Free funding advice for Essex farmers

Farmers and landowners in Essex can find out how to apply for Rural Development Service (RDS) funding towards diversification projects at special Friday business clinic in Chelmsford on 2 December.

Grants awarded this month brought the total amount of funding to almost £20 million since 2000, helping more than 300 projects in the East of England.

The clinics will be held in Defra's Chelmsford office, on Beeches Road, and will provide one-to-one advice for anyone wishing to make an application for funding under Defra's project based schemes.

These include:

* Processing and Marketing Grant (PMG) - improving agricultural processing and marketing infrastructure

* Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES)- supporting a diversified and enterprising rural economy

* Vocational Training Scheme (VTS) - improving occupational skills of farmers and foresters.

The schemes are part of the England Rural Development Programme

(ERDP) which was launched in April 2000. Since then, £19.8 million has been awarded to a total of 309 projects throughout the East of England. Sharon Sharpe, an adviser with the Rural Development Service in the East of England explained:

"We are holding clinics across the region to answer queries and offer guidance on the requirements of the various schemes, eligibility of particular projects and what applicants should include in a business plan. We may also be able to suggest other sources of funding."

Projects that have successfully applied for RES funding include:

Woodford Meats, of Canewdon, towards converting a redundant building into a farm shop, providing on-site refrigeration and a delivery van;

Butterfly Lodge Farm Shop, in Abberton, towards goats milk ice cream making and

Sarah Green's Organic Farm Shop, in Tillingham, towards converting redundant stables into a retail unit.

To book an appointment of up to one hour, potential applicants should contact Sharon Sharpe, on 01553 819555, or email with a short paragraph explaining the project you're pursuing: Sharon.sharpe@defra.gsi.gov.uk