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.
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Healthy livestock open for training bids
15 September 2009
The South West RDA is inviting organisations to bid for grants
to provide the advice, training and knowledge-transfer elements of
the South West Healthy Livestock Initiative.
The Initiative aims to improve the profitability of the region's
livestock industry by improving health and welfare among farmed
animals through giving farmers access to specialist information,
training, networks and support relating to their specific sectors -
in line with priorities that have been identified by the industry
over the last year.
This will be achieved using more than £12m of Rural Development
Programme for England Business Support funding for projects that
will provide training and knowledge transfer to farmers.
"The livestock sector is hugely important in the South West, and
there are significant opportunities for farmers to improve their
bottom lines by engaging in a range of schemes which also improve
animal health. We strongly encourage collaborative bids that will
deliver high quality outputs across the region," said Andy Rumming
of the RDA.
"This call for applications is not aimed at individual farmers
wanting to attend training or make on-farm investments, it is aimed
at training providers/organisations who will collaborate with
industry bodies to deliver training and knowledge transfer
activities."
The period for submitting grant applications runs from 14th
September 2009 to 23rd December 2009.
Interested parties are being directed to the Programme Brief and
full details at www.sw-ruralgateway.info/swhli
Ends
Further press information from 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 Rural Development Programme for England Business Support is
part of Solutions for Business, the Government's package of
publicly funded business support designed to help
companies start and grow.
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
http://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.
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 http://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:
- Conserve wildlife (biodiversity).
- Maintain and enhance landscape quality and character.
- Protect the historic environment and natural resources.
- Promote public access and understanding of the
countryside.
- 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/england-swe.