At the end of last year, we published a manual on the Improving Farm Productivity grant, which is part of the Farming Transformation Fund.
The manual explains what the Improving Farm Productivity grant is for, who is eligible to apply and how to apply. We wanted to give people a little more time to plan and consider their options before opening the application window.
Today we opened the window for applications. We’re also hosting a webinar next week for you to find out more. I'll add links at the end of the post.
A quick recapThe Farming Transformation Fund provides grants to improve productivity, profitability and enhance environmental sustainability, and includes 3 different themes.
The Improving Farm Productivity grant sits alongside 2 other themes in the fund: Water Management and Adding Value.
We previously launched the Water Management theme and the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund.
The Adding Value theme, aimed at adding value in food production, will be available in Spring 2022.
Getting startedAs with the Water Management theme which launched in November, there is a 2-step application process for the Improving Farm Productivity grant.
The process starts with an online eligibility checker.
The online checker opens today and will remain open until the 16 March 2022.
Those who are invited to make a full application will have until 14 September 2022 to do so.
If planning permission is then required for the project to proceed, this will need to be in place by 31 December 2022.
Eligibility and equipment recapThe Improving Farm Productivity theme is open to farmers, growers and related contractors with the minimum grant of £35,000. The maximum grant available under this theme is £500,000 per applicant.
The grants awarded through ‘improving farm productivity’ will pay for capital items to improve farm and horticulture productivity through:
the use of robotic or autonomous equipment and systems to aid crop and livestock production the installation of slurry acidification equipment (to improve nutrient management and reduce ammonia emissions). Ask the teamSign up to join the webinar on Tuesday 24 Jan at 10am. Defra policy leads will talk through the details of the Improving Farm Productivity theme and will be available to answer your questions.
If you have any questions relating to what the theme will pay for, please email the Rural Payments Agency at FTF@rpa.gov.uk
seen at 16:34, 19 January in Future Farming.Email this to a friend.