All RDAs across England are closing by March 2012
(see transition and closure section).
With our resources reducing steadily, this page has not been recently updated and the information below may not be current.
If in doubt, please contact us directly.
Nearly £2 million RDPE funding for regional grain centre
08 January 2009
An ambitious scheme to provide a strategic regional centre for
drying, cleaning and storing grain has been awarded nearly £2
million funding from the Rural Development Programme for England
(RDPE).
The plan has been put forward by Wiltshire Grain Ltd - a
93-member grain farmers' co-operative - with the aim of increasing
by more than a third its capacity to take in, dry and process
crops.
The co-operative, based near Shrewton, Wiltshire, started in
1984 by providing drying and storage facilities for 52 members.
Over the years, membership and capacity has increased and its
operations have expanded to include refining the products.
With the new investment, Wiltshire Grain plans to 'meet the
challenge, and fulfil the opportunity, of the emerging market for
added-value food ingredients'.
The total cost of the project is estimated to cost more than £5
million and the RDPE grant of £1.8 million will meet 35% of the
costs.
"We have been successful in securing contracts with major
companies because we can take in grain rapidly at harvest, test it,
stabilise it and then process it," said Henry Collins, chairman, of
Wiltshire Grain.
"We have the potential to expand the operation, giving our
members the confidence to focus on quality crops and giving
customers the confidence of quality products."
The bulk of the crops processed is made up of malting barley,
milling wheat and oilseed rape. Over the years, Wiltshire Grain has
noted an increasing demand for 'traceability' of products and rules
controlling admixtures, mycotoxins, and general grain quality
issues for suppliers who can store bulk products ready for
immediate distribution.
"This project focuses on quality control, adding value, food
security and supply chain management," said Rob Hatt, head of food
and rural affairs at the South West RDA, which manages RDPE in the
region.
"So our investment will support the development of the cereal
supply chain in the region and will help deliver financial benefits
to grain producers through price premium for the grain. It will
also have environmental benefits through carbon savings from more
efficient drying and distribution."
The aim of RDPE, which is jointly funded by the EU and national
government, is to support the creation of genuinely sustainable
farming, forestry and food sectors, thus bringing wider benefits
for the economy, the environment and rural communities.
ENDS
To contact Wiltshire Grain and/or take photographs, please
contact Pat Murray, South West RDA press office, on 07733264756
Notes to editors
RDPE
The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) runs from
2007 to 2013. It is the 2nd pillar of the Common Agricultural
Policy and aims to support the creation of genuinely sustainable
farming, forestry and food sectors, whilst also bringing wider
benefits for the economy, the environment and rural communities. It
provides the major financial vehicle for protecting and enhancing
the environment and securing a range of public benefits for
society. Defra is the Managing Authority.
The RDPE has three priorities for rural development:
1. Improving competitiveness of the agriculture and forestry
sectors
2. Improving the environment and the countryside
3. Improving the quality of life in rural areas and
encouraging
diversification of economic activity
In this region, the South West of England Regional Development
Agency (RDA) will deliver priorities 1and 3 with a budget of £156.8
million over the seven years. The RDA is also responsible for
ensuring that five per cent of the RDPE funding is spent on
enabling community involvement in rural development. The delivery
partners in the South West aim to ensure that investment in each of
the three priorities will help support investment in the
others.
The RDPE priority for improving the environment and the
countryside is being delivered nationally by the Forestry
Commission's Woodland Grant Scheme and Natural England's
Environmental Stewardship Scheme. In addition, a minimum of 5% of
the programme will be delivered through a local community-led
approach.
The aims, objectives and priorities for delivering RDPE in South
West England were agreed for the socio-economic investments with
regional partners and these are set out in the Regional
Implementation Plan. On the basis of a thorough analysis of South
West England's rural characteristics and economy, the Plan sets out
eight themes:
i. Skills development
ii. Social enterprise
iii. Business support
iv. Supply chain and adding value
v. Resource management (soil, water, energy, waste)
vi. Sustainable rural tourism
vii. Biodiversity and landscape
viii. Community-led development
Further more information on the RDPE and the schemes see
www.sw-ruralgateway.info
Organisations involved in delivering RDPE
The South West RDA leads the development of a sustainable
economy, investing to unlock the region's business potential. It
works in partnership with public, private and social purpose
organisations to drive up the region's productivity by giving
people the skills they need, encouraging enterprise, improving
infrastructure, regenerating places and promoting the strengths of
the region. For more information see www.southwestrda.org.uk
Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve
and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban,
coastal and marine areas. It conserves and enhances the natural
environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of
people, and the economic prosperity it brings. For more information
see www.naturalengland.org.uk Environmental Stewardship (ES) was
launched in 2005, builds on the very best practice already evident
in British farming. During the period 2007-13 the national budget
for ES will be £2.9 billion. The objectives of ES are to:
1) Conserve wildlife (biodiversity).
2) Maintain and enhance landscape quality and character.
3) Protect the historic environment and natural resources.
4) Promote public access and understanding of the
countryside.
5) Natural resource protection.
The Forestry Commission is the government department responsible
for forestry in Great Britain. It supports woodland owners with
grants, tree felling licences, regulation and advice; promotes the
benefits of forests and forestry; and advises Government on
forestry policy. For further information, visit www.forestry.gov.uk