Support for farmersR4F is a new stream of support for farmers from the Rural Development Programme for England. There is no cost to the farm for this service and it is possible to access RDPE funding for measures that can be shown to reduce energy and resource costs and thus improve farm efficiency. Our RE4D mentors have been delivering the RE4D business and community support since 2006 are now able to offer support through the R4F scheme.
Aim
- To help farming businesses to become more competitive through providing business support focused on the efficient management of resources
- To encourage behavioural change in farmers and land managers by increasing ‘their’ awareness of ‘their’ potential to implement best practice and improve environmental performance
Objectives
- To reduce on-farm energy use of electric, oil, gas, fuel including moving to renewable energy sources
- To improve on-farm water use (reducing usage, rain water harvesting)
- To reduce on-farm non-organic waste and reduce waste to land-fill (waste with no nutrient value)
- To improve energy efficiency of farming operations through improved insulation, heat exchangers, looking at ways to capitalise on solar gain
Who is eligible?
- Must have agricultural holding number/unique identifier
- Majority of income from agriculture
- Business produces, processes or sells agricultural products
- Business dependant on agriculture e.g. agricultural contractors
- Business is an SME
- 250 employees
- Annual turnover <50 million Euro or annual balance <43 million Euro
Application process across the South West
- All applicants will have to register personally through their local Business Link Gateway – contact number 0845 6009966 throughout the South West Region.
- For more information on the scheme visit http://www.regsw.org.uk/
