Advice on offer from Farm Link

Apr 19 2008 The Journal

MICK Booth first learned about grant aid from Farming Connect Cumbria at a meeting. The couple began planning the roof in the summer of 2005 and receiving estimates.

This NWDA-funded scheme provided them with business advice from CREA’s Farm Link advisers, and helped them to put together what proved to be a successful application for grant aid in February 2006.

The Booths had previously had an environmental assessment of the farm carried out by CREA in 2004 and information from this was used in their application.

CREA Farm Link advisers who helped the Booths were business adviser Chris Stables and environmental adviser Reg Hesketh.

“The major part of the cost was the roofing and without the grant we would have just been able to carry out the repairs to the midden – and we would still be spreading the slurry all winter.

“This is only our second winter since the roof was put on the midden and so it’s difficult to know what all the benefits are going to be long-term but one of the main things it has given us is peace of mind,” said Mick.

“If grants for capital work were still generally available, it would make a big difference to improvements on farms.”