Second chance to claim funding

Defra has announced that there will be a second round of both the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS) and the Rural Community Broadband Fund (RCBF). The RCBF is open for applications from May 10 and the FFIS from May 22

The FFIS offers funding to help farming, forestry, and horticultural businesses more efficient at using resources. Grants of between £2,500 and £25,000 are available for capital projects which help to meet the following objectives:

• Improve animal health and welfare
• Reduce energy usage
• Improve the management of manures/farm nutrients
• Improve water resource management
• Improve use of forestry resources

Grant rates will vary between 15 per cent and 50 per cent, depending on the item and location. The application window will be open from May 22 to July 17, 2012.

“Although the scheme broadly has the same objectives as the first round, some of the items and conditions have changed so it is still worth looking into even if an item was not eligible for round 1,” said Mandy Seedhouse., grants specialist with Berrys at Shrewsbury

The scheme will fund a wide range of items including slurry application equipment, GPS equipment, covering and roofing slurry pits, lagoons and silage pits, heat recovery systems and electricity efficiency devices, rainwater harvesting, water storage and recycling, livestock handling and health equipment and improvements to livestock housing, forestry processing equipment such as forwarders, chippers, saw and benches.

The RCBF provides grants to rural communities to establish superfast broadband in hard to reach areas. It will cover up to 50 per cent of eligible costs for establishing the superfast broadband – over and above the basic 2Mbps service. The application window for expressions of interest is open from May 10 to July 6.

For further information, or to find out if you are eligible for funding, contact Mandy Seedhouse at Berrys on 01743 271697 or email mandy.seedhouse@berrybros.com