The long-awaited, second application window for the Countryside Productivity Small Grants scheme opened this morning (9th July 2019). This is a welcome return of a highly popular scheme. As with the first round, there is a short application window with the final deadline for applications being midday on 3rd September 2019.
The scheme is designed to provided funding for farmers to purchase equipment to improve the productivity of their farm. The scheme uses an online application process and is targeted at supporting investment for specific pieces of agricultural equipment.
How much funding is available?
The minimum grant amount is £3,000 (for £7,500 of expenditure) and the maximum is £12,000 (for £30,000 of expenditure). The grant covers 40% of what is deemed to be the ‘standard cost’ of the item. There is a list of 87 different items available for funding (26 more than last time) and applicants can choose any number of different items, as long as they meet the minimum and maximum grant thresholds.
For those who applied in round 1, it is possible to apply again for round 2 but only subject to certain conditions. The main one being that you must not already have received funding of over £9000.
What items are included?
There are a wide range of items being funded across various agricultural enterprises including dairy, beef, sheep, goat, pig, poultry, arable and horticulture. Some items are common, whilst some are more niche so it’s a good idea to check the full list if you are planning on buying any new kit in the near future. Some of the notable items being supported include the following:
• Cattle and sheep handling systems
• Livestock weighing facilities
• Cattle crushes
• Calf milk pasteuriser and dispensers
• Grassland sward lifters
• Robotic slurry pusher/collectors
• Direct drills
• Cover crop rollers
• Mobile frost fans for vineyards and horticulture
• Trailing shoe slurry applicators
• Grain stirrers
For the full list, please see the images below.
Further information and advice
Further technical guidance is available on the gov.uk website here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/countryside-productivity-scheme#small-grants
We assisted a variety of different applicants for the first round of the scheme so for more practical advice and assistance in applying for the scheme, please contact us today.
