Funding grants of up to £300,000 will be made available to farmers to help them boost their businesses and add extra value to their produce, Environment Secretary, George Eustice has announced today.
£30million from the Farming Investment Fund (FIF) will enable farmers in England to purchase equipment to process, diversify and add value to their products after they have been harvested or reared.
This could include premises and equipment for the preparation or processing of agricultural produce, for example turning milk into cheese or yoghurt, processing meat into sausages, and potatoes into crisps or chips; or equipment such as vending machines and display facilities for selling food direct to customers.
The funding will be offered in sums between £25,000 and £300,000.
Environment Secretary, George Eustice, said:
“We want to support the choices that farmers make for their businesses.
“We are spending around £600 million on farm-based innovation over the next three years, and the money announced today will support farmers across England with their investment plans, to improve their profitability and productivity.”
Eustice also announced that the first round of new Slurry Infrastructure grants, worth £13 million, will open later this autumn.
These new grants will help livestock farmers in England to upgrade their slurry storage and nutrient management systems and, in so doing, help reducing water and air pollution from slurry.
