Grant funding available with the RDPE programme.
There is funding now available through the RDPE programme and the SW Rural Development Agency is encouraging farmers and industry to use this opportunity. The funds are from modulation money and are therefore to be targetted back to the primary industry and especailly the livestock sector. Therefore if you have a project, such as building a new cutting room on farm, etc, this could be vitally important.
SWRDA advise anyone wanting more details of the programme or have a project they would like to get grant funding for to speak with the Rural Enterprise Gateway service (REG). REG, a sub-sector of Business Link, can advise all farmers on options available and provide a step-by-step guide through the application process. For more information have a look at their website www.regsw.org.uk or have a look at www.sw-ruralgateway.info for more detailed information on RDPE.
If you would like to contact one of the REG advisors for more assistance try your local representative (contact details found on their website above) or Chris Lyons for Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Dorset on 01275 370959 / christopher.lyons@businesslinksw.co.uk. If you are in Somerset, Devon, Cornwall or Isles of Scilly contact reg@blpeninsula.co.uk or 0845 600 9966. If you need any more assistance then please don't hesitate in contacting Meat South West on 01837 880443 or info@meatsouthwest.co.uk and we shall try and assist you or direct you to someone who can help.
Please remember this is modulation money and only available until 2013 so use it!