Time running out to apply for Welsh farm business grants

Farmers in Wales have until 9 April to submit expressions of interest to the Farm Business Grant scheme, with the funding pot on offer during this latest round worth £5m.

The grant provides up to 40% of the standardised cost of a list of more than 80 pieces of equipment and machinery which have been identified as offering clear and quantifiable benefits to farm enterprises.

The list of eligible items has been updated for 2021 and includes livestock handling systems, electronic recording equipment, precision farming devices, slurry handling equipment, fuel tanks, boreholes and computer hardware and software.

See also: Read more from Farmers Weekly on grants

The minimum grant award is £3,000, with the maximum available being £12,000.

Farmers must complete an expression of interest form through Rural Payments Wales Online, which will be scored based on each item’s contribution to improving resource efficiency, technical efficiency, health and safety or animal health and welfare.

Applicants with the highest scores will be offered a contract.

Farmers must buy and claim for all the items on their contract within 120 calendar days of the date of the offer.

For a full list of eligible equipment and details on how to apply, visit the Welsh Government website.