- A new round of grant funding has made precision farming technologies such as auto-steering systems, GPS guidance light bars, variable rate application controllers, slurry flow monitors and slurry analysis sensors more affordable in England
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) published details of the latest round of Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) grants on 9th February 2023. The new scheme offers grant funding for specific items of equipment and technology for farming and is divided into two main categories: Productivity and Slurry items (Annex 3) and Animal Health and Welfare items (Annex 4).
A selection of Topcon Agriculture’s precision farming products are eligible within Annex 3 of the new round of funding, including: Topcon SI-21 Lightbar steering guidance system (£306 grant contribution); Topcon AES-35 Electric Steering system for older, non-steer-ready tractors (£1,051 funding); Topcon Apollo CM-40 variable rate sprayer ECU, Topcon ASC-10 variable-rate fertiliser application controller, Topcon Artemis variable rate seed drill controller and Topcon Athene SM-1 spreading controller (£1,850 funding).
Topcon Agriculture’s range of slurry flow rate monitors (£2,134 funding) and inline slurry nutrient analyser (£10,803 funding) are also eligible under the new scheme.
“With input prices remaining elevated – albeit it at a slightly reduced level compared to last year’s highs – there remains a significant need for arable and livestock farmers to maximise the production efficiencies of their respective systems,” explains Richard Reed, Managing Director of LH Agro, Topcon’s preferred distributor and installer in the UK.
“One way to improve efficiencies and achieve meaningful cost savings is to apply inputs as accurately and time-efficiently as possible, either by using variable rate applications, or simply by ensuring tractors, sprayers and implements are being steered and operated accurately.
“The financial assistance available through this new round of FEFT funding makes these technologies much more accessible to a wider proportion of the country’s farm businesses and enables farmers and farm managers to ensure costly inputs are applied at the right rate, the right time and in the right place.
“We’re therefore pleased to see that the Government continues to recognise the value and benefit these technologies can deliver, and we look forward to working with farmers to enable them to take advantage of this latest round of funding.”
For more information about the Topcon equipment mentioned, please visit www.lh-agro.co.uk or call LH Agro on 01480 496367.
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