Award-winning graduate takes on Duchy of Cornwall’s first regenerative Farm Business Tenancy

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Harry Davies and His Royal Highness Prince William, The Duke of Cornwall, in conversation at Monkhall Farm. (Pictures used by kind permission of Kensington Palace.)

An award-winning graduate has met His Royal Highness Prince William, The Duke of Cornwall, at what will be the Duchy of Cornwall’s first regenerative Farm Business Tenancy.

The Duke met 25-year-old farmer Harry Davies during a visit to Monkhall Farm in Herefordshire.

Harry is preparing to take on the Duchy of Cornwall’s first regenerative Farm Business Tenancy on a 25-year lease at the 900-acre farm.

At Monkhall Farm, The Duke discussed how regenerative farming can contribute to those same goals within the Duchy of Cornwall itself.

As the incoming tenant, Harry will take on Monkhall through the Duchy of Cornwall’s first regenerative Farm Business Tenancy (rFBT), a new approach designed to support productive and profitable farming alongside healthier soils, greater biodiversity and long-term resilience.

By improving soil health, increasing biodiversity and more sustainable land management, regenerative farming can help farms adapt to a changing climate while remaining productive and profitable for the long term.

The Duchy has developed its regenerative Farm Business Tenancy in partnership with Regenified, providing farmers with the framework, knowledge and practical support to understand the condition of their farm at the outset, track progress over time and measure the impact of regenerative practices.

The Duchy’s ambition is for 100 per cent of its equipped farms to follow regenerative principles by 2035, supporting resilient and commercially successful farming businesses alongside nature recovery and progress towards its sustainability goals.

Monkhall will provide an opportunity to put that approach into practice, with Harry able to establish a baseline for the farm, measure progress and adapt his approach over the years ahead.

The Duchy will fund participation for tenants who choose to join, and provide practical advice, direct funding and peer-to-peer learning through its Farming and Nature programme.

Harry Davies is a third-generation farmer who has farmed throughout his life at Hopes Ash Farm, Ross on Wye, alongside his parents and grandparents, managing dairy, poultry, beef, arable and renewable energy enterprises.

He became a partner in the family business in 2023, after graduating from Harper Adams University with a BSc (Hons) in Agriculture – shortly before being named that year’s Farmers Weekly Agricultural Student of the Year.

The 25-year tenancy will give Harry the certainty to plan and invest for the long term, improving soil health, biodiversity, farm infrastructure and the future resilience of the business.

During the visit, The Duke met Harry to hear about his ambitions for the 900-acre farm and had the opportunity to join him in the tractor during a drilling activity. The Duke also met representatives from Regenified to hear more about the partnership supporting the new tenancy and the Duchy’s wider ambitions for regenerative farming.

The visit formed part of a wider day across Monmouthshire and Herefordshire exploring how communities, organisations and farmers can work together to reduce flood risk and build resilience to increasingly extreme weather.

Matthew Morris, Executive Director for Rural at the Duchy of Cornwall, said: “What makes Monkhall exciting is the chance to start with a long-term view from day one. Harry is taking on a rare and exciting opportunity, where he can plan for the long-term and pave the way for other farmers to develop regenerative farming practices.

“Farming is dealing with some very real pressures, from rising costs to increasingly unpredictable weather, so resilience has to be at the core of how we support farming tenants.

“A 25-year tenancy means Harry can invest with confidence, whether that is in the soil, water, infrastructure or the wider business, knowing he has time to see those decisions through.

“We’ll learn a lot from Monkhall over the years ahead. The important thing is that we share that learning with other farmers and keep proving that regenerative farming can make sense for the business as well as for the land.”

Harry added: "I'm very pleased to be taking on Monkhall Farm. The dry summer has been a reminder of the pressures farmers are under, and support to adapt and plan for the long term makes a real difference.

“The long-term tenancy, together with support from the Duchy of Cornwall's Farming and Nature team, means I can invest in regenerative practices that should benefit both the business and the environment. I'm looking forward to getting started."