The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2024 includes three grants which aim to improve productivity, manage slurry, and improve animal health and welfare.The grant is competitive, but if successful you could receive up to £50,000 per grant aim, and you can apply for all three grants.

To be eligible for the grant you must be based in England, a farmer, horticulturalist, forestry owner or contractors for the previously mentioned. The animal health and welfare grants are only available for beef, dairy, sheep, pigs, layers, and broiler chicken farms.

The application window will open shortly for the FETF, and a further two rounds of this grant will open later in 2024.  The average costs and grant amounts are expected to be the same in each application window.  If you are unsuccessful in any round, you can still apply for the next round.  Across the year, you can only accept one agreement per grant aim, for example, you cannot apply and accept an improve productivity grant in each claim window.

Any items you apply for must be new items and meet the specifications for each aim.  You can purchase items that have a higher specification, but they must meet the minimum specification.  The RPA will pay 50% or 60% towards either the average cost of the item (if the item costs you more than the expected average cost in the item list) or the actual cost you pay for the item.  You will need to provide the 40-50% match funding of the item.

If you need assistance in your claim, contact Jessica at jessicarippon@fcgagric.com or your local FCG Office.  The full details of the scheme are here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-equipment-and-technology-fund-2024