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.

Agri-BIP is currently running the Business and Environmental Skills project which began in December 2007 and will run until March 2009. The project will deliver a package of mentoring and training to assist beneficiaries. Vocational skills, business skills and confidence building support are all available to help equip you for the future and aims to improve your personal employment and business prospects.

The project is operating across rural Devon and is 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.