A Chance to Beef Up

The National Beef Association is advising farmers that they may be missing out on vital funds, and that millions of pounds are available in grants for the right projects. They state that over £100 million pounds is available for projects linked to livestock, and that cash’s availability will expire in 2013.

At the current rate of distribution, less than the £20 million per annum target, it currently looks likely that monies made available will remain unclaimed, and thus not fully utilised. This is obviously something that the National Beef Association is seeking to avoid, and is determined to remind farmers that the support is ready and waiting for the right projects.

The hefty financial backing includes £56m to improve livestock business competitiveness, £33m for animal health and welfare, and £29m for improving farm nutrient management. Monies are not simply available to aid farmers looking to bring farms up to mandatory industry standards, or to meet legislative requirements. But money is readily available to fund ambitious farmers looking to play a real part in making genuine improvements to the industry.

This money, which is being siphoned off farmers Single Farm Payment (SFP) through modulation, can be recouped by farmers who put together projects which will improve their holding, add value to their end product, help develop infrastructures for water conservation, or assist with diversification, said NBA chairman, Christopher Thomas Everard.

The money is available through the English Rural Development Programme, and is being distributed via the country’s regional network of Rural Development Agencies. Weighting to the grant availability has been made based on each regions livestock numbers.  Each regional RDA office holds a fund available for livestock projects based on regional stock numbers so, for example,  £38.6 million is up for allocation throughout the South West, said Mr Thomas Everard.

Mr Everard also stressed that the NBA has argued that ordinary sized family farmers should be targeted and given priority, so they can improve their stock care and ongoing viability. And that the association is pleased to know that proposals that aim to improve business cooperation will also be entertained for backing. While the initial uptake of the money available has not met the annual target, and been disappointing, funding has been improved for a range of items, with projects varying from £750,000 to £7 million in cost.

This money is accessible, there are no queues to claim it, and so a telephone call to the nearest regional RDA office with the right type of idea could be extremely useful, urged Mr. Thomas Everard.