New Farming Investment Fund launched today

[lazy farmer]

NZ and Australia have very low levels of subs and a vibrant diverse ag sector. Crack on or let someone in that will.

Quite happy with no subs providing Scotland, Wales, Ireland & the rest of the EU do the same, it would not be allowed for a car manufacturer in one country to be heavily subsidised making Peugeot cars while another country not so why should it be acceptable for different food supply support levels in different countries?

 

[Karliboy]

It’s all just a big joke, the shear amount you need to spend to get in for the minimum of 2k of grant is ridiculous. I’ve said it before. There is absolutely no help in these grants for the small farmers to help them level up in any such way.

 

[milkloss]

Don't forget the annual losses with the clamp as well.

Extra machinery needed

Clamp must be more efficient given the miles forage gets dragged

Use a forage wagon.... no losses then.

 

[Still Farming]

With COP26 recently and Government targets blar blar blar why isn't Green technology, Methane hydrogen or electric items ,Carbon capture or Calculators etc etc that farmers are being encouraged to use NOT on the items qualifying lists????
STRANGE.

 

[BrianV]

NZ and Australia have very low levels of subs and a vibrant diverse ag sector. Crack on or let someone in that will.

In that case let us push out the hedges & establish 50 acre fields instead of 4 acre fields to be able to compete, again we can compete with anyone if there's a level playing field but people want farms to stay as museums but compete with other's modern day methods!

 

[E_B]

Quite happy with no subs providing Scotland, Wales, Ireland & the rest of the EU do the same, it would not be allowed for a car manufacturer in one country to be heavily subsidised making Peugeot cars while another country not so why should it be acceptable for different food supply support levels in different countries?

There's a little troupe of progressive farmers who don't realise nearly all of global agriculture is subsidised in one form or another, and we are perhaps the only country whose government is doing the opposite and are actively trying to further condense the sector. These grants are a smokescreen but they might as well be properly critiqued whilst they exist.

 

[Bury the Trash]

It's a mentality that's developed after decades of subsidy
These monies are seen as ''rights'' by many
And to change this attitude may take decades

eh?
if your business is eligible for a bps claim it would be business like to claim it.

 

[Bury the Trash]

In that case let us push out the hedges & establish 50 acre fields instead of 4 acre fields to be able to compete, again we can compete with anyone if there's a level playing field but people want farms to stay as museums but compete with other's modern day methods!

bloke on here bragging writing on here the other day about how he doesnt doing anything unless its paid for.

He should try trimming all our hedges and see how he were to get paid , takes me more than 2 weeks or so to get around them all machine running costs as well he should remember ..

some people havn't a clue about it.

 

[jondear]

I’ve had a good look at both links and can’t see much if any difference,

will ring a dealer or 2 at some point and find out some more detail.


now who makes such machines apart from opico?

Einbock

 

[BrianV]

bloke on here bragging writing on here the other day about how he doesnt doing anything unless its paid for.

He should try trimming all our hedges and see how he were to get paid , takes me more than 2 weeks or so to get around them all machine running costs as well he should remember ..

Takes us around 6 weeks with a 2 meter head hedge trimmer!

 

[Drillman]

I’ve looked thru it all and there is a few things I could use the grant money for, however I don’t really need any of the items I’ve shortlisted, and until I’ve got some firm prices for various bits of kit I’m very much on the fence if it’s worth it.

I will probably do nothing as it won’t cost me anything. And farming as we are in struggling to see what gains I will make by purchasing anything off the list.

 

[snipe]

Let’s try to keep posts specific to FETF, that way Janet does not have to Wade through 100s of posts not concerning her and she can get on with answering questions.

 

[AT Aloss]

Afternoon all - we've launched the farming investment fund - info here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/farming-investment-fund

Here's a blogpost explaining what's changed and how we've improved the scheme based on learning from previous schemes: https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2021/11/16/the-farming-investment-fund-launches-today/

I'm very happy to answer any questions about it here, and we'll be doing a live Q&A about this in a couple of weeks' time too.

Hi Janet, one area that would be of benefit would be grants towards composting equipment to manage manures & waste by products into crop nutrition to meet tighter FYM & slurry application windows. Also if the industry is expected to move away from fossil fuels then we should be looking at generating our energy from own smaller renewable projects on farm (biodiesel & biomethane). I look forward to the processing & marketing grant encouraging opportunities for closer links between farmers & consumers.

 

[Winklepicker]

Hi @Janet Hughes Defra ,
Would robot milking parlours be covered under the Farming Transformation Fund? I can seem to find much info on the Gov.uk pages

 

[Janet Hughes Defra]

Contractors allowed if you read her blogpost

Yes that's correct, contractors are eligible for the grants

 

[Janet Hughes Defra]

40% under the Small Business Grant scheme, which was matched by an English scheme a couple of months after.

The Welsh scheme stated that the items couldn't be used for contracting, not that it was policeable. I didn't see that stipulation in the English scheme.

Contractors are eligible in the English scheme

 

[Janet Hughes Defra]

The Welsh one contractors weren't eligible which is why I stopped looking into it. Then this one looked promising for contractors but then read England only. I guess I'm right in saying because we have 'Welsh government'?

Yes - agriculture is a devolved matter, so this scheme is for England only

 

[Pigless]

Good morning Janet.
Do I need to name the supplier of a piece of equipment on the first application? If I do and they can't supply when the grant is accepted can I change to a different supplier as long as the item meets the same criteria?
Thanks

 

[Janet Hughes Defra]

Morning all I'm back online, just working through your questions with my team, will come back to you shortly....

 

[topground]

It’s all just a big joke, the shear amount you need to spend to get in for the minimum of 2k of grant is ridiculous. I’ve said it before. There is absolutely no help in these grants for the small farmers to help them level up in any such way.

All of these schemes are more about providing employment for the civil servants that administer those schemes, that’s why the process is always more complicated than it needs to be. The process is more important than the product in the mindset of the designers.
@Janet Hughes Defra What is the total budget for this scheme and how much of that total is spent on administration?