Welsh 'Small Grants - Efficiency' scheme.

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
The points system was because they thought with the FBG R1 they thought they’d be inundated with applications so higher costing items had higher numbers alongside them, they also mark every item on welfare/practical gains (4-5 gaining criteria I think) so they originally planned that only higher numbered applicants would qualify. The WG hadn’t realised that farmers didn’t have the money regardless if they were putting up to “40%” grant available the farmers didn’t have the other “60%” so the schemes were very much undersubscribed so everyone I know that applied was accepted except for the person I know who went for an item but their turnover is colossal from non farming so they were declined.

I think a lot of people couldn't get their heads round it for the first couple of rounds either. I spoke to no end of people that had dismissed it because the kit would cost more if it had to be up to grant spec, and it would be a lot of hassle collecting quotes, etc.
I think a few more accepted how simple it all was as time went on.

I added a solar powered fencer to my application, purely as the cheapest way to get the average points up. As it turns out, that round was undersubscribed so it didn't matter anyway.
 

vantage

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Pembs
So don’t apply then, it’s not compulsory.;)
Kit prices have already been inflated, so I doubt they’ll go further on the back of this.

I posted about it as I suspect most won’t have heard about it, as it seems to have been slipped out quietly. It may be of interest to those less cynical.

It’s money from the pot, created from the 15% modulation that was held back from our SFP. Apparently uptake of schemes like the yard covering grant have been so low, they had to think of another way to hand it out.
I’m not surprised the yard covering grant has a low uptake. They made it unbelievably difficult, have you got planning, prove it, have you got SUDS, prove it. Would have be far cheaper to just done the job, as the grant held it up so much that costs doubled.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I’m not surprised the yard covering grant has a low uptake. They made it unbelievably difficult, have you got planning, prove it, have you got SUDS, prove it. Would have be far cheaper to just done the job, as the grant held it up so much that costs doubled.

I was told that quite a few that did jump through all those hoops, then pulled out because of the increased prices, understandably.

Good job too, if it means the money gets distributed more widely as a result.
 

Bald n Grumpy

Member
Livestock Farmer
I was told that quite a few that did jump through all those hoops, then pulled out because of the increased prices, understandably.

Good job too, if it means the money gets distributed more widely as a result.
With price rises what started as a 40% grant turned out to be less than 10% in the end total waste of effort as it wasn't worth going ahead with.
 

MRT

Member
Livestock Farmer
Look at all the time wasted by people applying for these things and not getting them, and the employment of hundreds of people to mind the pot of money and give lectures on how to apply. Its a collosal waste of energy, bad for the average farmer and bad for the country with the occasional lottery winner.
 

Wilber32

Member
I got in on the first window because I'd seen what I thought was a loophole that would get spotted. Turns out it didn't spotted so there's a lot of mintill cultivators sitting round not being used
Same bought an amazone cartros 3m. But do use it quite a lot Great machine. Haven’t used a power Harrow after ploughing since getting it. Does a lovely finish. Does a reasonable till on sprayed off land. But don’t do much of that. 100%grant
 
Look at all the time wasted by people applying for these things and not getting them, and the employment of hundreds of people to mind the pot of money and give lectures on how to apply. Its a collosal waste of energy, bad for the average farmer and bad for the country with the occasional lottery winner.
Remember the Eid grants for stick readers etc? One million pounds fund, 1000 claimants got £500 of grant each which means £500,000 went in admin fees. All you had to do to claim was enter your.details on a page of wag website and if you were successful you had an automated email to give the go ahead. How can that system have coated £500,000 to run for a month?
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Remember the Eid grants for stick readers etc? One million pounds fund, 1000 claimants got £500 of grant each which means £500,000 went in admin fees. All you had to do to claim was enter your.details on a page of wag website and if you were successful you had an automated email to give the go ahead. How can that system have coated £500,000 to run for a month?

All these schemes and grants are nothing to do with helping farmers. They're wealth transfer from the tax payer to the supply industry, and a job creation scheme for civil servants. Scrap the lot.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
All these schemes and grants are nothing to do with helping farmers. They're wealth transfer from the tax payer to the supply industry, and a job creation scheme for civil servants. Scrap the lot.

This particular scheme is just redistributing the money that was held back from SFP in Wales (who opted for 15% modulation) over the years, attempting to target it at ‘improving efficiency’.

‘If’ the farmer is considering purchasing something on the list anyway, then it’s a welcome help. It’s not going to revolutionise the business though.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
This particular scheme is just redistributing the money that was held back from SFP in Wales (who opted for 15% modulation) over the years, attempting to target it at ‘improving efficiency’.

‘If’ the farmer is considering purchasing something on the list anyway, then it’s a welcome help. It’s not going to revolutionise the business though.

Sick irony that inefficiencies in distribution consumed 50% of that funding.
 

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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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