Grower Applicants FAQ's
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Categories Index
1. About the project
What is Grow More Growers (GmG)?
GmG is a Demonstration Pilot to match landholders with new-entrant growers, enabling small commercial veg enterprises that strengthen local food supply through nature-friendly farming.
How long does the Demonstration Pilot run?
The pilot runs to March 2029 with growers starting on land April 2026. The overall pilot spans around 3.5 years (including set-up and learning phases). Land access should be at least 3 years, with a preference for 5+ years where possible.
How many growers are involved?
We will shortlist 8 growers for the matching phase, then confirm 4 matched pairs. (Four landholders with four new-entrant growers).
Who are the pilot partners?
Partners include the Real Farming Trust, Bucksum, Bath University, Basic Income for Farmers, Autonomy Institute and wyrd futures.
Why is market demand part of the story?
Local demand for regeneratively grown produce is strong—evidenced by Bucksum’s experience of turning away trade. The pilot helps meet that demand while supporting viable small-scale enterprises and developing a vibrant, resilient local food economy.
How are “Landholder,” “Grower,” and “New entrant” defined?
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An individual or organisation that owns or manages land and offers it for the pilot.
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Grower: A person aiming to establish a commercial food-growing enterprise (market garden) with support.
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New entrant: Someone with either 0–10 years in horticulture or 0–5 years running their own market-garden enterprise.
What do we mean by Agroecological practices?
Agroecological practices farm with nature to deliver good, affordable food and fair livelihoods. They prioritise local knowledge, short supply chains, and diverse mixed systems, avoiding synthetic pesticides and fertilisers. The goal is to restore biodiversity, rebuild soils, and boost climate resilience—so farms better withstand droughts and floods while storing more carbon and water.
2. Rent, Funding & Support
What rent is paid?
£250 per acre per annum (e.g., £250 Y1, £500 Y2, £750 Y3 for phased acreage).
Who pays the rent?
The GMG Demonstration Pilot will pay the rent.
Is there a start-up grant?
Start-up grants are available: up to £5,000 for the landholder and up to £5,000 for the grower, for essential infrastructure and set-up for commercial growing.
What other support is included?
You will be included in the process of designing the project and involved in the landmatching and ongoing guidance from project partners including Bucksum, The Real Farming Trust, and Bath University. The project will cover the costs of forming a Farm Business Tenancy (FBT) agreement, including limited bespoke clauses to suit. Any more complex or extensive clauses will incur additional costs payable by the landholder. Participation includes a 12-week onboarding/support phase (Apr–June 2026) and a review point in July 2026. We can offer spokesperson training to help tell the story of how we want to Grow More Growers in the region and have widespread policy impact via the Demonstration Pilot (for all participants).
What support do the four Basic Income (BI) supported growers receive?
A package that includes land access, training, shared tools/infrastructure, and a £1,000/month basic income for BI-matched growers, creating a real route into farming where paid early-career roles are scarce.
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A full list of benefits a grower receives as a successful recipient includes:
Offer Component:
Programme duration & content
What the grower gets:
Structured, place-based training
Notes / Values:
3 years; agroecological farming + commercial veg growing.
Offer Component:
Basic Income grant
What the grower gets:
Stable personal income
Notes / Values:
£1,000/month for 3 years
Offer Component:
Rent of land
What the grower gets:
Land costs covered
Notes / Values:
Paid by project: £250/acre/yr; phased acreage totals £250 (Y1), £500 (Y2), £750 (Y3).
Offer Component:
Start-up grant for infrastructure
What the grower gets:
Capital to set up
Notes / Values:
£10k indicative: £5k grower + £5k landholder; clear ownership/responsibilities.
Offer Component:
Inclusive co-design, matching, land access & relationship building
What the grower gets:
Supported match and site access
Notes / Values:
Collaborative co-design; access via local landowners; guidance from Bucksum, Real Farming Trust, Bath University.
Offer Component:
Legal agreement costs
What the grower gets:
Farm Business Tenancy (FBT) agreement costs supported
Notes / Values:
Costs covered/supported to set up a Farm Business Tenancy (FBT), including limited bespoke clauses to suit.
Offer Component:
Expert skills training & advice
What the grower gets:
End-to-end enterprise skills
Notes / Values:
All aspects of running a commercial growing business.
Offer Component:
Shared “Library of Tools”
What the grower gets:
Early access to key tools
Notes / Values:
Community tool sharing lowers capital expenditure, boosts efficiency.
Offer Component:
Peer-to-peer support network
What the grower gets:
Community and mentorship
Notes / Values:
Ongoing knowledge exchange.
Offer Component:
Incentive — national-level positive PR
What the grower gets:
Visibility and credibility
Notes / Values:
Applies to all participants.
Offer Component:
Flagship partner status
What the grower gets:
Demonstration Pilot profile
Notes / Values:
Potential media coverage up to national level.
3. Land eligibility, location, area and term
Where might the land be located?
Matched land will be in Buckinghamshire or within one of these nearby farm clusters: Thame Catchment, River Ray, or Central Chilterns.
What type of land is suitable for vegetable growing?
Sites are expected to be suitable for commercial veg growing—ideally good-quality farmland (ALC Grade 1–3), where available.
How much land might I access through the pilot?
Matched growers will have access to at least 1 acre, with access increasing up to 3 acres over the three years (depending on the match and site suitability).
How long is the land agreement?
The minimum term is 3 years.
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To be eligible as a grower, what counts as a “recognised introductory horticulture/agroecology training”?
We keep this broad. Intro training can be with RHS or colleges, but it can also be with independent or community providers (e.g., FarmEd, Lindengate), online or in-person, accredited or non-accredited, and any reasonable length. If you’re currently enrolled, that counts too.
4. Access & infrastructure
What access should I expect at a site?
Reasonable vehicle access (road/track) and grower access to the site, including reasonable 24/7 access where appropriate, depending on the landholding.
Will water be available?
Yes—sites must have an existing water supply or a plan to install one (with limited project support where applicable). Water should be a dedicated supply (e.g., unshared mains ≥32 mm at ≥1 bar, or a tested equivalent). Water arrangements (including costs) will be agreed as part of the match and documented in the agreement.
What infrastructure might be possible?
Depending on the site, growers may be able to install small-scale commercial infrastructure (e.g., polytunnel, compost loo, packing shed, fencing). Existing assets will be identified during matching.
Who owns any new infrastructure I install?
Ownership and responsibilities are agreed and documented up front in the Farm Business Tenancy (FBT). Unless specifically agreed otherwise, growers should assume they may need to remove installed infrastructure at the end of the term, and compensation is not guaranteed.
5. Agreements & Legal
What agreement is used?
A Farm Business Tenancy (FBT) Costs covered to set up standard agreement with limited bespoke clauses.
Could I get out of the agreement if things went wrong or I wasn't happy with the relationship?
Yes. The first months (March–July) are a Support Phase focused on relationship-building and business planning while work starts “on the land” with BI in place. At the end of this period there’s a formal Review Point where the landholder, grower and GMG decide whether to continue. The agreement includes a mutual break clause that can be used at this Review Point if any party feels the match isn’t working.
Before any decision, we offer facilitated conversation/mediation to try to resolve issues. If the break clause is used, we’ll:
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End land access on an agreed date and stop rent from that point.
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Handle BI and grant payments according to the agreement.
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Follow the ownership schedule for any infrastructure/equipment (who owns what is documented up front).
Are there disqualifiers?
Yes—restrictive covenants, environmental stewardship or tenancy agreements that prevent participation.
6. Selection Process - Application, Matching & Allocation
Who makes final decisions?
The Governance Committee (formed from the project team partners) holds final authority over selection decisions.
Can I tag a known landholder to express interest in partnering with them?
Yes. You may tag a known landholder, but tagging does not give preference.
What makes the selection process fair and transparent for growers and matching?
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Local priority for applicants in Buckinghamshire or near the three clusters.
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At least 50% of grower places are reserved for people from backgrounds under-represented in UK horticulture.
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Two lotteries are run, and each lottery uses a strict 50/50 split between applicants from under-represented backgrounds and everyone else.
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Pre-matched pairs can apply as tagged, but receive no preference.
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Recruitment and lottery conducted and recorded online for transparency.
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No means-testing; simple rules; equity without policing income/savings.
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Applying does not guarantee selection, and no one has to accept a match that isn’t right.
How are “under-represented backgrounds” defined for this pilot?
Age ≤40, disability self-reported, gender reassignment, BPOC, non-male, LGBTQ+.
How do the lotteries work in practice?
Grower selection is decided by a random lottery held on a live Zoom call, which will be recorded and available to view afterwards. Names are drawn at random from the relevant lottery categories.
What happens if there aren’t enough eligible applicants in one lottery category?
Places can be reallocated to the other category so the pilot can proceed, and this will be recorded transparently.
What does “local priority” mean and how is it applied?
Confirmed local priority areas are Buckinghamshire or within the three clusters (Thame Catchment, River Ray, Central Chilterns)
Locals are prioritised first; remaining places filled from a wider pool using the lottery approach.
If I’m shortlisted, am I guaranteed a place on the pilot?
No. Shortlisting takes you into matching; final places depend on matching + BI lottery + confirmed viable pair.
How does matching work in practice?
Matching takes place over a three-week period and includes activities to build shared understanding and values between shortlisted growers and landholders. This includes completing forms to gather further information and create profiles, plus a facilitated connection day on the land. After this, both sides must submit a full 1–8 ranking to take part in matching. We then build a match list that maximises 1st/2nd/3rd choices.
How are ties handled if several people want the same match?
We follow a clear tie-break process—mutual preference, then combined ranking, then acceptable options only, and finally a recorded lottery—so the outcome is as fair as possible.
Do I have to accept the match offered?
No. No one has to accept an unsuitable match.
How are landholder applications assessed?
Applications are screened against the published eligibility criteria (using tick-boxes where possible). A panel of farming, land, and finance experts—including independent members and team members outside the project area—reviews eligible applications. Site visits / land checks may follow to confirm suitability.
7. Governance
Who manages the pilot?
The core Pilot team manages delivery and may involve technical advisors as needed. There are quarterly all-project meetings and subcommittees that meet more frequently.
How are disputes handled?
A values-based, restorative pathway:
1) Peer mediation → 2) Governance Committee → 3) External mediator → 4) Real Farming Trust board.
Safeguarding contacts are clearly signposted.
The July 2026 review point can trigger a break clause if needed.
8. Participation & commitments
What happens if I stop working commercially on the land, or stop working agroecologically?
Basic Income payments and pilot support (including land access) may be ended in line with the agreement. The project team will review the situation with you and, where appropriate, follow the dispute-resolution process outlined in the Governance FAQ section. In some cases, we may agree a short transition (“cool-off”) period (up to two months) to support an orderly exit and give you time to line up alternative work, subject to the terms of the contract. A debrief will also be carried out to understand what happened and inform pilot learning (which may include interviews with the University of Bath research team).
What is expected from participants during the pilot?
Light-touch check-ins, relationship management, and values-based working; training and research participation expected but not strict eligibility requirements.
Can I withdraw after applying or after starting?
Yes. You can withdraw at any time during the application and matching process. Once contracts are signed, withdrawal is managed through the terms of the agreement—this may include pre-agreed break clauses and notice periods (for example at the review point). The wind-down process is set out in the contracts and we will support a clear, orderly exit if needed.
9. Data & privacy
Who sees my application information?
“Only the project team and pilot expert advisors” plus: what gets shared with landholders during matching (profiles) and what stays private.
If I opt in to ‘land-matching beyond the pilot’, what will be shared and with whom?
Your email and the information you submitted with your application will be shared with local landholders and named organisations Abunda and Landmatch England.
10. Collaboration, Filming & Working Relationship
Will there be filming or media?
Yes—participants may be invited to be filmed/interviewed as part of the Demonstration Pilot’s positive PR and learning.
What collaboration involvement is expected?
Participation in check-ins with the frequency to be designed collectively, launch/learning events, and relationship management to support a successful partnership.
What values guide the partnership?
Openness (curious, non-judgemental, responsive to feedback) and Generosity (abundant, collaborative mindset).
What does “co-design” mean here?
Landholders and growers work with the pilot team to shape a flexible, fit-for-purpose agreement, infrastructure plan, and ways of working that suit the site and enterprise.