Duchy Focus Farm

The Duchy of Cornwall has long been at the forefront of efforts to promote sustainable farming practices, aiming to create a thriving and resilient agricultural sector that can adapt to the pressing environmental challenges of our time. Through the Duchy Focus Farms initiative, this commitment is put into action by fostering innovation, sharing best practices, and addressing critical issues such as soil health, biodiversity, and carbon reduction.

As one of the six farms in this national program, Lower Blakemere Farm plays an important role, but the broader mission of the Duchy goes beyond any individual farm. The overarching goal is to reduce carbon emissions across the entire Duchy estate and create a blueprint for sustainable farming that can be adopted by other landowners and farmers throughout the UK.

The Duchy’s Strategy for Carbon Reduction
At the heart of the Duchy of Cornwall’s agricultural strategy is the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions across its estate. This ambitious target aligns with wider national efforts to combat climate change, and it forms a critical part of the Duchy’s long-term vision for land stewardship. By setting such a bold objective, the Duchy is demonstrating leadership in how farms and rural estates can contribute to carbon reduction while maintaining productive agricultural operations.

The focus on regenerative agriculture is central to the Duchy’s carbon strategy. This approach prioritises farming methods that not only reduce emissions but actively sequester carbon in the soil, improving soil health and increasing the land’s ability to store carbon. Key methods being trialled and implemented across the Duchy Focus Farms include:
1.     Soil health management: Practices such as cover cropping, reduced tillage, and rotational grazing help to improve soil structure and enhance carbon capture. Healthy soils are more effective at storing carbon and also support greater biodiversity, which is another key priority for the Duchy.
2.     Agroforestry: The integration of trees and shrubs into farming systems is being promoted as a way to sequester carbon while enhancing biodiversity. The Duchy has been investing in tree planting across its estates, both for carbon storage and as part of broader efforts to create more wildlife-friendly landscapes. We’ve planted over 250 trees in the past couple of years here on the farm.
3.     Grassland management: Through careful grazing management and the restoration of permanent grasslands, the Duchy is helping to lock carbon in the soil, particularly in areas that are less suited to arable farming. These grasslands not only serve as important carbon sinks but also provide habitats for wildlife and contribute to the health of local ecosystems.
4.     Renewable energy: The Duchy is also exploring ways to reduce reliance on fossil fuels through the adoption of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power. This is part of a broader push to make farming operations more energy-efficient and reduce the carbon footprint of the estate. We’re really pleased to have solar panels on our new grain store here at Blakemere.

Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing
The Duchy of Cornwall recognises that achieving its carbon reduction goals requires collaboration and the sharing of knowledge. This is where the Duchy Focus Farms come into play. These farms, including Lower Blakemere, serve as hubs for innovation and learning, where new techniques and approaches can be tested, refined, and shared with the wider farming community.

The creation of spaces like Bad Harvest Barn at Lower Blakemere Farm enables this collaboration to flourish. The barn serves as a dedicated meeting space for local and national organisations, including the National Farmers Union (NFU) , The Wildlife Trust, and the Rural Hub, allowing stakeholders to come together to discuss the latest developments in sustainable agriculture and carbon reduction. These gatherings are key to building momentum and encouraging widespread adoption of practices that can contribute to achieving net-zero emissions across the agricultural sector.

How the Focus Farms Support the Duchy’s Broader Vision
The Duchy Focus Farms are central to the Duchy’s long-term strategy of promoting sustainable and resilient farming across its estate. By focusing on the reduction of carbon emissions, improving biodiversity, and enhancing soil health, the Duchy is aiming to create a model of climate-resilient agriculture. This is not only about mitigating the effects of climate change but also ensuring that farming remains productive and profitable in the face of increasing environmental pressures.

What sets the Duchy Focus Farms apart is the way they link environmental sustainability with economic viability. By demonstrating that it is possible to reduce carbon emissions and protect biodiversity without sacrificing yields or profitability, the Duchy is showing the broader agricultural community that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.

The Role of Carbon Sequestration in Farming’s Future
The Duchy’s approach to carbon sequestration in agriculture is part of a broader national conversation about how farming can contribute to the UK’s net-zero targets. Through initiatives like the Soil Carbon Project, which tracks and quantifies the carbon stored in the soil, the Duchy is helping to pioneer ways of measuring the effectiveness of these interventions. This data will be critical for shaping future agricultural policy and ensuring that farmers are properly incentivised to adopt carbon-friendly practices.

By working closely with partners like the NFU, which has its own ambitions for net-zero agriculture by 2040, the Duchy of Cornwall is helping to lead the way in the UK’s transition to a more sustainable agricultural sector. The findings from the Duchy Focus Farms, including innovations in carbon reduction, will be shared widely to help other farms and rural estates implement similar strategies.

Through collaboration, innovation, and the sharing of knowledge, the Duchy is helping to build a more sustainable future for farming—one where carbon neutrality and resilient rural communities go hand in hand.