Surplus land returned to profitability through the planting of SRC Willow

The Dixon family (Terry, Eileen & Thomas) have dairy-farmed Brackenthwaite Farm in Cumbria for over 30 years. The farm has 323ha of predominantly Severely Disadvantaged Area. Most of the land is used for dairy, but there is a small area of arable too. The Dixons have long recognised the importance of the relationship between the productivity of a farm and its effect on the environment.

They’ve striven to encourage biodiversity with the planting of many hedges, and were farming their land organically for a number of years. However, in 2013, with milk prices becoming extremely volatile, the Dixons returned to