Farmers will benefit from a £27
million pot to adopt innovative new technology and invest in
productivity-boosting equipment as the Farming Investment Fund opens
today (Tuesday 16 November).
From today farmers, foresters
and growers from across England are urged to apply for grants to
buy new equipment and infrastructure to help to improve
efficiency and help us build back greener. This could include
solar powered electric fences, water treatment systems that use
ultraviolet light rather than chemicals and cameras for
monitoring livestock.
The fund will be split across
two strands. Firstly, the Farming Equipment and Technology
Fund will focus on smaller grants for equipment
from a set list, including electronic seeders and
chemical-free disinfection
systems. Secondly, the Farming Transformation Fund
will cover more substantial technology, with the potential to
transform business performance. This strand will focus initially
on water management with grants available to improve water use on
farms for things like crop irrigation and constructing on-farm
reservoirs.
Farming Minister,
said:
“I’m pleased to offer support
to eligible farmers through the new Farming Investment Fund to
invest in technology and infrastructure to boost productivity and
deliver environmental benefits
“Investing in new technology
and equipment on farm has a real impact on productivity and
yields, as well as a benefit for the environment as we build on
the historic commitments of COP 26.”
The farming industry will play
a crucial role in helping this Government reach its Net Zero
ambitions and today’s announcement builds on a series of
commitments in the Net Zero Strategy.
This includes a £124 million boost to the Nature for Climate
Fund, helping meet commitments to restore approximately 280,000
hectares of peat in England by 2050 and treble woodland creation
in England by the end of this Parliament.
As set out in the Agricultural Transition Plan,
the Government is also introducing a range of reforms to
incentivise sustainable farming practices, rewarding farmers for
producing public goods such as better air and water quality,
protecting wildlife, soil health and animal
welfare.
As Direct Payments are phased
out over the 7 year agricultural transition, the Government has
committed to offer financial assistance to support farmers to
invest in their businesses to improve their productivity, manage
the environment sustainably and deliver other public
goods.
Farmers are also able to access
business support through the Farming Resilience Fund. The fund
awards grants to organisations so that they can support farmers
and land managers who are in receipt of Basic Payment
Scheme payments.
Rural Payments Agency
Chief Executive Paul Caldwell said:
“Innovation and technology have
a real-life impact across the farming sector, so I’m delighted to
be able to help unlock this potential for many farmers through
the Farming Investment Fund. I know how popular these schemes are
so I would encourage those eligible to make an application for
this valuable support.”
Eligible applicants involved in
the production or processing of agricultural, horticultural or
forestry products, who are based in England, can apply for a
grant. Applicants are urged to make note of the differing
deadlines for both strands of the fund.
The deadline for the Farming Equipment and Technology
Fund is the 7 January 2022 at midday. Applications for the Farming Transformation
Fund can be made online with a new online
eligibility checker to improve the application process for
these grants as applicants will be able to check in advance their
project suitability in relation to the scheme objectives.
Projects that score highly enough against the scheme objectives
will be invited to make a full application. This will open from
today until the 12 January 2022, with the deadline to complete
full applications by 30 June 2022.
ENDS.
Notes to
editors
- The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF), which is
based on the Countryside Productivity Small Grants scheme, will
provide grants between £2k and £25k to buy items from a set list
of equipment and technology. The application deadline is the 7
January 2022 at midday.
- The Farming Transformation Fund, based on the Countryside
Productivity Large Grant scheme, will provide grants between £35k
and £500k.
- As part of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, we will be
launching a new expanded grant offer late next year to co-fund
investment in equipment, technology and infrastructure that will
improve animal health and welfare. We will shortly be launching
an online suggestions box to give farmers, vets, academics and
other industry stakeholders the opportunity to suggest which
capital items are included. While we finalise the full offer, we
will continue to fund items from Countryside Productivity Small
Grant that improve animal health and welfare through FETF.
