Yorkshire Forward has launched a second round of funding from its £400,000 Farm Resource Efficiency Programme (Frep) designed to improve the economic performance of livestock farmers' holdings by introducing environmental technologies into their day-to-day business.

The funding comes after a pilot programme earlier this year proved successful, with Yorkshire Forward bosses saying that the first round bids demonstrated that farmers could provide environmental benefits while reducing their costs.

The projects are expected to make annual carbon savings that are the equivalent of driving 36,000 miles in a Land Rover and using
enough recycled water, rather than clean water, to fill two-and-a-half Olympic-size swimming pools.

Average cost savings are estimated to be £39 per hectare, with fixed costs reduced by 2.4 per cent and variable costs by 4.6 per cent.

Andy Tordoff, assistant director of Rural Renaissance and Tourism for Yorkshire Forward, said: "If these farming businesses are to survive and thrive in the current economic climate it is essential they take advantage of every opportunity available to help them to cut costs and boost profits."

For the new round of funding, the range of environmental technologies that are eligible for support has been widened to include renewable power, renewable heat, rainwater harvesting, water recycling systems and manure management.

Anyone applying has to put forward a minimum capital investment of £5,000 and farmers who go forward for the scheme can benefit from up to £20,000 at a rate of 40 per cent against eligible expenditure.

Yorkshire Forward is also managing the £63m fund for the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE).

The programme, a joint scheme between Defra and the European Union, aims to support new start-up businesses and others wanting to expand.

To qualify, businesses need to show that their idea will boost the region's economy by helping to create jobs and succeed
in increasing rural productivity and diversification.

The news comes just a few weeks after it was announced that schemes which help farmers to improve local wildlife will be handed a £3bn boost.

So-called 'agri-environmental schemes' have been operating in the UK for more than 21 years and have resulted in more than 130 new footpaths, 52 new bridleways, 134 new stone walls and 63 new hedgerows in Yorkshire.

In addition 38 of the county's farms now offer educational access visits to raise awareness of the work they do.

The work has been done under the scheme which sees the Government providing financial support to farmers to manage and conserve the land with a focus on green farming, such as creating habitats for wildlife and to protect the English landscape.

The deadline for applications is October 27.

For more details email steve.dunkley@
yorkshire-forward.com or louise.marston@
yorkshire-forward.com