FARMERS in the North Pennines, one of England's largest Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, are being encouraged to explore new funding in a bid to improve the area's prospects.

Defra's Rural Development Service North-East has teamed up with the North Pennines Partnership for a series of surgeries for farmers and businesses within the AONB, aimed at helping farmers find out more about the opportunities and funding available through Defra's England Rural Development Programme.

The ERDP provides a framework for ten separate, but integrated, schemes which provide new opportunities to protect and improve the countryside and help rural communities survive. These schemes range from countryside stewardship and environmentally sensitive areas to energy crops and processing and marketing grants.

A total of £1.6bn of EU and Government money is being made available under the schemes in England during the programme, which lasts until 2006.

"The North Pennines is a special place and the many and varied businesses help make it what it is," said rural economy adviser Robert Aubrook. "Working with the North Pennines Partnership we hope to help farmers and others within the AONB to look at ways they may be able to diversify."

North Pennines AONB officer Chris Woodley-Stewart said viable farm businesses were part of the long-term conservation of the area.

The surgeries are at UTASS - the Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Service - at Middleton in Teesdale on Wednesday from 10am. Others are planned.

For more information, contact Mr Aubrook on 0191 2141800, or Mr Woodley-Stewart on 0191 3833611