Small is Successful! Creating sustainable livelihoods on ten acres or less

Small is Successful! Creating sustainable livelihoods on ten acres or less
 
Small is Successful! is the outcome of 12 months research commissioned by the Ecological Land Co-operative (ELC). This research addressed the lack of information on financially viable, small scale farms in the UK. 
 
Working with eight real life case studies, the report demonstrates that economically viable and highly sustainable land based livelihoods can succeed on holdings of ten acres or less. The report and its policy recommendations opens up truly affordable opportunities for new entrants into farming.
 
None of the smallholdings received subsidies, and the incomes examined exclude non-agricultural activities, such as any courses, consultancy work or B&Bs that the smallholders also provide. In comparison, the average English farm lost £19,000 in agricultural activities last year, remaining in business largely due to subsidies from the Single Payment Scheme. 
 
ELC’s main purpose is to support the creation of truly affordable and highly sustainable land-based livelihoods.  ELC is a multi-stakeholder co-operative established in 2007.