West Midlands Farm Health Planning Initiative
CLOSED FOR NEW APPLICATIONS
West Midlands Farm Health Planning Initiative (FHPI)
www.advantagewm.co.uk/working-with-us/rdpe/how-do-i-apply/fhcg-bidding-rounds-and-grants.aspx
The West Midlands has opted to support individual farm health planning and this will include:
The strengthening of the farmer/vet partnership
Mentoring by veterinary surgeons
The production of a Farm Health Plan summary that will suggest:
- Changes to husbandry and management
- Need for knowledge transfer and training
- Small capital grants for a range of Animal Health Welfare related investments
Farm Health Plans are funded through the RDPE / Lantra LandSkills programme,
• Lantra are managing the Veterinary Surgeons panel,
• Initially Lantra will contract with practices to deliver 500 plans across the region,
• Plans must be completed by December 2011,
• Regular reviews of progress.
Who Can Apply for this Funding?
• Commercial livestock farmers,
• Livestock enterprise must provide 900 hrs of work a year,
• Based on standard labour data e.g. John Nix
What’s on offer? – Farm Health Planning
| Activity | Funding Source | Funding for initial specied | For additional species (max 2) |
| Health Plan |
Grant | £600 | £200 |
| Client Match | £150 | £50 | |
| Total | £75 | £250 | |
| Samples | Grant | £200 | |
| Client Match | £50 | ||
| Total | £250 | ||
| Follow up visit | Grant | £200 | |
| Client Match | £50 | ||
| Total | £250 | ||
| End of Plan visit | Grant | £200 | |
| Client Match | £50 | ||
| Total | £250 |
What’s on offer? – Capital Grants
• Capital grants of 40% towards Animal Health & Welfare related investments
• Maximum grant of £62,500,
• Delivered through Herefordshire County Council,
• Applications must be supported by a farm health plan funded through the West Midlands Farm Health Planning Initiative
• Must provide an economic justification
Capital grant is only available on the items listed below.
1. Livestock Handling – Electronic weigh cells, high welfare crushes / squeezes, rollover crates and associated treatment facilities.
2. Equipment – Items intended to address specific issues; remote monitoring equipment, cluster flushing and pedometers and other heat detection systems. For poultry, small scale investments in environmental enrichment and water softeners to improve gut health.
3. Improvements to buildings – Small scale works designed to improve the housing of farmed animals; cow mattresses, rubber mats, the grooving of concrete, reconfiguring cubicles, the upgrading of natural ventilation systems and for pigs and poultry, small scale investments in environmental enrichment.
4. Specialised computer hardware and software - Health planning software, the programmes needed to enhance data analysis, data transmission e.g. carcass conformation and condition. Software for improved rationing and recording to improve rumen function and give consistency in diets also, automatic poultry scales to monitor average live weights. In addition, software design can be supported where it can be justified.
Funding for Training
LandSkills West Midlands
Will be co-ordinated by Lantra who will operate the programme on a ‘call for bids’ basis
Funding will be available for:
Most types of training where there is a gap in provision. This will include Knowledge Transfer, Business Clubs, seminars, workshops and demonstrations, support and mentoring
Excludes:
Courses lasting longer than three years
Programmes available at secondary or higher levels
