New Farming Investment Fund launched today

ralphscross

New Member
The smaller farm needs grants for basic equipment updating to keep the wheels turning
eg grass mowers, muck spreaders and replacing PTO shafts for health and safety as well as efficiency. I accept these grants are tailored to taking businesses into the 21st Century, but they are more likely to be taken up by the bigger better off farms who are able to invest in the "bells and whistles".
 

delilah

Member
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.

All of which is good. Couple of points:

1) Have a read of this thread.
https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/lack-of-small-abattoirs.350509/
As you will see from that, we don't have time for 'monitoring'. We are on a precipice. It has been spelt out on that thread by folks at the coal face specifically what needs to happen. It needs to happen now; ie in Defra terms months not years. Will you facilitate that ?

2) Shortening supply chains/ seeing the value in that. Here's the rub. The PM has appointed Sir Dave Lewis to sort out the food supply chain. In Dave's world that can only mean one thing; a continuation of the process that has been in place - with Government support - for the last 30 years. Consolidation not diversity. Less retailers, less processors, less primary producers. Are you coming out against that ? Because if you are then we need to know, because it will make you the only ally we have within Government. Which means you will have to watch your back.

bump
@Janet Hughes Defra
 

DRC

Member
Cheeky I know , but if anyones looking for a tidy second hand crush, instead of applying for a grant. Or is going to be waiting too long.
I have one for sale . PM me for details 😀
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0C2E8132-D42C-4F90-8806-F366BF5E01EE.jpeg
 
Morning Delilah - we're looking at the small abattoirs issue, we do recognise how important they are.

We're aiming to support all kinds, sizes, locations and tenancy types of farms through our productivity and environmental schemes, and we will support shortening the supply chain for all sizes of farm (see our next round of the Farming Investment Fund on adding value on this). I'm not able to get involved in political debates (I'm a civil servant, that's not what I'm for, nobody has elected me!) but I hope that gives you some assurance that we think these points are important and are designing our schemes accordingly.
 

midlandslad

Member
Location
Midlands
Morning Delilah - we're looking at the small abattoirs issue, we do recognise how important they are.

We're aiming to support all kinds, sizes, locations and tenancy types of farms through our productivity and environmental schemes, and we will support shortening the supply chain for all sizes of farm (see our next round of the Farming Investment Fund on adding value on this). I'm not able to get involved in political debates (I'm a civil servant, that's not what I'm for, nobody has elected me!) but I hope that gives you some assurance that we think these points are important and are designing our schemes accordingly.
When can we expect further details on the exit scheme. This was promised in October, we are now in December and this delay is preventing people making decisions.
 
When can we expect further details on the exit scheme. This was promised in October, we are now in December and this delay is preventing people making decisions.
I'm sorry to keep you waiting, that's because it's taken us longer than we expected to work through all the consultation responses and agree the design of the scheme, and we wanted to make sure we got it right.

We'll be publishing that information very shortly and I'll post it here when we do.
 

delilah

Member
Morning Delilah - we're looking at the small abattoirs issue, we do recognise how important they are.

We're aiming to support all kinds, sizes, locations and tenancy types of farms through our productivity and environmental schemes, and we will support shortening the supply chain for all sizes of farm (see our next round of the Farming Investment Fund on adding value on this). I'm not able to get involved in political debates (I'm a civil servant, that's not what I'm for, nobody has elected me!) but I hope that gives you some assurance that we think these points are important and are designing our schemes accordingly.

So long as the abattoirs continue to close, rather than re-open, it's just words. So long as the supply chain continues to get longer and more concentrated, rather than shorter and more diverse, then it's just words. Fully appreciate that it's decisions on high that are the problem, you can only do what you can do.

Could you point us to anyone in Defra working specifically on the abattoir issue whom we could lobby ?
 

SpottedFlycatcher

Member
BASE UK Member
Janet I see you’ve got a sward lifter for grassland but no corresponding low disturbance subsoiler (basically the same thing) for arable which are becoming increasingly popular as people are recognising soil health; I’ve been quoted 12-16000 for a 3m arable unit; will there be anything in further rounds to cover this or do you envisage the sward lifter money to be used for both arable and grassland types? Thanks
Did you get a reply to this? I can't find it in the thread. Thanks
 

SpottedFlycatcher

Member
BASE UK Member
Janet I see you’ve got a sward lifter for grassland but no corresponding low disturbance subsoiler (basically the same thing) for arable which are becoming increasingly popular as people are recognising soil health; I’ve been quoted 12-16000 for a 3m arable unit; will there be anything in further rounds to cover this or do you envisage the sward lifter money to be used for both arable and grassland types? Thanks
Did you get a reply to this? I can't see it in the thread
 

alomy75

Member
Did you get a reply to this? I can't see it in the thread
Yeah kind of; basically the grass low disturbance subsoiler grant at the moment can go toward a grass or arable low disturbance subsoiler as long as it does the same thing as a grass one (leading disc and packer minimum 3 leg I think but please check) no dedicated arable grant.
 

redsloe

Member
Location
Cornwall
I have been digging a hole for the last two years. I am now 10' down. The shaft has just broken on my spade. I am considering applying for a 40% farming investment grant. Should I go for a new spade, or a ladder ?
Depends if you applied for a grant on your first spade (or was it a shovel) in which case the only option is to get a grant on the ladder.
 

BrianV

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Dartmoor
I remember when the single farm payment scheme came in & the confusion & delays in simply providing accurate maps etc, this scheme no mater how often we are being told that it is being simplified is taking the opportunity for total confusion & mistakes to a whole new level.
To monitor this scheme will either take thousands of additional man power or it simply will not be done which somewhat defeats the whole object, can we be allowed to know how this scheme will be monitored?
 

BrianV

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Dartmoor
world-africa-59513118

Janet I am wondering if the UK is determined to drastically reduce production who is going to provide aid to countries affected by global warming far worse than the UK, or is it a case of the UK government simply looking after No 1?
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 78 42.9%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.6%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.5%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 5 2.7%

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

  • 1,286
  • 1
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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