The funding will help farmers to buy new equipment to boost agricultural productivity in the UK
Image: UK to support farmers with £22m funding. Photo: Courtesy of Free-Photos/Pixabay
The UK Government is set to provide £22m ($28.2m) for farmers in the UK to boost productivity through new equipment.
More than 3,600 farmers could benefit from grants between £3,000 ($3,850m) and £12,000 ($15,402m) to invest in new equipment ranging from livestock monitoring cameras to precision farming technology, which could help in saving time and money while improving productivity.
All the eligible applications have been approved as part of the round two of the scheme, with the Rural Payments Agency writing to the 3,677 successful applicants, Farming Minister George Eustice stated.
The first round of the funding opened last year, with £15m spent on supporting farmers investing in technology to boost productivity. With the announcement, £37m will now be allocated to farmers under the scheme’s two funding rounds, with a third and final round to begin next autumn.
Farming Minister George Eustice said: “Boosting farm productivity is hugely important, and I’m delighted we’ve been able to fund all applications, supporting farmers to invest in game-changing technology. As a former farmer I know that new equipment can provide a real boost, saving businesses time and money while improving yields.
“When we introduce our landmark Agriculture Bill we will set out further measures to help farmers become more productive, efficient and resilient.”
Farmers are encouraged to speak to their suppliers to confirm the items
The Rural Payments Agency is asking farmers to speak with their suppliers to confirm the items that plan to order are available before accepting their grant by using the acceptance portal on GOV.UK by 10 November.
New items have been added to the list of the equipment available for the second round of the Small Grants Scheme, with grants available to minimise soil compaction in fields, to monitor ammonia levels in farm buildings and to increase machinery precision when applying slurry.
The UK government has asked farmers to place orders early to give time for deliveries to arrive and payment claims to be processed by the end of next May.
Rural Payments Agency Chief Executive Paul Caldwell said: “The Small Grants scheme is extremely popular with farmers, so it is fantastic to see the funding is being made available for all the eligible applications we received for round two.
“Harnessing innovative technology can provide a real boost for productivity across the farming sector in England, and I am delighted that we are able to help unlock access to new equipment for many farmers.”