DEFRA: Second round of funding for the popular Countryside Productivity Small Grants scheme open

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
£15 million for new equipment to boost farm productivity
Second round of funding for the popular Countryside Productivity Small Grants scheme open for applications.

Published 9 July 2019
From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Rural Payments Agency, and Robert Goodwill MP

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The next funding round for the popular Countryside Productivity Small Grants scheme has opened for applications today (Tuesday 9 July).

Through the initiative, farm businesses can apply for grants of between £3,000 and £12,000 to help them invest in new and innovative technology. Today’s announcement follows the first round of funding in 2018 when £15 million was awarded to successful applicants.

For the second round of funding, 26 new items have been added to the list of equipment available, including chlorophyll meters, which instantly measure the chlorophyll content of a plant leaf. Another new item is the portable ammonia analyser, which can be used to check the levels of ammonia in farm buildings. Farmers and rural businesses will have eight weeks to submit an application for this funding.

The evidence shows that smart use of technology boosts productivity and yields, but also improves animal welfare and the environment. For instance, it can help farmers be more precise in the application of fertiliser, or ensure that the correct levels of medicine are being for animals.

Grants are available for all farm types, including livestock, horticulture and arable businesses, with a total pot of £15 million available to fund investments in new technology.

Farming Minister Robert Goodwill said:

The small grants scheme proved to be so popular in the first round because it gives farmers access to equipment that can deliver quick and tangible improvements.

This isn’t just about increasing yields; it’s also about using the best tools and equipment that can improve animal welfare and the environment, such as monitoring the levels of nitrogen in crops.

As we leave the EU we want more farmers to be able to invest in this kind of technology that can boost the bottom line and make a real difference.

Defra is developing plans for a third £15 million funding round in 2020, with details to be confirmed later this year to give potential applicants and suppliers sufficient time to prepare.

Farmers and land managers interested in finding out more or wishing to apply for a grant can visit GOV.UK to see the total list of items eligible for grants under this scheme. The application form is also available on https://www.cpsmall.org.uk/
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
"R2-SG76 GPS Light Bar GPS guidance system using light bar to aid guidance. Linked to iphone or ipad to create, recognise and load field boundary information. Provide field boundary measurements. It must have a minimum capability of straight and curved guidance modes. With pass to pass accuracy of 20cm or greater."

Why the hell do we have to go the Apple route...?

What's wrong with perfectly servicable Android systems that cost a fraction of the cost of the Apple ecosystem products?? :mad:
 

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
;)

I suspect all the manufacturers will all have one in their range that hits the 24k figure by next week!! :rolleyes:

If it’s anything like the welsh scheme they priced it 3 years ago, raw materials and wages have gone up since then so an item that was £8k 3 years ago is now closer to £11k.

You can spend more than what they quote but it’s 40% on their figure and you have to have a minimum of £3,000 of grant.

Example: £24,000 grant. 40% is £9600 so leaves £14,400 to pay.
If it’s suddenly £30,000 it’s still only £9600 grant so becomes 31.25% grant.

You do also have to have the machine on farm for the next 3(could be 5) years incase they need to make sure you havnt bought it and sold it straight on to make a profit on the item. You also can’t go contracting with it - these were both rules in the welsh scheme but might not apply to England as I didn’t read the document.
 

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
This is a political stunt and exactly why the opaque subsidy system should go. It will appear as a statistic of helping the ‘poor farmers’ but will achieve anything but.
The sad thing is RPW thought they’d hit the grant limit within 2 possibly 3 windows. The uptake has been so poor as people don’t have the money to buy grant or not, hence why they started letting applicants from the first few windows re apply on the next windows, window 7 opens next year.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
This is a political stunt and exactly why the opaque subsidy system should go. It will appear as a statistic of helping the ‘poor farmers’ but will achieve anything but.

Don't disagree.

However, I came out quids in by sourcing a sheep handling system that was a fraction of the aluminium outfits that were the expected purchase. Oh yeah, and a fencer. :rolleyes:
 

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