Farming Investment Fund grants – what’s available?
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has set aside £27m to help farmers in England improve efficiency and deliver environmental benefits.
The £27m will fund individual projects of up to £500,000 as the budget is spread across two elements of the scheme: the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) and the Farming Transformation Fund (FTF).
The Items available to apply for have been identified following consultation with industry groups and suppliers, to help:
- Improve agricultural productivity
- Contribute to improved animal health and welfare
- Encourage more sustainable pesticide usage
- Improve air and water quality
- Reduce GHG emissions in line with net zero targets
- Reduce unsustainable use of abstracted water
- Encourage sustainable management of woodlands
There is a significant list of eligible items, under the categories of resource management, precision and analysis, livestock handling and weighing and other livestock items, forestry and horticulture.
Resource Management
Among the most relevant under the resource management heading are rainwater harvesting, UV water treatment, robotic slurry collectors and pushers, slurry separators, slurry application equipment and milk cooling equipment.
Precision and Analysis
For precision and analysis, qualifying items include direct drills, variable rate controllers for sprayers and fertiliser spreaders and tractor-mounted nitrogen measuring equipment.
Livestock Handling and Weighing Equipment
The range of items listed under livestock handling and weighing include mobile or fixed cattle and sheep handling systems, cattle crushes, EID readers and automatic drafting equipment and weigh cells. Automated foot-baths for cattle, heat detection aids, automatic calf feeders, mobile milk pasteurisers and automatic vaccination and drenching guns are also included.
Forestry Items
A comprehensive selection of items is listed under the forestry section. From Timber Trailers, Timber Cranes, Tree Shears, Harvesting Heads, Small Forwarders and Timber Winches.
Horticulture
Various items are listed within the Horticultural section. In Row Weeders, Inter Roe Hoes, Salad Leaf Harvester, Fruit Ripeness Spectrometers and more.
Check out the full detailed list of eligible items;
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