Farming at the Crossroads: Financing the Transition to Regenerative Agriculture in England

Why It Matters

The shift reshapes farm economics and capital needs: adopting regenerative practices can cut input bills and boost long‑term resilience but requires up‑front investment, new finance models and supportive policy to avoid business risk. How this transition is funded will determine whether England meets environmental goals without undermining farm viability.

Summary

Farmers Weekly and Lloyds Bank hosted a webinar examining how English farm businesses are adapting from direct payments toward a ‘public money for public goods’ model by adopting regenerative practices. Panelists described practical shifts—most notably Brentwood Park Farm manager Tim Parton’s decade-long move to low-input, biology-led cropping supported by cover crops—and explained he financed the transition largely by selling and repurposing machinery after years of research. Other speakers, including lenders and rural advisers, warned many farms are only at the start of the journey, face difficult soil and weed challenges, and require clearer commercial and policy signals to scale change. The discussion stressed that finance, tailored investment and risk mitigation are central to enabling wider adoption of regenerative systems.

Original Description

In partnership with Lloyds and hosted by Farmers Weekly's Johann Tasker, this webinar explores what the transition to regenerative agriculture looks like in practice - combining real farm experience, economic insights, and the role of finance in supporting change.

What you’ll learn:

How policy changes are reshaping farming in England

The real-world impacts of transitioning to regenerative agriculture

The role of finance in enabling and sustaining change.