FFIS grants available to farmers

Government grants are available periodically from the Farm and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS) – designed to support farming businesses and help them become more efficient.

The FFIS is part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) and is a scheme of support, developed to help farming, forestry and horticultural businesses in England to become more efficient at using resources. This scheme aims to help make businesses more profitable and resilient while also reducing the impact of farming on the environment.

Although the first round of the FFIS has closed with over 1,000 applications being considered, a second round of applications is expected to open in late April 2012.
Grants are for capital items and the grant rate available is up to 40% in non-upland areas and up to 50% in upland areas - with the maximum grant allowable per project £25,000. The minimum grant is £2,500.

More details available online at http://rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk/funding-sources/farm-and-forestry-improvement-scheme