Specific advice for Agricultural businesses can be found through the Advice for Kent Downs Farmers Scheme.

More general business advice is available with details on the Existing Business and Business Start up pages.

Free Advice for Kent Downs Farmers

If you are a farmer, landholder or small rural business in or straddling the boundary of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) you could be eligible to receive a free Action Plan to support you in expanding or diversifying your business.

The Kent Downs Rural Advice Service is a pilot project providing free support to farmers and land owners who are seeking to make a change to their land management practices or business. The service can arrange for experts in planning, environment and business development to visit each farmer wishing to take advantage of the service and set out advice in a straight forward Action Plan to help take proposals forward.

This free service is available within the Kent Downs AONB, a nationally important protected landscape. Not sure if you are in the Kent Downs AONB? Visit the Kent Landscape Information System Website or contact Jenny Bate.

For more information contact Jenny Bate, Kent Downs Rural Advice Service Coordinator:

West Barn, Penstock Hall Farm, Canterbury Road, East Brabourne, Ashford, Kent TN25 5LL

Tel: 01303 815170

Email Jenny Bate  or Visit the Kent Downs website

Farm Diversification Toolkit

The Farm Diversification Toolkit is a reference guide and DIY toolkit to help farmers take a balanced and integrated approach to making changes on their farm. Covering the business, financial, heritage, environmental and planning issues the Toolkit offers anyone a first step introduction and web based ‘source book’.

Farm Diversification Toolkit PDF 2.52MB

For more information on the Toolkit please email Jenny Bate at Kent Downs Rural Advice Service or visit the Kent Downs Website.