{"id":71989,"date":"2026-11-05T16:15:45","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T16:15:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/?p=71989"},"modified":"2026-11-05T16:20:53","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T16:20:53","slug":"devon-unveils-bold-vision-one-of-englands-largest-county-farms-estates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/devon-unveils-bold-vision-one-of-englands-largest-county-farms-estates\/","title":{"rendered":"Devon unveils bold vision for one of England’s largest County Farms Estates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Devon County Council has set out an ambitious vision for the future of its County Farms Estate, positioning it as a national leader in supporting food security, farming opportunities and sustainable rural growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Devon County Council’s Cabinet has endorsed a new vision that puts productive farming and successful farm businesses at its heart while helping nurture the next generation of farmers and supporting environmental sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Devon’s County Farms Estate covers almost 9,600 acres and includes 64 farm holdings. It\u2019s one of the largest in England and provides a vital route into agriculture at a time when access to land remains one of the biggest barriers facing new farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposed vision for the estate is a nationally recognised County Farms Estate that places food security and successful farm businesses at its heart, whilst supporting the next generation of farmers to ensure that agriculture can be productive, profitable, resilient and environmentally sustainable.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vision comes at a time of significant change across UK agriculture, with increasing focus on domestic food production, environmental resilience and succession within the industry. Devon County Council believes its County Farms Estate is uniquely placed to help address these challenges while continuing to support rural communities and the wider economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2011, the estate has helped 67 new farm tenants establish farming businesses, while dozens more have progressed to larger holdings or moved into the private sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Devon County Council says the estate’s role extends well beyond food production. Recent projects have included educational programmes for schoolchildren, biodiversity initiatives, flood mitigation schemes, renewable energy projects, community growing spaces and nationally recognised regenerative farming practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agriculture contributes more than \u00a3870 million annually to Devon’s economy and supports more than 20,000 jobs, while the county’s farmed landscape underpins a tourism sector worth a further \u00a32.5 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n

\r\n\t
\r\n

Councillor Simon Clist said: <\/p><\/div>\r\n \t\t

“Devon’s County Farms Estate is far more than a property portfolio. It is a launchpad for new farmers, a driver of rural prosperity and an important contributor to food production, environmental improvement and community wellbeing.”<\/p>\n

“At a time when farming faces huge challenges, we want Devon’s estate to be recognised nationally for helping the next generation of farmers succeed while supporting productive, resilient and sustainable agriculture.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\t<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\"Councillor\r\n
\r\n Councillor Simon Clist, Cabinet Member for Assets and Resources<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\n\n\n

Devon County Council is now planning a review of its County Farms Estate Strategy to ensure the estate continues to support thriving farm businesses while responding to the opportunities and challenges facing modern agriculture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2295,"featured_media":72001,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2378],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-farm-estates"],"acf":[],"featured_image":{"ID":72001,"title":"Resizing pics for News Centre (1200 x 800 px)","alt":"Devon sheep in a field on a 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