Key Changes to Round 2 for the FFIS

Nutrient Management: New item: Soil mapping and analysis (software programmes only. Covering slurry pits, silage pits and manure stores has a maximum unit cost as follows; a) Roofing of existing silage pits to exclude rainwater & roofing of existing middens/manure stores and slurry stores is limited to a cost of £84.00 per m². There is also no longer any requirement to include rainwater harvesting with this; b) self-supporting covers for existing circular above ground slurry and dirty water stores - limited to cost of £34.00 per m²; c) Floating covers for above ground slurry stores limited to £12.00 per m² & floating covers for lagoons to £7.00 per m²; Energy Efficiency: New items include: heat pumps for heat recovery;automatic variable speed controllers for water and vacuum pumps; Water Resource Management: NOTE: The rainwater harvesting elements to roofing of silage pits & manure stores has been removed from this section as mentioned above. Animal Health and Welfare: New items include: Dairy herd cubicles; mobile handling systems (were eligible in round 1 but not listed in handbook);Cow mattresses;Locking yokes;heat pumps (pigs);real time monitoring of water in pig buildings. New payment rates: Thee grant rate for PigSAFE farrowing systems is limited to 15%; New- Dairy herd cubicles (new item) is limited to 20%; Amended items: incinerators and digesters for carcass disposal and installation of specialist slatted floor for indoor lambing; now not restricted to uplands only. not now restricted to uplands only) - Forestry: New Items: processing equipment to include log decks and rollers; Tommel or other types of chip screening equipment; firewood splitters & winches; Kindling machine (forestry yard based activities).

FFIS Round 1 Decisions

I have heard that a couple of people have been succesful in Round 1 which is great news! DEFRA have emailed to say they had 490 applications for Round 1 - 43% of the national total. They are still processing Round 1 applications and expect to get all decisions reached in the coming weeks and certainly before the end of the applicaiton window for Round 2. Any one who is concerned can call South West FFIS team on 0300 0604326 or 0300 0604311.

FFIS Update

FFIS Round 2 handbook is now available to download from the RDPE website Application forms will also be available from this website on 22nd May 2012.

FFIS ROUND 2 ANNOUNCED The second round of the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme opens on 22 May 2012 and will close on 17 July 2012. The application form for the second round will be available from 22 May. The handbook is now available online and having had a quick look through it looks simular to the last round.

CSF Grant

Catchment Sensitive Farming grant is being launched in February as usual. Money allocated to the project is £21 million which is double last year. Target area has expanded into specific locations in the Taw and Torridge Area this year for one year only. Please contact us for more informaiton.

FFIS GRANT

Attended a meeting on Monday about various funding. Looks like the South West has been allocated £4 million for the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme but this is fast running out. Advice from DEFRA is get in on the next window of oppotunity (likely to be April / May 2012) or risk the money running out.

Test

John Morgan
Creedy Associates
Great Gutton Farm, Shobrooke, Crediton Devon EX17 1AE
01363 776162. 07740 432371