Round 3 of the Countryside Productivity Small Grant scheme (CPSG) will close on 31 May 2021. If you applied for a grant through the scheme and it was approved, you have until midnight on that day to submit your claim.
The CPSG scheme is designed to help farmers invest in specific items of equipment to boost the productivity and efficiency of their farm or horticultural business. Applicants had until 4 November 2020 to request grants for eligible items listed in the CPSG manual. Grants are 40% of the standard costs, for a minimum grant of £3,000 and a maximum of £12,000.
Farming Minister Victoria Prentis said:
The third round of the Countryside Productivity Small Grant Scheme will close at the end of this month and I urge all farmers from the livestock, dairy, arable and horticultural sectors to submit their claim as early as possible to make the most of the support available through this scheme.
Technology and modern equipment have a huge impact on the day-to-day productivity of our farms. The first two rounds of the CPSG scheme have successfully provided over £30 million of financial support for the purchase of equipment that helped improving the efficiency of more than 4800 farms across England.
To claim your grant, you need to have:
- bought all the items that were approved in your application
- paid for them in full
- installed them on your farm or business
You should then submit your claim by emailing CPSGClaims@rpa.gov.uk with the following documents:
- a completed claim and declaration template – you’ll have received the claim template with your Grant Funding Agreement (GFA) email
- copies of the invoices for the items
- copies of your payment evidence (bank statement or business credit card statement to prove the items have been paid in full)
- photos of each item in situ and operational on your farm
Use Annex 5 of the manual to check that the documents you send alongside your claim include all the necessary details to support your claim.
If you’re having issues getting items from suppliers who had previously confirmed in writing that they could supply them to you on time, contact the Rural Payments Agency (RPA): you might qualify for an exceptional extension to 16 July 2021 for the delivery and installation of your items. You still need to submit your claim form and evidence of payment by 31 May 2021 as there’s no extension to the claim deadline.
If you don’t want to continue with your claim, email CPSGClaims@rpa.gov.uk to let RPA know – you’ll need to include the RPA CPSG reference number that was provided in your GFA email.
Any questions about your claim? Email CPSGClaims@rpa.gov.uk or call 03000200301 and follow the options for the Countryside Productivity Small Grant scheme. Make sure to leave yourself plenty of time to submit your claim on time.