[T]he MP for Copeland has welcomed a new £60m grants scheme where farmers can bid for cash to buy new farm equipment.
Announced today by Farming Minister George Eustice, Farmers can apply online to the Countryside Productivity Small Grant Scheme, requesting a grant between £3,000 and £12,000 towards the costs of farm equipment.
Many of the items eligible for funding are highly relevant to the dairy sector, including specialist foot trimming crushes and calving detectors, but there is a range of innovative items from which most farmers can find something they would want to apply for.
Mrs Harrison, said: “In Britain, the dairy trade is the largest agricultural sector, playing a vital part of our £100 billion food and farming industry. As we leave the EU, local farmers must be able to capitalise on the increasing global interest in quality British produce and grants such as this will help support the industry to become more resilient and ready to take advantage of the growing demand for British dairy, both at home and overseas.”
Speaking to attendees and delegates at this year’s Dairy Tech event held in Stoneleigh Park, Farming Minister, George Eustice praised the variety of technology on show at the event and explained how farmers can benefit from the grants.
Farming Minister George Eustice said: “It’s fantastic to see the scale of innovation here in Stoneleigh, where over 250 exhibitors are showcasing some truly advanced products and services which have come to the market for dairy farmers to improve productivity.
“By opening this small grants scheme, we hope more farmers will be able to access this equipment and embark on more innovative and ambitious projects.”
Last year Defra also opened a series of offers for larger grants through the Countryside Productivity scheme. Farmers can apply for grants of over £35,000 for a range of different projects, including for making more efficient use of resources, processing products, and other innovative projects.
