Two new machinery grant schemes are being highlighted at this year’s LAMMA show. They involve a total of £40m through the revamped Rural Development Programme for England, which aims to help improve competitiveness in agricultural and other rural businesses, says Paul White, a partner with business consultants Brown & Co.
The Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme is expected to be of particular interest to LAMMA showgowers, with funds available for improvements in the use of farm manures and slurries that will in turn improve soil quality and reduce reliance on artificial fertiliser.
Eligible systems include slurry injectors, slurry separation systems and GPS equipment to improve the accuracy of applications of manures, fertilisers and sprays, says Mr White.
Other eligible projects under the FFIS include energy efficiency, water resource management, animal health and welfare and forestry. A total of £20m is available for capital items at a rate of 40% in the lowlands and 50% in the uplands. The maximum grant per applicant business is £25,000, but the selection process is competitive.
The other scheme likely to be talked about at LAMMA is the Rural Community Broadband Fund. Up to £20m is available to community projects provided they are in a rural location defined as being in a 10% hard-to-reach area covered by the Local Authority’s Local Broadband Plan, says Mr White.
“Private businesses including farms can apply, providing they are acting on behalf of a community. There is no upper or lower limit, and funding covers capital work costs, facilitation and technical support costs other service establishment costs to bring superfast broadband to the most hard-to reach-areas.”
Brown & Co is setting up a specialist service to help farmers and landowners in their bids for these and other schemes. The service includes project assessment (including financial viability), finding the most suitable source of funding, liaising with the relevant authority, assisting with planning applications, producing a business plan and making a grant application.
