A 500-acre tenanted hill farm has been selected as the monitor farm for Upper Teesdale.

Cragg Top Farm, in Langleydale, near Barnard Castle, will become a centre of excellence for local hill and upland farmers. The project will be explained at an open day on the farm on Friday, from 10am to 2pm.

The project is run by the English Food and Farming Partnership (EFFP), Eblex, XL Vets and Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (UTASS).

Funded by Landskills North East, as part of the Rural Development Programme for England, it aims to help farmers develop their business and improve profits.

Cragg Top was selected as being representative of livestock farms in the area where lessons learnt could be transferred to similar farms.

Host farmer Richard Ward constantly seeks new ideas. The farm became fully organic late last year and has just launched its Pinstone Crag Organic Meat label, selling beef and lamb direct to the public.

Part of an existing Stabiliser cattle group, the farm carries 100 suckler cows and 700 Lleyn sheep.

Monitor farms have proved successful in Scotland, and Robert Parker, Quality Meat Scotland board member and former monitor farmer, will be a key speaker at the open day.

Debby Brown, of Castle Vets, Barnard Castle, will look at parasite control and faecal egg counting, while Ben Strugnell, from the Thirsk VLA centre, will discuss cobalt deficiency problems. David Hall, EFFP regional manager, manages the project, which also has a monitor farm in Northumberland.

Cragg Top is currently reliant on the single farm payment scheme, and during the next three years, it is hoped a variety of environmental schemes will provide a more secure source of income.

One common problem is the huge amount of time spent simply maintaining and running the farm. It is planned to develop a system which allows the farm to be more easily managed so Mr Ward can develop new ideas.

The open day will explain the project in detail, including how local farmers can be involved and have input.

Further information is available from David Hall, EFFP regional manager, on 01457-820493.