£100,000+ boost for rural Moorlands businesses

Local farmers and businesses have claimed over £100,000 in funding to support growth and productivity - a big increase on previous figures.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council provides a range of advice and support services to businesses including information about available grants and funding.

And it's paid off for several local farmers including:

• WE Turnock & Son - awarded £23,000 for cluster flush equipment to improve their dairy farm productivity and support animal welfare
• Crowgutter Farm - £28,000 for equipment to support the transition to organic milk
• WG and J Clark - awarded nearly £21,200 for a dribble bar and slurry separator
• Chris and Amie Lovatt - £33,600 for a second robotic milking machine

Council Leader and cabinet member for regeneration, Councillor Sybil Ralphs, said: "Farmers and businesses in rural areas are at the heart of our communities and it's a priority for the Council to support them to grow and develop.

"We've worked hard to get the message out there about funding opportunities so it is really gratifying to see that our businesses have heard the message and are making successful bids which are resulting in a significant amount of funding coming in to the Moorlands. I'd like to congratulate those businesses that have received funding and encourage others to do check whether there are any schemes that would be of benefit to them."

A Local Advisory Group panel for the Peak LEADER scheme works with partners in Derbyshire, and the accountable body Derbyshire County Council, to help distribute the £1.7m funding pot form the European Union.

District councillor and Deputy Chairman of the panel, Councillor Andrew Hart said: "Our farming communities are facing many challenges so I am really pleased that we are supporting their productivity by co-financing equipment which will not only help make farms more efficient but will also support animal welfare."

And while the Peak LEADER grant fund is now closed to new applicants a further round will be reviewed in February and Staffordshire LEADER, which covers parts of the district including Cheddleton, Dilhorne, Upper and Lower Tean and Biddulph Moor, is open for new applications from this month (January 2018).

A new £40m national scheme to support farmers to invest in robotics or equipment which reduces energy or improves quality has also just been launched and Severn Trent Water is offering up to £5,000 to local farmers to make improvements to their farms and land which will also protect watercourses from pollution.

Subscribe to the Staffordshire Moorlands business newsletter to keep up-to-date with new funding opportunities and find out more about the above schemes here.