Our Commitment to Farming

Clinton Devon Estates owns and manages over 17,000 acres of farmland in East and North Devon. Dedicated to managing a working countryside, and delivering environmental and recreational benefits to the local community, the Estate has a continued commitment to viable farming enterprises.

With forthcoming changes in agricultural policy and the realities of the global market for food and fuel, the challenges for the agricultural community are great. In 2001, Foot and Mouth disease significantly affected the Estate, with the loss of livestock on all but one farm in North Devon. It caused a period of much reflection. However, our strong historical ties and commitment to the future of farming have enabled us to look at ways to deliver positive and profitable outcomes for farming across the Estate.

Our holdings comprise of 30 tenanted farms, 2 share farms and 2 in hand farms. Our tenant farms range in size from 150 acre dairy holdings to 750 acre mixed units. With the changes in place today the industry demands the highest standards of husbandry linked to sound business sense.  A tenanted farm enables the farmer to invest funds in the working capital necessary to running the holding to these standards.

Increasingly we have seen our tenant farms mirror the national trend of farm diversification; a means of bringing additional income to the farm. The range of enterprises;  include B&B, horse livery and industrial storage. In our commitment to a viable farming community we provide full support for enterprises such as these when they are based on sound business models and do not compromise the core agricultural business.

Our two share farms are based in North Devon. The Estate farms in partnership with individuals, in arable and beef enterprises.