Does your farm qualify for the productivity grant scheme? Deadline approaching quickly!

Ben Brookes examines the second round of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) Countryside Small Grant Scheme.

February 2018 saw the government push the RDPE Countryside Productivity Small Grants scheme. This provides funding for farmers to purchase equipment that can be used to improve productivity across all farm types.

Unfortunately, when Round 1 was promoted many farmers missed the application deadline as it closed in March 2018. It gave them very little time after grant scheme was made available. Tor those who did successfully get their application in on time, the process was commended for being quick and easy to complete.

Some brief details about the second round of the grant scheme:

• The grants are 40% of the standard cost on items listed on the scheme webpage information packages.
• All items applied for must be sourced and purchased within 150 days of the Grant Funding Agreement
• Only new items are eligible (this means all second hand equipment, including ex-display do not qualify)
• If you purchase an item that qualifies but exceeds the £12,000 maximum, you are entitled to receive a grant based on the standard cost.
• Invoices and pictures (note: pictures are a new requirement introduced in Round 2 applications) must be submitted to support your claims.

The RDPE productivity grant scheme is aimed to encourage farmers to invest in a range of technologically advanced machinery. The goal is to help raise efficiencies across the farming industry. This will help meet the industry's objective to "improve the quality of soil, air, water and animal welfare".

Information to keep in mind:

• You must have sufficient funds to cover the cost of the items upfront before you get your grant payment.
• You will want to ensure that the item(s) you want to purchase are on the eligibility list which you can find here. There has been an introduction of 26 new eligible items including:
  
  • Livestock monitoring cameras
  • Sophisticated vaccination guns
  • Auto-steer conversion systems for older tractors
• Your application should be submitted via the online portal by 3^rd September 2019

The application deadline for Round 2 is during the busy harvesting season. This means preparation is key to managing your obligations while also submitting an accurate grant application.

If you’re considering applying for this grant scheme and have questions or need assistance with your application, be sure to get in touch for help and guidance.

The content of this post is up to date and relevant as at 26/07/2019.

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