Online bid to help laws challenge

A SPECIALIST online resource to help farmers and growers in the South West get to grips with ever-changing farming regulations and to manage the daily challenges of running a successful business, has been launched by Business Link. The dedicated new section on the Business Link website, www.businesslink.gov.uk/southwest/farming, provides local farmers with practical information and guidance to help them plan ahead with confidence, apply best practice and understand government requirements, whatever type of farm they have.

The new farming section brings 86 guides together on one website and will be updated regularly to ensure that farmers can quickly and easily keep up to date with industry and regulation changes.

The resource is divided into a number of key topics to simplify the search for particular types of information typically required by farmers. These are: running your farm business; funding, schemes and grants; protecting farm environments; livestock; crops, horticulture and plant health; and organic farming.

"We are delighted to offer this new service to the farming industry," said David Hynd, head of Business Link's rural enterprise gateway in the South West. "Farmers and agricultural workers all over the region will now be able to access a wide range of business information and support in one place, which will save them a great deal of time and money.

"We developed the new farming content by working closely with all the relevant government departments and agencies, and with farmers themselves, and we believe that it will quickly become an essential resource for farmers across the region."

The farming section on Business Link's website also links to general topics of interest to all types of businesses, including the headings employing people, health and safety, environment and efficiency, IT and commerce and taxes, and returns and payroll.

Call 0845 600 9966 or e-mail enquiry@businesslinksw.co.uk