing networks
• Expanding your career into creative media, policy, advocacy, campaigning and other supportive work streams that share the stories and knowledge you have gained from running your own business 
• Joining land based networks, unions and movements that advocate for better land working conditions
• Linking in with networks and alliances that want to do research into agroecological arable production

As the agroecological arable sector is so underdeveloped you would play a key role in developing networks, skill and tool sharing, training, mentorship and other opportunities for other people entering into the sector and play a key role in defining how arable production has huge potential to have a positive impact on both our communities and our environment. 

Setting up your own agroecological business offers you the opportunity to:

• Put all of your skills, knowledge and expertise into practice
• Have a positive impact on the land and community around you
• Help build the food sovereignty and agroecology movement in the UK
• Learn whilst you work
• Deepen your relationship to the land
• Experiment, play with and explore agroecological practices
• Offer your community healthy, nutritious food
• Support others to get into the industry
• Add an experienced voice to wider social and political conversations around our food and farming systems in the UK
• Build on an area of agroecological production that is in need of development

Accessing machinery

Much of our small-scale arable machinery has been lost from the UK due to the increase in the scale of production over the last few decades. As a result, opportunities to grow, harvest and process agroecologically (usually on smaller land plots) are few and far between, because this gap in harvesting and processing machinery presents a barrier to smaller scale projects starting up – but these machines do still exist! And there are a growing number of tool and machinery sharing networks across the UK. Take a look at the alliances, organisations and networks laid out in the ‘Volunteering’ and ‘Training’ sections of this pathway to find out about opportunities.

Seeking Business Support

Before you embark on setting up your business, reaching out to business support schemes is a great place to start, as they can offer you advice and support in writing a business plan, choosing a business and land model, finding land, funding and routes to market, planning promotional and marketing activities and generally offering guidance in all aspects of your business idea to ensure your business is viable. 

Community / Shared Business and Land Models

The task of setting up alone and getting your business off the ground can be long, arduous and lonely, so sharing this responsibility and passion with others is often the best way to start a successful business. There are many business and land models you can choose from such as partnerships, community interest companies, stacked enterprises, leasing land and share farming. Finding the right one for you from the beginning is important as it will be directly related to the success of your business. 

Accommodation

Another thing to consider is that accommodation on the farm or land plot (particularly in rural areas) can be a challenging find and especially on a relatively low wage. Organisations like the Landworkers’ Alliance and the Ecological Land Cooperative campaign for access to affordable, location appropriate housing in landwork.

New entrants experience a multitude of barriers in setting up their own market gardens and land based business, however there is an increasing amount of resources and support out there for you should you be looking at taking this next step in your career in agroecology.

Land and Finance

• The Ecological Land Cooperative supports access to setting up smallholdings for ecological agriculture use. They have a call out for land for sale or rent and a whole host of amazing resources on their website. Their lease agreement is one of the most accessible and innovative models in the UK so they are certainly worth checking out
• Land sharing is one of the most accessible ways to get access to land for any new business so it is worth considering this model when developing your business idea. Examples of Land Sharing are: Biodynamic Land Trust (UK), Earth Trust – Farm Step Programme (England), Soil Association Land Trust, Big Meadow CSA, Stream Farm, Farm Ed
• Shared Assets support the development of new models of managing land. They have some very useful information here on supportive land share agreements and sharing assets, as well as some good case studies.
• CLAS – Community Land Advisory Service have some very useful resources, including their heads of terms templates for community groups wanting to lease land.  Sadly their services are no longer being funded in England and Scotland, though it continues in Wales.
• The Scottish Crofting Federation offers support in land access and funding in Scotland
• One Planet Development (Wales) is a government supported, innovative land use model that supports you to start your own agroecological business and build agricultural buildings and your own dwelling in a low impact way.
• The Land Mobility Scheme works to find collaborative land opportunities  (Northern Ireland)
• Access to Land facilitates land access and works with local authorities (EU)
• The NEWBIE Network offers support in land and finance (UK)
• The Farmstart Network is a fantastic starting point opportunity for you if you are considering starting your own farm business. You are given a piece of land attached to a larger farm business and join an incubator programme which allows you to kick start your own farm business whilst getting support, training and mentoring in the first 1-2 years of your business (UK)
• The Loans for Enlightened Agriculture Programme (LEAP) (UK) is a great place to find funding for agroecological food and farming businesses
• Check out Wakelyn’s farm to learn more about enterprise stacking
• The Community Farmland Purchase resource is there to help you with looking, finding and securing land in the UK
• Shared Assets support the development of new models of managing land. They have some useful information here on supportive land share agreements and sharing assets, as well as some good case studies.
• You could also contact your city or area council / local authority to find out about  land opportunities as they often arise

Business Support

• Business start up support is available from all governments in the UK and so is a good place to start: Wales, Scotland, England
• Farming Connect (Wales) can help with access to land, business advice, progression support and mentorships. They also have grants available to help you learn in your sector once you have an established business. On top of this they help to facilitate some interesting match-making services for joint ventures. In particular they have a Venture Handbook which is a useful starting point for those considering a joint venture, much of which is relevant for those outside Wales too.
• Tenant Farmers Association (UK) has a lot of support for tenant farmers leasing land
• Tyfu Cymru is a good place to look for resources to help with your business if you’re based in Wales
• The Landworkers’ Alliance offers and facilitates business support which can be found here.
• The Scottish government is working towards farming Opportunities for New Entrants (Scotland)
• The Farm Advisory Service also offers support via a New Entrant Programme (Scotland)
• The Landworkers’ Alliance has done a lot of work on agroecological business planning – Agroecological business planning guide – and direct sales and short supply chains – Direct sales and short supply chains 
• Skillshare offers a free one month trial during which you can learn about marketing, social media, video editing and many more digital skills that will help with the success of your business 
• Grown in Totnes offer a toolkit in grain processing
• As there is now limited access to smaller scale machinery to  process arable crops in the UK, it is worth looking into older kit for processing, via vintage farming clubs, farming groups and vintage fairs – many farmers with this kit will be pleased to find a working use for their beloved old machinery!
• OF&G offer consultancy work for larger organic grain growers
• Organic Arable help with organic arable marketing if you become certified organic  

Other Support

• LION – Land in Our Names is a Black-led collective that works for land reparations and supports those from BPOC communities to begin working and living on the land, they have a whole host of resources and support available 
• Ubele also offer support, advice and finance for BPOC communities setting up enterprises across the UK
• Organisations like the Landworkers’ Alliance, support members who are often marginalised in landwork and have unequal access to opportunities. Members organise a  LGBTQIA+ working group (called Out On The Land), a BPOC (Black and People of Colour) working group (called REAL) and a youth arm (called FLAME). 
• Also see the ‘Further Resources’ section of this pathway for other links to support and resources that you may find helpful when setting up your own arable business

Business & career progression is for those seeking to expand, diversify or build on their existing career or business

Experience needed: A paid working or equivalent level of knowledge and experience is necessary to access some further training opportunities and certain types of business support. 

Qualifications needed: If you are looking at progressing your skills and knowledge in the way of getting an accreditation then the minimum level of qualifications needed are usually a GCSE or equivalent in English (or Welsh if studying in Cymru) and Maths. But entry requirements will vary depending on the level of accredited training you are seeking. 

Skills needed: A paid working or equivalent level of skill is required for accessing advanced progression opportunities 

Qualifications gained: If you choose to progress by gaining an accreditation or qualification then you are able to gain a certificate in both arable and non-arable regenerative/agroecological practices in anything from a Foundation certificate to Postgraduate Masters or PhD

Pay/benefits attached: Progression, expansion and diversification can lead to higher level job opportunities which usually equate to increased wages or increased business profits. You will also be gaining more knowledge and skills to practically apply agroecology.

Where does this lead me? Whether you are progressing your career in agroecology into a managerial position, expanding or diversifying your agroecological business or progressing your current business into agroecology, then this can lead to a diversity of outcomes:

• Advancements in your experience, knowledge and expertise, business offerings, level of responsibility, financial incentives, skill set and support for biodiversity and community wellbeing 
• Expansion into other sectors in the wider social and political spheres of your work including creative media, policy, advocacy, campaigning, education and other supportive work streams that share the stories and knowledge you have gained from running your own business or working on the land. This is especially relevant to you if you have successfully started and are ready to scale up an agroecological arable farm business as you will be pioneering the way in the UK.

Progressing your career

If you are currently working in a paid role in arable production or processing, expanding your knowledge and skill set in agroecology can be a great way to:

• Progress in your career
• Learn new skills
• Develop processing techniques and products from arable production
• Meet and network with like minded people working in similar areas to you 
• Gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to manage/work the land in line with agroecological principles
• Access a higher level of responsibility at work 
• Increase your ability to apply for more senior roles as you will have a wider environmental and sustainable application in a time of changing agricultural policy in the UK
• Access information, knowledge, skills and expertise relevant to starting your own business (please also refer to the ‘Starting your own business’ section of this pathway)

Progressing your business

If you already run an arable business then expanding and diversifying your agroecological knowledge and practice is a great way to:

• Ensure adaptability in changing markets 
• Access more routes to market
• Advance your skills, knowledge and expertise in agroecology
• Advance your access to a consumer market that is more climate and community conscious than ever before
• Grow your profits
• Grow your social and community impact
• Grow the biodiversity on your land
• Safeguard for future generations
• Help to save and produce heritage grain and seed

Progression, expansion and diversification can be costly and time consuming so you need to ensure you are at the right stage in your career or business where taking on further training or business development opportunities will be beneficial and not lead to burn out. Running a business and working on the land is hard work and so consider whether this is the right time for you before embarking on something new. Many progression opportunities are available on an ongoing basis and so you will be able to find something you are looking for when you are ready.

Many of the resources available in each section of this interactive pathway will be relevant to your progression needs, for example in accessing further training routes, courses, accreditations and qualifications as well as business support, so please refer to each of these sections to find out more detail about the progression opportunities available to you. 

Career and Business Progression 

• The Gaia Foundation’s Seed Sovereignty Programme and wider seed networks offer training in seed production, saving and grain processing

• Rural Support offers support in Progression Planning and Succession
• The Agricultural Recruitment Specialists have information on career progression in farming
• The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board also offer support and advice in business and career progression
• The NFU offer support for businesses and career progression information
• Also see the ‘Further Resources’ page for other links to support and resources that you may find helpful when progressing your career or business

Business Progression

• There are some specific support opportunities available to you should you already own your own arable business and are looking to diversify into agroecological production. Here are some links to resources and further reading that you may find useful in this transition: Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, Transitions to Agroecological Systems: Farmers’ Experience, Sustainable Farming Incentive, Environmental Land Management Scheme, Agroecological business planning guide (LWA), Direct sales and short supply chains (LWA), Linking Environment and Farming, Nature Friendly Farming Network, DEFRA update on government actions to incentivise transitions, Organic Arable Farming: Information for farmers considering conversion to organic production
• You could consider entering your farm business into a farming award which will widen your customer reach and validate your practices: British Farming Awards, BBC Food and Farming Awards, Farmers Weekly Awards, Sustainable Food and Farming Awards, NFU Community Farming Hero Awards, ORC Young Organic Farmer/ Grower of the Year Award, National Arable and Grasslands Awards

• There is now governmental support in England if you wish to transfer your arable or non-arable farm into organics
• Farming Connect (Wales) can help with access to/securing land, ongoing business advice, progression, expansion and diversification support and mentorships/knowledge exchanges.They also have grants available to help you progress your learning once you have an established business. On top of this they help to facilitate some interesting match-making services for joint ventures which may be a route you are considering should you already run your own business. In particular they have a Venture Handbook which is a useful starting point for those considering a joint venture, much of which is relevant for those outside Wales too.
• Also see the ‘Further Resources’ page for other links to support and resources that you may find helpful when progressing your business

• Cover crops for organic arable – Soil Association
• Organic Arable Production: Weed Control
• Organic Arable Production: Rotations
• Organic Arable Production: Pest & Disease Control
• Managing weeds in arable rotations – a guide
• Integrating leys in arable rotations
• Undersowing of leys in arable crops
• A short course in Agroecology
• The Land Skills Fair is a great place to go and network with like minded agroecological farmers, growers, foresters and fibre producers
• Groundswell is a great place to go and network with like minded regenerative and agroecological farmers and growers
• Grown in Totnes offer a toolkit in grain processing
• Organisations offering wider support are LWA, PFLA, OGA, LION, Ubele, CSA Network, Permaculture Association, Soil Association, Social Farms and Gardens, Sustain, Shared Assets and the Biodynamic Association 

• New Entrants to Agroecological Farming: Example Business Start-up Costs and the Case for Public Support (2021)
• New Entrants to Agriculture and Land Based Work: Survey Results (2020)
• Supporting the Next Generation of Farmers (2019)
• Planning Barriers Faced by New Entrants to Horticulture (2019)
• Hand on the Land: New Entrants in Agriculture (2017)

•  DEFRA Future Farming Blog (England) 
• Ten years to Agroecology in Europe (Soil Association)
• An Agroecological UK  2050 (FFCC)
• Transitions to Agroecological Systems: Farmers’ Experience 
• Agroecology traineeship programme (LWA)
• The Attraction of Agroecology and the barriers faced by new entrants pursuing agroecological farming and land work (LWA)
• Agroecological business planning guide (LWA)
• Direct sales and short supply chains (LWA)
• Whole farm agroecology scheme (LWA)
• Improving small farm productivity (LWA)
• Farmer’s Weekly ‘Know How’ guides to farming
• Barriers to Building a Heritage Grain Production and Supply System in the UK – A Video by Oxford Real Farming Conference
• The Heritage Grain Trust offer some resources
• The Land Magazine article on Arable production under permaculture principles
• The Oxford Real Farming Conference is a annual gathering of people working in the food sovereignty movement
• The Wales Real Food and Farming Conference is another annual gathering based in Wales
• These resources from Agroecology are a great place to get practical, technical and theoretical  information
• The Soil Association has lots of technical information available on their website for farmers and growers
• The Jumping Fences report by LION, the Ecological Land Cooperative and LWA is an amazing insight into understanding and addressing the barriers to access to land for agroecological farming for Black people and people of colour (BPOC) in Britain.
• Support for Farmers and Growers in need of mental health support
• The Crop It Like It’s Hot podcast has an episode on Paving your way into arable farming
• Youth Employment UK have this useful resource in beginning a farming career