Countryside productivity grants.

mo!

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
York
Really wish they had this sort of grant system in Scotland, far fairer means every size of place can get something they actually need
Only the places that can justify 7k can get something they need. We had a handling system on the first round, I'd like a auto steer this time but would need to add a load more kit I don't need to qualify. Also the suggested figures are totally inadequate for a halfway useful steering system.
 

Hesstondriver

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Huntingdon
They never fund basic crushes. They will fund foot trimming crushes or they will fund attachments to a normal crush for foot trimming. But not a basic crush. Like they won't fund a bog standard slurry tanker, but they will fund dribble bar to fit on a standard tanker.

with all the focus on farm safety etc at the minuet - there are plenty of farms/farmers/(farm workers and vets etc) who would massively benefit from a new safer crush / handling system .
with all due respect the farms that are applying for a 40% grant of a quite expensive crush etc are not those who are most in need or a position to be buying one. But a £1000 entry level crush could have a massive impact on their farm and its safety, if you get what I mean
 

mo!

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
York
with all the focus on farm safety etc at the minuet - there are plenty of farms/farmers/(farm workers and vets etc) who would massively benefit from a new safer crush / handling system .
with all due respect the farms that are applying for a 40% grant of a quite expensive crush etc are not those who are most in need or a position to be buying one. But a £1000 entry level crush could have a massive impact on their farm and its safety, if you get what I mean
A £1000 (when new) crush isn't an improvement to productivity, it's a basic necessity. You shouldn't be farming cattle if you haven't got a crush, our vet would walk away (and has done) if they couldn't restrain an animal properly.

Second hand crushes can be picked up for very sensible money.
 

Hesstondriver

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Huntingdon
A £1000 (when new) crush isn't an improvement to productivity, it's a basic necessity. You shouldn't be farming cattle if you haven't got a crush, our vet would walk away (and has done) if they couldn't restrain an animal properly.

Second hand crushes can be picked up for very sensible money.
I agree and disagree at the same time!
What’s right and what happens on some farms are two different things. I’ve seen many farms with manky old tubar crushes with sh!t and string being the most structural parts of it! Now weather they should have bought a new one before is one thing, but if as an industry we are trying to reduce accidents and improve our statistics, then value for money in my mind would be giving 5 farms a 1k crush over say 1 farm a 5k crush.

And I fully respect a vet for walking away from a poor/ potentially dangerous handling crush . Life is not worth the risk. Unfortunately it is sometimes hard to explain that to an old boy who has been doing it ‘all his life’ and ‘it’ll be alright’.
 

kill

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South West
they must be looklng at ours, we had a couple of querie's to answer, they are mean't to start from 01/01/2020, I don't mind waiting, if they are concentrating on sfp
Unfortunately the stumbling block again will be supplying these items as applied for a dribble bar for my tanker and when talking to my dealer he said he personally had done around 6 quotes and he's a one man band. But if these have to be on farm by end of February or there abouts and no one gets the go ahead until December it really doesn't leave any time for manufacturers to order parts and build, galvanize, assemble and deliver before these can be fitted in his workshop and installed on farm and this could lead to months of back logs
 

S J H

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Bedfordshire
A £1000 (when new) crush isn't an improvement to productivity, it's a basic necessity. You shouldn't be farming cattle if you haven't got a crush, our vet would walk away (and has done) if they couldn't restrain an animal properly.

Second hand crushes can be picked up for very sensible money.
The problem is that I need to buy a crush, but I can't get a decent deal, if I could I don't expect I'd see it for a few months.

They're labelled as productivity grants, but why do people want to be more productive?
 

S J H

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Bedfordshire
Why wouldn’t you want to be more productive?

Who are we going to sell it to? The reality is, that most of the items on the list will not improve productivity one bit. Are people going to work elsewhere because they can get sheep handled quicker?

Infrastructure would increase productivity and be there for the future.
 

Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
Unfortunately the stumbling block again will be supplying these items as applied for a dribble bar for my tanker and when talking to my dealer he said he personally had done around 6 quotes and he's a one man band. But if these have to be on farm by end of February or there abouts and no one gets the go ahead until December it really doesn't leave any time for manufacturers to order parts and build, galvanize, assemble and deliver before these can be fitted in his workshop and installed on farm and this could lead to months of back logs
You get 150 days (I think) from having the approval granted.
So December approval will give till end April ISH.
 

Milkcow365

Member
Location
Sw Scotland
Basically if you get it it's a bit of money towards something or a piece of kit that you were going to buy anyway then it's worth it otherwise it's just spending for the sake of it.
That’s all that happened up here with the srdp grants of people needed 100 cubicle shed and got half it paid for they thought why not have 200. But on a much larger scale. Most without the land base to carry the amount of stock.
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
the grant's are decided by young people in offices that know b-all about farming, and are what they decide looks good on paper. Nevertheless, there are some good things on there, and shouldn't be knocked to much !! The worst bit is paying up front, and claiming after !! But if or when Brexit happens, this will be the basis, with environmental options, of future payments, replacing SFP.
 
Location
East Mids
Who are we going to sell it to? The reality is, that most of the items on the list will not improve productivity one bit. Are people going to work elsewhere because they can get sheep handled quicker?

Infrastructure would increase productivity and be there for the future.
Productivity is not necessarily about increasing volume it's about being more efficient and theee grants are also for animal welfare. So if buying badger proof troughs and camera is going to help me stop the little sods contaminating my cattle then all is good. If a new crush means someone doesn't get killed TB testing or belly clipping, or a sick animal is tended to more readily as it's more controllable, or feet get lifted more often than previously as someone has bought a foot trimming crush then that's good for animal welfare, human welfare and yes, productivity.
 

Banana Bar

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Bury St Edmunds
Who are we going to sell it to? The reality is, that most of the items on the list will not improve productivity one bit. Are people going to work elsewhere because they can get sheep handled quicker?

Infrastructure would increase productivity and be there for the future.

I don’t think you understand productivity. If I can do a job quicker and easier for the same output whilst spending the same or less I’ve become more productive. It doesn’t say INCREASE production.
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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