Over the years WDBIP saw increasing demands from farmers for information and advice as agricultural incomes dropped. An application for funding was submitted to the European Social Fund; this was successful and in 1998 the WDBIP launched their business support project for the agricultural and land based sector in West Devon - Agri-BIP offering free, impartial, confidential help and assistance.

This 1998 pilot project was later followed by successful funding applications to deliver business support across West Devon, North Devon, Torridge, South Hams and North Cornwall districts.

The Agri-BIP was established with an aim to ensure that individuals within land based and associated rural businesses were supported in order that they could adapt to the changes within the agricultural industry.

The now recognised "best practice" model is founded on a hand holding mentoring method that is delivered using fully qualified business counsellors.

In 2001 Agri-BIP delivered a Foot and Mouth Support Project across South Hams, North Devon, West Devon, Torridge and North Cornwall offering a much needed information service in this time of uncertainty.

As the threat of FMD receded, staff were able to visit farms, and they identified that farm businesses were recognising that they needed to change their business practices in order to survive.

From June 2002 until May 2004 the Agri-BIP Training Scheme operated in West Devon, North Devon, Dartmoor National Park, South Hams and Torridge offering direct training and mentoring to develop skills to enable land based rural businesses improve their business prospects.

Funding was obtained from the European Social Fund and allowed Agri-BIP to deliver training in business management, financial management, business planning and ICT.

From July 2003 to December 2005 Agri-BIP operated the Management Skills for Business Competitveness programme in West Devon, North Devon, Dartmoor National Park, South Hams and Torridge. The project was funded by the Learning and Skills Council.

The project delivered business training to land-based businesses and associated rural tourism enterprises in order that they were equiped with the skills necessary to improve their business competitiveness. Flexible methods of training, tailored to the needs of the business owners/managers enabled this to happen.

"From January 2005 to December 2006 Agri-BIP ran the Transferable Skills Project which promoted lifelong learning through the delivery of training in business management , financial management, marketing and ICT. It also aimed to encourage and support the land based sector to develop and diversify their businesses to become more responsive to market needs whilst recognizing heightened environmental awareness.

The project operated in Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and the West of England and was funded by the European Social Fund and Devon Renaissance."

From January 2007 to March 2008 Agri-BIP helped farmers to organise a number of Farm Business Groups across the South West in partnership with the Red Meat Industry Forum. Groups were run very informally with the farmers in control of what went on; they told us what they wanted and we put it together. The project operated in the South West RDA Region, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire.

From December 2007 to March 2009 Agri-BIP ran the Business and Environmental Skills project (BEST). The project delivered a package of mentoring and training to assist beneficiaries. Vocational skills, business skills and confidence building support were all available to help equip beneficiaries for the future and aimed to improve personal employment and business prospects.

The project operated across rural Devon and was funded by Devon Renaissance/SWRDA, West Devon Borough Council, East Devon District Council, Tamar Valley AONB SDF, West Devon BIP/Red Meat Industry Forum and local farmers/businesses.

Business Forward
Agri-BIP is a partner in the Business Forward project which began in December 2008 and will run until December 2010. The project is available to land based businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly who currently work in all the land based sectors. The project aims to offer free business support to business owners who wish to add an enterprise to their current business, start a new enterprise or would like to evaluate their current enterprise. This support will result in NVQ & VRQ level 2 & 3 qualifications.

RDPE Business Plans
The South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) are looking for good projects that require funding under the Rural Development Programme for England, Agri-BIP advisors can help to construct the business plans and cash flows required for the application. We are able to assist land based businesses and community organisations that are looking to diversify or develop their existing diversification enterprises.

Women and Work
Agri-BIP are also delivering the Lantra Women and Work: Sector Pathways Initiative across Devon And Cornwall. Women and Work promotes career progression and new career pathways to women in environmental and land-based sectors where women are significantly under-represented in leadership, supervisory, management, technical, specialist and professional skills positions. The initiative offers a development plan along with funding for training for employed or self employed women who wish to progress in these non-traditional occupational areas.

Business Improvement through Skills Training (BIST)
Another BIP project is just beginning in West Devon, Northern Teignbridge and North South Hams, Business Improvement through Skills Training is a one year pilot project. The project will offer micro businesses (less than 5 employees) from any industry the chance to attend workshops on various topics followed by free one to one support from an advisor to implement the new skills they have learnt. The support could result in the achievement of individual NVQ units and VRQ's.