THIS week, Dartmoor Farmers Association, the Dartmoor National Park Authority and members of the Dartmoor Partnership will welcome a delegation of seven representatives from the the Lenk-Simmental region of Switzerland as part of an exchange visit.

Next month, the Lenk-Simmental delegation will reciprocate this hospitality by inviting stakeholders from Dartmoor's farming, food and tourism sectors back to Switzerland.

These 'region to region' exchange visits have been organised to establish a relationship between Dartmoor and the Lenk-Simmental.

Andy Bradford of Brimpts Farm, director of the Dartmoor Partnership and Dartmoor Farmers' Association, said: 'Back in 2003 I was a member of The Dartmoor Hill Farm Project. The project focused on ensuring a viable future for Dartmoor farmers by encouraging collaboration amongst community and business sectors and promoting environmental preservation and enhancement.

'Through this project I met the late West Country farming and food Champion Carol Trewin on a visit to Switzerland. We were both struck by the joined up attitude of the Swiss to their landscape, farming activities and inbound tourism.

'Each industry had a complementary part to play in a self-perpetuating agro-tourism economy which I've been trying to copy over here on Dartmoor ever since.'

In May this year an inaugural working group met up to define the purposes of a more formal link with the Lenk-Simmental.

It was agreed that the Dartmoor Farmers' Association, the Dartmoor Partnership and the Farming and Tourism Community of Lenk –Simmental should work with partners towards establishing a relationship that will advance farming and tourism knowledge and experience exchanges between their regions. The relationship will encourage visits between farmers and members of both communities.

The Dartmoor-hosted exchange programme included a visit to Widecombe Fair on Tuesday and number of livestock oriented farm visits hosted by Dartmoor Farmers Mat Cole, David Colton and Andy Bradford. Time is also being spent at the Dartmoor National Park Authority headquarters, Dartmoor Brewery, Bovey Tracey Handloom Weaves and Devon Craft Guild, Dartmoor Prison Museum and the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust. Hospitality and accommodation are being kindly provided by Tor Royal, Sharpham Vineyard and the Two Bridges Hotel.