FARMERS are now able to apply for grants from £3,000 to £12,000 to invest in new technology and equipment on farms.

The Countryside Productivity Small Grant scheme, administrated by the Rural Payments Agency, has opened applications for its ‘Round 2’ process, which provides funding for projects which aim to improve productivity in the farming and forestry sectors.

It is especially targeted at supporting investment for specific pieces of agricultural equipment which have been identified by industry groups and suppliers as helping achieve improvements in either technical efficiency, animal health and welfare, resource efficiency, or nutrient management.

All agricultural sectors are eligible for a grant, including arable, livestock dairy and horticulture. Grants for equipment also cover all industry types. These include: mobile cattle handling systems (£10,200), badger proof feed troughs (£306), sheep conveyors (£9,700), cameras for monitoring livestock (£255), robotic silage pushers (£12,000), thermal image cameras (£1,234) and variable speed drive on vacuum pump for use in dairies (£4,996).

For grant application forms visit www.cpsmall.org.uk before September 3 2019.