Future Economic Rural Network (FERN)

The UK government has opened a £20mn ($26.6mn) competition for agri-tech firms to develop robots and automated systems that can plant, tend and harvest crops, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said on August 3. The funding targets a structural weakness in British farming, its reliance on seasonal labour that growers increasingly struggle to recruit, by accelerating machines that can take on tasks from sowing seeds to picking fruit.

The Ferncast — Podcast Feature In an exclusive interview with the Ferncast, Andrew Muir MLA discusses the post-Brexit rural landscape, Lough Neagh’s environmental crisis, the Windsor Framework and his ambitious 15-year plan for Northern Ireland’s countryside. February 2026 Season 3 Andrew Muir is Northern Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and an Alliance Party MLA for North Down.

The South Korean government has announced a comprehensive two-year pilot programme combining direct financial support with integrated care services to address acute rural depopulation. Beginning February 2026, the Ministry of Planning and Budget will distribute monthly vouchers worth 150,000 won (£104) to residents in designated farming and fishing communities experiencing demographic decline.

New research reveals how England’s devolution programme could unlock affordable housing delivery in rural communities – but only if rural priorities are embedded in local strategies and supported by national safeguards. The Rural Housing Network has commissioned groundbreaking research from the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) exploring what devolution means for rural affordable housing.

More than one in four people across the UK are living in homes that could make them ill from issues like damp, cold and mould, according to research by Health Equals, a coalition of nearly 100 organisations working to address the building blocks of health, Health Equals new report shows. The research, based on data from Censuswide, found 15mn people in the UK live in homes with issues like damp, mould or cold that are putting their wellbeing at risk.

Eden Housing Association, a 2,000-home housing association in North Cumbria, has secured £45mn in refinancing to deliver its business plan to invest in homes across the region, the organisation announced on November 7. The funding will be used to build new affordable homes in areas of high demand across the Eden Valley and North Lakes and continue investing £5mn-£6mn annually in improving and maintaining tenants’ homes.

The Future Economic Rural Network (FERN) has carefully examined the British Treasury’s proposals to replace stamp duty and council tax with a proportional property tax system. Whilst we recognise the urgent need for reform, we urge the Government to ensure these changes genuinely benefit rural communities rather than inadvertently penalising them further. Current Rural Tax Injustices Demand Action Rural Britain faces systematic discrimination under the present property tax regime.

Executive Summary The Future Economic Rural Network (FERN) governing board has reviewed the comprehensive State of Rural Services 2025 report, with particular focus on rural service provision in Northumberland and Cumbria. This analysis reveals both significant challenges and notable innovations across these two key northern rural regions, with critical implications for economic development and sustainable rural futures.

Rural areas across the United Kingdom face persistent challenges in providing affordable and reliable transport. Declining public transport networks, ageing populations, and geographical isolation often combine to limit the mobility of older residents. This article explores the potential of new micro-mobility solutions, particularly electric quadricycles such as the Citroën Ami, to address mobility gaps in rural communities.

Good news for rural communities in Scotland. A company installing an ultra-fast fibre broadband network across rural parts of Scotland has secured £50mn in new investment, BBC Scotland reported on August 14. The investment aims to tackle the issue of “digital exclusion” in rural areas in parts of the Highlands and more remote parts of Scotland.