Dorset Council has set out a 10-year Farms Estate Strategy to help secure the future of farming across the county.
The strategy, running from 2026 to 2036, is designed to support new entrants into farming, strengthen opportunities for progression, and invest in the council’s 5,000-acre Farms Estate of nearly 60 holdings.
Two tenancy routes will be introduced. Starter Farms will offer fixed terms of up to 12 years for people beginning their careers in farming, while Progression Farms will provide terms of up to 20 years, with longer terms possible in some cases, for those ready to expand.
The strategy also identifies around £12 million of investment over the next decade for urgent repairs and modernisation, with priorities to be guided by the Farms Executive Advisory Panel. This panel includes representatives from the National Farmers’ Union, Tenant Farmers Association, Country Land and Business Association, and local tenants.
Dorset Council has committed that the Farms Estate will remain focused on farming, while also supporting sustainability goals. By 2030, the aim is for 70 per cent of council farms to be using sustainable practices such as improving soil health and reducing input costs.
Councillor Richard Biggs, Cabinet Member for Property and Assets and Economic Growth, said the strategy was about keeping farms in farming, investing in the estate, and creating opportunities for the next generation.
The Farms Estate has been a gateway into farming in Dorset for more than a century. The new strategy will be considered by Cabinet on 9 October 2025.
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