Details have been released about grants to help dairy farmers buy equipment.

Dairy farmers can now find out exact details on equipment that will be funded under the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund after Defra released the full list of items last week (February 9). 

The fund, which opens later this month, offers grants for specific items of equipment to increase productivity, boost environmental sustainability and improve animal health and welfare.  

It is split into two themes - Productivity and Slurry (open later this month) and Animal Health and Welfare (available in March) and will offer grants of between £1,000 and £25,000. 

Each item listed has a score assigned to it based on Defra's assessment of how well it meets the scheme's objectives.   

If the scheme is oversubscribed, Defra will allocate funding to those items with the highest score first.   

In the first round, those applying for a grant received approximately 44 per cent of the total cost. The fund proved very popular and was oversubscribed.  

Defra encourages anyone who was unsuccessful in the first round to apply again. 

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There are two separate 'portals' to apply for each grant: Productivity and Slurry and Animal Health and Welfare.  

When the application window opens, applicants can visit the online portal and answer questions about the grants they are applying for.   

The minimum grant is £1,000 per portal, so the minimum investment for those wishing to apply across both portals remains as it did in the first round.  

If successful, applicants can then buy the item. They can then claim the reimbursement using their receipt.  

More items have been added to the list - 19 items to aid productivity, two to help with better slurry management and 66 to support animal health and welfare.  

The grants to co-fund investment in equipment, technology and infrastructure that improve animal health and welfare are part of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. Defra will publish more information on this very soon. 

Standard costs across all items have also been reviewed and grant rates adjusted accordingly.  

Defra has provided guidance ahead of the grants opening to help farmers prepare ahead which can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/farming-investment-fund

The list of items for both grants can be found here:   

Productivity and Slurry Grant- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-equipment-and-technology-fund-fetf-2023/annex-3-fetf-2023-productivity-and-slurry-eligible-items 

Animal Health and Welfare Grant https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-equipment-and-technology-fund-fetf-2023/annex-4-fetf-2023-animal-health-and-welfare-eligible-items 

For more information, visit https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2023/02/09/new-round-of-farming-equipment-and-technology-fund-grants-opening-soon/