New Farming Investment Fund launched today

Karliboy · Nov 17, 2021

Janet Hughes Defra said:
Yes, we'd much prefer that too - there is an administration cost to each grant, and below £2k it becomes disproportionate. However we'll keep looking at this to see if there's anything else we can do.

I really feel this needs to be looked at.
There’s a hell of a lot of small working farms up and down the country that can’t really make the numbers stack up for a 2k minimum grant,myself included.
I’m really starting to feel discriminated against for being a small farmer.

And as far as allowing contractors to use the grant to fund the purchases of new machinery that’s just barmy. If they can’t make the contracting numbers stack up for there kit then they shouldn’t be doing it, contracting should stand on its own 2 feet alone in my opinion.

WOODCHIP · Nov 17, 2021

As ever it seems to benefit the dairy farms as a beef/arable farmer nothing really suits my business, typical ! At least my mate who’s a dairy farmer will have his list wrote

rehdisme · Nov 17, 2021

ben__adamss said:
The grant states that 'You must not apply for a grant for any Items that you have already received public funding for.'
Does this relate to the specific item or category of the item?
e.g. a horsch direct drill bought under a previous scheme (leader/cpsg) you would be unable to purchase a new john deere direct drill under this new fetf grant?

@Janet Hughes Defra

Did this get answered?

Still Farming · Nov 17, 2021

Karliboy said:
I really feel this needs to be looked at.
There’s a hell of a lot of small working farms up and down the country that can’t really make the numbers stack up for a 2k minimum grant,myself included.
I’m really starting to feel discriminated against for being a small farmer.

And as far as allowing contractors to use the grant to fund the purchases of new machinery that’s just barmy. If they can’t make the contracting numbers stack up for there kit then they shouldn’t be doing it, contracting should stand on its own 2 feet alone in my opinion.

Here, here.
The true groups that need stuff are those that can not afford new in the beginning or the 2 k ?

jack6480 · Nov 17, 2021

Cowabunga · Nov 17, 2021

d williams said:
Also in wales machine couldn’t be sold until five years old
Make sure it’s fit for purpose for what you want

Yes, it is not a scheme that I would use lightly. If that huge drill was found to be too big or just not up to the job, you couldn't sell it to buy something that in the light of experience was found to be more suitable.

Worsall · Nov 18, 2021

Henarar said:
we shall see

Give @Janet Hughes Defra some credit for contributing to this, and taking on board some problems.
I wish we could see the same engagement from organisations WE PAY FOR ........ NFU Red Tractor AHDB

BrianV · Nov 18, 2021

Just goes to show how easily people are fooled, farmers are getting all excited about bits of money that they were already receiving in a SFP that now in future comes with the sting in the tail that to receive what you were previously promised you now have to spend far far more than you receive!
if you ever wondered how supermarkets make vast profits by offering phoney special offers to gullible people then look no further than here!

Kate C · Nov 18, 2021

I can't see electric tractors for smaller scale horticultural enterprises (& others) on here which is a shame & a massive missed opportunity for reducing carbon footprint

topground · Nov 18, 2021

Worsall said:
Give @Janet Hughes Defra some credit for contributing to this, and taking on board some problems.
I wish we could see the same engagement from organisations WE PAY FOR ........ NFU Red Tractor AHDB

Don’t you pay for DEFRA through taxation? Last time I looked the civil service wasn’t a charitable organisation funded by voluntary donations!

jondear · Nov 18, 2021

Grassman247 said:
Hi Janet

I see a robotic scraper is on the grant but I’m baffled to see that automatic scrapers aren’t listed. With the massive cost rises in agriculture and big staffing issues farmers are facing surely tried and tested equipment like that should be listed?

I think robotic ones are .Are they not automatic?

cvx175 · Nov 18, 2021

Karliboy said:
I really feel this needs to be looked at.
There’s a hell of a lot of small working farms up and down the country that can’t really make the numbers stack up for a 2k minimum grant,myself included.
I’m really starting to feel discriminated against for being a small farmer.

And as far as allowing contractors to use the grant to fund the purchases of new machinery that’s just barmy. If they can’t make the contracting numbers stack up for there kit then they shouldn’t be doing it, contracting should stand on its own 2 feet alone in my opinion.

Contracting should stand on its own when farmers are given grants to buy the machines and not use the contractor or can go out and contract with it themselves? Makes more sense to give grants to the contractors for such as trailing shoes if you want to end the use of splash plates, one grant to a contractor or 15-20 grants to farmers to achieve the same result

Sid · Nov 18, 2021

Don't know if I dare ask the question.

Are the Cornish now on a level playing field with the rest of the UK with the great set at 40% rather than the 50% as in the CPGS?

Janet Hughes Defra · Nov 18, 2021

HallFarmBill said:
Janet, If we wanted to make a claim for FETF51 Yield Monitoring, would something like the FarmTRX system be eligible if we bought a cheap tablet to be the 'in cab display', as they system doesn't have its own display, it uses a mobile app to display the data?

Hi Bill - I'd suggest you contact RPA directly on this one, they'll be able to offer expert advice on this: [email protected]

Janet Hughes Defra · Nov 18, 2021

ben__adamss said:
The grant states that 'You must not apply for a grant for any Items that you have already received public funding for.'
Does this relate to the specific item or category of the item?
e.g. a horsch direct drill bought under a previous scheme (leader/cpsg) you would be unable to purchase a new john deere direct drill under this new fetf grant?

@Janet Hughes Defra

Hi this applies to a specific item - you can't get funding for the same item twice. There's nothing to stop you getting a different item in the same category (or in any other category). If you need advice on a specific thing you want to buy, please do get in touch with the RPA: [email protected]

Janet Hughes Defra · Nov 18, 2021

Hampton said:
@Janet Hughes Defra
Hi, as grateful as I am for the grants on farm equipment (I have used the small productivity grant in the past) will there be a replacement for the LEADER grant as I would like to diversify into holiday cottages?
I wasn’t in charge of the farm when they were previously available but I feel diversification into tourism would really help my business kick on.
Thanks

LEADER will be replaced by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund - there will be further details coming out about that later this year.

Janet Hughes Defra · Nov 18, 2021

Sid said:
Are these slurry grants also going to be avaliable for digestors and already subsidised "Green" energy

Morning Sid - We're not planning to provide grant support for digestors, but we're working with farmers and other experts to keep all the things we fund under review.

Janet Hughes Defra · Nov 18, 2021

delilah said:
Tangentially it did. Reading the posts on this thread, farmers could easily spend all of Defra's budget for supporting UK ag on new bits of kit. To what end ?
OK, spend some of the money on kit, but I would wager that the greater benefit both for farmers and for the environment would be had through stimulating demand for our primary products via investment in processing capacity focused on shortening the food chain.

Morning Delilah - the Farming Equipment Technology Fund is only a small proportion of the money that will be spent from the farming budget. Most of the available budget will be spent through agri-environment schemes (Stewardship, and then the new environmental land management schemes). I see your point about shortening supply chains and we do see the value of that. For example, we've funded a farmer-led project for a mobile abattoir through the Rural Development Programme, and we're monitoring that to see what we can learn about how we might support this kind of investment in future.

digger64 · Nov 18, 2021

Karliboy said:
I really feel this needs to be looked at.
There’s a hell of a lot of small working farms up and down the country that can’t really make the numbers stack up for a 2k minimum grant,myself included.
I’m really starting to feel discriminated against for being a small farmer.

And as far as allowing contractors to use the grant to fund the purchases of new machinery that’s just barmy. If they can’t make the contracting numbers stack up for there kit then they shouldn’t be doing it, contracting should stand on its own 2 feet alone in my opinion.

Yes but why should they have to compete with or have their living taken away by farmers with "free " money they cant access ?

steveR · Nov 18, 2021

sjt01 said:
The first thing I looked for in Annex 3 was a windrow compost turner, but nothing found

I am surprised at that too... They seem to tick so many DEFRA boxes, as well as being rather good bits of kit.

I have been wondering how much one off Alibaba would cost into the UK!

New Farming Investment Fund launched today

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Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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