£30 million commitment to help farmers boost productivity

The government has committed £30 million for further rounds of the popular Countryside Productivity Small Grants scheme (CPSGS), which helps farmers buy the equipment they need to boost productivity and increase yields.

The first round of funding for small grants was launched in February and the government is on course to grant more than £15 million to farmers who applied to buy new kit.

This will include equipment specific to cattle, sheep and pig farmers, as well as precision farming and resource management equipment for arable farmers.

The next application window will open in early 2019, with over £30 million available for future funding rounds for farmers.

“The UK is a world-leader for talent in agriculture and technology, so there are real opportunities for our burgeoning agri-tech sector. Harnessing technology enables our hard-working farmers to become even more productive and environmentally efficient. We are already seeing the rewards of investing in agri-tech, with further funding of around £30m confirmed for farmers to purchase hi-tech equipment. We know that by embracing technology – such as fruit ripeness spectrometers or calving detectors – farm businesses can become more efficient, productive and resilient,” Environment Secretary Michael Gove said.

Following industry feedback, new items have also been added to the list of equipment eligible for funding in the second round, including fruit ripeness spectrometers and nitrogen-measuring devices for calculating fertiliser application for crops.

Original source: DFID
Published on 12 October 2018