New round of farm business grants with £2m pot opens

Farmers in Wales will be eligible for funding worth £2m through the Welsh government’s Farm Business Grant.

The grant is available to those wanting to invest in new equipment and technology that will improve technical, financial and environmental performance.

Expressions of interests can be made from 1 September until 1 October.

If an applicant is successful in securing funding, they will then have four months to make the purchase and claim the funding.

See also: Advice for navigating changes in farm support

Funding will be offered for up to 40% of the total costs of the purchase, with individual grants ranging from £3,000 to £12,000.

A wide selection of equipment can be purchased using the funding, including precision farming technology, such as GPS kit, as well as mobile handling systems for livestock.

Minister for rural affairs Lesley Griffiths said: “I would urge farmers with an interest to start thinking now of the improvements they want to make and how the grant could help them, so they are able to put in a strong expression of interest within the timescales and which meets their needs.”

The Welsh government has sourced funding for the grant as part of the Rural Development Programme.