Dairy Funding Grant Guide
In our recent funding webinar, experts from Defra and Kite Consulting helped unravel some of the funding options available for dairy farmers in England. Here’s a summary of what’s on offer.
Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF)
What is it?
This is a grant for specific items of equipment and technology.
It is split into two themes for 2023- Productivity and Slurry Items and Animal Health and Welfare Items. Farmers can submit applications for both these Farming Equipment and Technology Fund themes, with up to £25,000 of grant available in each and £50,000 available from all rounds of the Fund.
Ø Productivity and Slurry items
This theme helps fund a range of equipment designed to improve farm productivity, as well as slurry equipment.
1. The application window closes on 4 April.
2. It covers a wide range of items from plate meters, chemical-free disinfection systems for dairy farms, heat and calving detectors through to badger-proof troughs and silage pushers. It also covers rain harvesting, soil monitoring, and a whole host of slurry management equipment. A full list of eligible items can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-equipment-and-technology-fund-fetf-2023/annex-3-fetf-2023-productivity-and-slurry-eligible-items#slurry-management
Ø Animal Health and Welfare items
· This theme provides funding for a range of equipment that has been shown to positively impact health and welfare.
· The grant supports improvements in livestock health and welfare, offering between £1,000 and £25,000 towards the cost of a range of items. Farmers are advised to check in with their vets about which equipment they can benefit from most.
· The application window opened on 23 March and closes at midday on 15 June.
· It covers everything from handling systems, crushes, weighing equipment, feed stations and brushes, through to mattresses and calf coats. The full list of eligible items can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-equipment-and-technology-fund-fetf-2023/annex-4-fetf-2023-animal-health-and-welfare-eligible-items
· Animal Health and Welfare grants will be available every year throughout the transition period www.fetf.org.uk
2. Animal Health and Welfare Pathway
What is it?
The Pathway aims to improve farm animal health and welfare across the national herd. The priority areas for dairy include:
· Tackling Bovine Viral Diarrhoea
· Reducing lameness and mastitis
· Upgrading housing: e.g. improvements in ventilation, cow comfort, loafing areas and enrichments such as scratching brushes
· improving pain management during disbudding, dehorning and castration through greater adoption of prolonged analgesia to improve the welfare and performance of calves
· improving the welfare of cattle at pastures through improvements in shelter, drainage, gateways and tracks that support the normal behaviours associated with grazing and being outdoors
For 2023, there are two areas being focussed on- the Animal Health and Welfare Review and Infrastructure Grants.
Ø The Annual Health and Welfare Review
· This is now open for farmers to register their interest https://apply-for-an-annual-health-and-welfare-review.defra.gov.uk/apply/register-your-interest .
· The Annual Health and Welfare Review is a funded annual visit from a chosen vet or team of vets.
· It can be undertaken whenever is convenient and allows a farmer and their vet to concentrate on their animals’ specific health and welfare priorities.
· During the visit, the vet will provide bespoke advice. They’ll also carry out some diagnostic testing around endemic diseases.
· Successful applicants will be provided with an agreement number, allowing them to contact their vet of choice to arrange a visit within six months. Once the vet visit has occurred, a report will be issued, and the farmer can make a claim.
· Another application by the same business, either for the same species or different species, can only be made ten months after the original application.
· The payment rate for dairy cattle, which will include the cost of the vet’s time and the diagnostic testing, is £372
· More information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sfi-annual-health-and-welfare-review
Ø Infrastructure grants
Infrastructure grants for livestock housing are due to be available in summer 2023. Initially, the offer will co-fund new and upgrades to calf housing to improve social contact and the ambient environment. It is expected that this will be expanded to funding adult cattle housing in the future.
3. Stewardship Capital Grants
Ø Countryside Stewardship Grants
What is it?
Capital items which require Catchment Sensitive Farming support are now available in high, medium and low-priority water areas. This includes grants for concrete yard renewal and roofing (livestock gathering area, slurry/manure/silage stores).
From 2023, applicants will have three years to complete capital work. There is no longer a limit on the maximum amount of grant funding that can be applied for with a standalone capital grant. However, items must be listed in each of the following groups
· boundaries, trees and orchards
· water quality
· air quality
· natural flood management
This provides an opportunity for farmers to undertake higher-value works.
However, Defra is warning that for water quality grants, the items selected must address the priority pollutants for that location and the priority issues on the farm. The CSF Adviser will need to consider the expenditure a priority.
More information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/capital-grants-2023-countryside-stewardship/applicants-guide-capital-grants-2023