South Leicestershire MP Alberto Costa has welcomed the award of over £200,000 to farmers in his constituency from the Government’s Farming Equipment and Technology Fund.
The Fund, administered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, is designed to help farmers and foresters boost farm productivity, reduce waste, and cut input costs, as well as increase environmental sustainability and improve slurry management.
The Government recently increased the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund budget from £17 million to £31 million following demand from farmers and is part of the Government’s manifesto commitment to invest £2.4 billion per year in farming.
Alberto said, “I am delighted that so many of our fantastic South Leicestershire farmers have recently received new funding from the Government’s Farming Equipment and Technology Fund. This is a very welcome funding boost for farmers across the country in allowing them to invest in new pieces of equipment to increase their productivity and improve their environmental sustainability. Farmers, both locally and nationally, work tirelessly all year round, in all weathers and conditions to put great British produce on our tables, and I am very proud of the Government’s ongoing efforts to ensure that they have the support they need”.
The Rt. Hon Mark Spencer MP, Minister of State for Food, Farming and Fisheries, added, “This funding announcement follows the UK Farm to Fork summit held in Downing Street last month where the Government announced a package of support for the farming sector, including new measures to ensure the sector remains at the forefront of developing and adopting new technologies and techniques”.
Alberto is pictured with local dairy farmer Andy Webb (central) and other South Leicestershire farmers and representatives from the NFU during a recent visit to Usher Farm near Gilmorton.
