The latest round of the Farming Equipment & Technology Fund (FETF) is now open and the full guidance is available.  This competitive scheme offers funding to contribute to a specific list of equipment to increase productivity, boost environmental sustainability, better manage slurry and improve animal health and welfare.  This scheme is broken down in to two themes with separate portals and open windows for applications;

• Productivity and Slurry; focusing on improving efficiencies and reducing inputs through items such as precision arable equipment, slurry application equipment and sward improvement kit. This grant will be  open from 21 February to midday on 4 April 2023
• Animal Health and Welfare; focusing on equipment to improve livestock health & welfare to improve predictivity and efficiency, such as handling equipment, housing improvements and data collection tools.  This grant is expected to open in March

FETF 2023 grants are for a minimum of £1,000 and a maximum of £25,000 per theme.  This means the maximum grant you can receive for Productivity and Slurry items is £25,000 and the maximum grant you can receive for Animal Health and Welfare items is £25,000.  You are not excluded if you received funding in previous rounds.  Farmers can apply to either theme or both, for any of the eligible items that best suit their business.  Note the reduced minimum grant of £1,000 which should make it more accessible to farmers and land managers.

The fund is open to farmers, contractors and foresters in England, with 203 items on the list; 91 items for the Productivity and Slurry theme and 112 for the Animal Health and Welfare theme.  It is important to note;

• Items must be paid for in full before claiming your grant payment.
• Items must be purchased through a supplier or manufacturer not linked to the farmer’s business
• Items must not be home built or second hand.

If successful with your application, the claim submission deadlines for FETF 2023 will be confirmed in the Grant Funding Agreement sent to those that are successful with an application.  The deadlines for claims are expected to be October 2023 for Productivity and Slurry items and January 2024 for Animal Health and Welfare items.  Finalised dates will be published in due course.

It is key to read the FETF 23 specifications carefully, as some items may have changed since the last round as the whole list has been reviewed, despite the numbering remaining the same for items that were also offered under Round 1.

For full guidance go to …  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-equipment-and-technology-fund-fetf-2023

The RPA are also holding a webinar about this new grant scheme and how to apply on Tuesday 28 February at 2pm … to register click here.

When you are ready to make an application use the FETF Portal here to apply.

You can find a YouTube video guide for the applications process here;

Following the Defra Question & Answer session on this grant please find below a recording of the session;