As part of preparations to launch the new capital grant scheme from later this year, the RPA has issued a call for volunteers to test the online service that will act as the first stage in the application process.
What is the new scheme?
Final details of the new range of grant schemes that sit under the Farming Investment Fund banner are not yet complete, but slurry treatment and robotics and innovation will form part of the large grants scheme element, known as the Farming Transformation Fund. The NFU has been involved in developing the scope and design of this scheme with Defra.
When the new scheme is launched later this year it will be similar to the previous Countryside Productivity Large Grant ‘Improving Farm Productivity’ scheme that many of you will be familiar with. The slurry treatment offer will include mild acidification of slurry to improve nutrient content and reduce ammonia emissions, while the robotics and innovation scheme will support the take up of these technologies.
Get involved in testing
Volunteers will be given access to the prototype online pre-application checker service for grants under these themes, to pinpoint and identify positives and ‘pain points’ in the application process.
You will be asked to answer a series of questions about a proposed approach to see if it is suitable for the subject matter that granting funding is being offered for.
The session should not take more than an hour of computer screen time.
If you’re interested in taking part in this exercise, email both ZGF2aWQuc2lsbGV0dEBycGEuZ292LnVr and c2FuYS5hbGlAY2FwZ2VtaW5pLmNvbQ==, copying in cmljaGFyZC53b3Jkc3dvcnRoQG5mdS5vcmcudWs= by 9 July 2021.