Farming Transformation Fund Improving Farm Productivity grant.

[Phil P]

I see the handbook was released on Wednesday

Improving Farm Productivity grant round 1: guidance for applicants

The Farming Transformation Fund provides grants for eligible beneficiaries to invest in their businesses to improve productivity, profitability, and enhance environmental sustainability.

www.gov.uk

@Janet Hughes Defra are we going to see any grants that are useful to an arable enterprise? Grain handling, drying, cleaning/sorting, storage? These are the sort of grant that could transform my business and make it A LOT more efficient and add value to the end product but there seems to be nothing yet again. It’s just more money for the tech firms for expensive gizmos
Thanks

 

[spikeislander]

As above I’m very keen to embrace this sort of thing but unless you’ve got slurry or high value veg crops I can’t see any help for a arable enterprise

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

I can't see what's on offer improving the profitability of livestock farms either, just loading them with more debt for their share of the items bought.......

 

[Courier]

I can't see what's on offer improving the profitability of livestock farms either, just loading them with more debt for their share of the items bought.......

No point buying these “approved items” unless you could justify them without the “grant”.

 

[Phil P]

No point buying these “approved items” unless you could justify them without the “grant”.

This is the problem, most progressive farms have already bought the “approved items” without grant funding and will continue to buy items that “transform” their businesses. However it would be nice if occasionally these grants actually covered these things that where actually needed!

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

No point buying these “approved items” unless you could justify them without the “grant”.

But then surely you don't need a grant......

A bit of a circular argument, I know.

If DEFRA truly want to transform farm profitability in the UK they need to address market domination and unfairness issues beyond the farm gate but a) that's outside their remit and b) that doesn't suit their political bosses.

 

[steveR]

But then surely you don't need a grant......

A bit of a circular argument, I know.

If DEFRA truly want to transform farm profitability in the UK they need to address market domination and unfairness issues beyond the farm gate but a) that's outside their remit and b) that doesn't suit their political bosses.

And perhaps more pertinently, the Paymasters of the political bosses...

 

[ColinV6]

We are planning to buy the dribble bar without the grant, the thought being that for the £4K saved it’ll be more hoops to jump through and hassle.