Under the initial phase of this year’s Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF), grants are accessible for a diverse range of beneficial farming equipment.

The scheme allocates grants varying from £1,000 to £25,000 towards purchasing various equipment or technologies aimed at enhancing animal health and welfare. Furthermore, grants ranging from £1000 to £50,000 are on offer to enhance on-farm productivity and facilitate slurry management.

With over 130 specified items listed for this year, including 29 new additions, applicants have a broad range to choose from.

The deadline for welfare grants applications is May 1, while applications for productivity and slurry management items close on April 17.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is set to cover approximately 50% to 60% of the anticipated average cost of the listed items, or the actual cost if it falls below the expected average.

Competitive applications will allow farmers to enhance their scores by providing evidence of consultation with a veterinarian, including through animal health and welfare reviews.

According to Defra’s recent update on FETF 24: “The budget for each grant is split evenly across the application windows.

“If your application falls below the scoring threshold and is unsuccessful, the RPA will reject it.”

Defra added: “You will be able to apply again. If you’ve accepted a grant funding agreement (GFA) to buy items from a grant, you cannot apply again for the same grant in 2024.”

Defra has also announced its intention to introduce two additional FETF application windows later in the year.