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1.5.1 MAFF Operated Schemes


Marketing and Processing Grants

The Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme has assisted 10 agricultural projects within the region. The total allocation of EU ECUs is 1,125,739 and spend in UK ECUs of 217,668.

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Objectives 2 and 5b

Much of the Region is eligible for funding under either the Objective 5b programme or Objective 2 (1994-1999). These include funding from EAGGF, ERDF and ESF.

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EAGGF

Approximately £28 million of European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and MAFF money is available for match funding of suitable projects. The figures detailed below are specific for projects based in the Yorkshire & The Humber part of the Northern Uplands as at 31/8/99:

Table 1.35. Yorkshire and the Humber region EAGGF Objective 5b overview (Source: MAFF)
Number of Projects 32
Total EAGGF Allocation £7,268,905
Total MAFF Allocation £3,646,056
Other Public Allocation £4,697,606
Private £8,934,401
Total cost of Projects £24,546,968

 

Table 1.36. Objective 5b EAGGF Measure level allocations 1994-1999 (Source: MAFF)
  EAGGF Allocated (£) EAGGF Paid (£) 31/8/99
Measure 1.3.

Development of Agricultural Diversification.
1,883,245 767,174
Measure 2.3.

Development of Agri-Tourism.
1,029,670 363,350
Measure 3.2.

Promotion/Encouragement of Local Initiatives for Rural and Coastal Communities.
244,048 198,359
Measure 4.2.

Protection/Conservation of Environment.
1,583,587 731,704
Non MAFF EAGGF 3,181,041  

The following tables give a progress report as at 31/8/99 of the Indicators and Impacts at Priority/Measure Level. The timelag between project approval and output achievement is typical for EAGGF in Objective 5b areas throughout England.

As of 31/8/99 41% of the funds allocated to priority 1-1.3 have been paid. Achievement of outputs is broadly in line with this level of spending. The level of private sector investment is somewhat behind. However, this reflects the higher levels of public expenditure associated with project start-up revenue costs.

Table 1.37. Priority 1 - 1.3: Development of Agricultural Diversification (Source: MAFF)
  Potential outputs from Projects Selected for Approval Actual Outputs from Grant Claim forms31/8/99
No. of businesses receiving guidance and counselling 1050 915
No. of jobs created 252 72
No. of jobs safeguarded 373 776
£m Private sector investment levered 4.18 1.4
No. of businesses to expand, develop or diversify 252 72
No. of collaborative ventures developed 13 9

As of 31/8/99 35% of the funds allocated to priority 2-2.3 have been paid. Achievement of outputs is considerably ahead of this level of spending in all areas. If progress continues at this rate then all of the target outputs for this priority should be achieved or exceeded by the end of the programme.

Table 1.38. Priority 2 - 2.3:Development of Agri-Tourism (Source: MAFF)
  Potential outputs from Projects Selected for Approval Actual Outputs from Grant Claim forms 31/8/99
No. of businesses receiving guidance and counselling 300 365
No. of business development plans to be developed 164 88
Strategies Developed 1 1
Tourism enterprises expanded or developed 105 74
Strategies implemented 1 1
% increase in accommodation occupancy levels or tourist numbers 2 2
No. of farm tourism operators undertaking training modules 20 17

As of 31/8/99 81% of the funds allocated to priority 3-3.2 have been paid. Achievement of outputs is generally behind this level of spending in. If progress continues at this rate then several target outputs for this priority will only be partially achieved by the end of the programme.

Table 1.39. Priority 3 - 3.2. Promotion/Encouragement of Local Initiatives for Rural and Coastal Communities (Source: MAFF)
  Potential outputs from Projects Selected for Approval Actual Outputs from Grant Claim forms 31/8/99
No. of communities assisted 164 102
No. of counselling services assisted 19 2
Machinery/labour rings developed 1 1
Groups of farm businesses assisted 1 1
No. of jobs created 31 5
No. of jobs safeguarded 170 292
New members of machinery/skills rings 190 84
£m support identified for access by farming and rural communities 0 0

As of 31/8/99 46% of the funds allocated to priority 4-4.2 have been paid. Achievement of outputs is broadly in-line with this level of spending. If progress continues at this rate then the majority of the target outputs for this priority should be achieved by the end of the programme.

Table 1.40. Priority 4 - 4.2: Protection/Conservation of Environment (Source: MAFF)
  Potential outputs from Projects Selected for Approval Actual Outputs from Grant Claim forms 31/8/99
No. of businesses receiving guidance and counselling 223 150
No. of businesses receiving environmental guidance and counselling 391 124
Ha of land retained or restored in upland management 40,009 48,001
Ha of land protected or conserved 10,953 5,583
Ha of woodland or semi-natural habitat brought into productive use 250 150
Kms of semi-derelict walls and hedges improved 2.5 0
No. of jobs created 27 8
No. of jobs safeguarded 79 350
No. of collaborative ventures assisted 5 1
No. of environmental plans implemented 75 26

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European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

The level of payment, 15% and 26% respectively for Objective 2 and Objective 5b, against allocation reflects the timelag between project initiation and grant claims.

Table 1.41. ERDF programme spending 1994-1999 (Source: Government Office Yorkshire and the Humber)
  Allocated Paid
Objective 2 £139,099,994 £21,806,567
Objective 5b £18,284,411 £4,880,000

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European Social Fund (ESF)

The level of payment, 21% and 78% respectively for Objective 2 and Objective 5b, against allocation reflects the timelag between project initiation and grant claims.

Table 1.42. ESF programme spending 1994-1999 (Source: Government Office Yorkshire and the Humber)
  Allocated Paid
Objective 2 £76,777,997 £16,379,312
Objective 5b £3,381,226 £2,670,000

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LEADER II

The LEADER initiative operates primarily in Objective 5b areas and is community based. The purpose is to provide small scale assistance to local areas of rural deprivation. The level of payment (44%) against allocation reflects the timelag between project initiation and grant claims.

Table 1.43. Details of LEADER II funding and outputs for the region, up to 31/8/99 (Source: MAFF)
Projects approved Funding allocated (EAGGF) Grant Paid (EAGGF) 31/8/99
28 £188,947 £83,772
Impacts and Outputs Targets from offer letter Achievements to date
Businesses receiving guidance 20 20
Communities assisted 11 1
Jobs created 9 3.5
Jobs safeguarded 327.5 Information awaited from LEADER groups

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PESCA

PESCA provides European Community funding to assist the restructuring of the fishing industry and to encourage diversification of the economic activities that are heavily dependant upon fishing. The level of payment (10%) against allocation reflects the timelag between project initiation and grant claims.

Table 1.44. PESCA details (Source: MAFF)
Projects approved FIFG allocated FIFG paid 31/8/99
32 £1,448,553 £152,575
Impacts and Outputs Target Actual
Businesses assisted 53 0
Jobs created 9.5 1
Jobs safeguarded 14 0

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Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances

The Less Favoured Areas are divided into two areas, namely the Severely Disadvantaged Areas and the Disadvantaged Areas. The main form of support to farmers is in the form of the Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance (HLCA). The tables below show the relevant data for sheep and cows respectively, broken down by number of claimants and amounts for the 1999 scheme year.

Table 1.45. HLCA sheep support 1999 (Source: MAFF)
County Number of Claims Amount Paid Specially Qualified (SDA) Sheep (£) Amount Paid Qualified (SDA) Sheep (£) Amount Paid Disadvantaged Area Sheep (£) Total Paid (£)
S. Yorkshire 82 91,302 25,563 21,481 138,346
N. Yorkshire 1,643 3,178,132 596,570 297,289 4,071,991
W. Yorkshire 392 334,143 126,338 28,606 489,087
Humberside 2 5,887 1,486 0 7,373
Total 2,119 3,609,464 749,957 347,376 4,706,797

 

Table 1.46. HLCA cattle support 1999 (Source: MAFF)
County Number of Claims Amount Paid SDA Cows (£) Amount Paid DA Cows (£) Total Paid (£)
S. Yorkshire 85 136,900 35,749 172,649
N. Yorkshire 932 2,154,779 163,831 2,318,610
W. Yorkshire 450 568,913 73,158 642,071
Humberside 2 35,888 0 35,888
Total 1,469 2,896,480 272,738 3,169,218

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Agri-Environment Schemes

MAFF operates a number of schemes to encourage the adoption of environmentally sensitive land management practices. In the uplands, this includes the Pennine Dales ESA, North Peak ESA, Countryside Stewardship and the Moorland Scheme (now closed to applicants). In the Lowlands there are the Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, Nitrate Sensitive Areas (closed to new applicants in 1998) and the Habitat Creation Schemes.

Table 1.47. Agri-Environment Scheme Agreements (Source: MAFF)
  Total Agreements 1992-1998 Total Area Under Agreement (Ha) Grant Payment in Last Scheme Year (£)
Environmentally Sensitive Area - Pennine Dales (GOYH part) 356 15,127 1,013,734
Environmentally Sensitive Area - North Peak (GOYH part) 41 1,984 282,620
Countryside Stewardship Scheme 1030 19,5571 2,768,657
Organic Farming Scheme (Opened April 1999) 26 1,140 200,965
Organic Aid Scheme (Closed 1998) 9 268 9,204
Countryside Access Scheme (Closed 1998) 12 92 4,533
Farm Woodland Premium Scheme (as at Oct 1999) 572 1,818 1,298
Habitat Scheme (Closed 1999) 41 325 102,797
Moorland Scheme 10 5,741 81,210
Nitrate Sensitive Areas Scheme (as at October 1998) 126 4,968 1,341,051
1 plus 305 km of linear features 1998

The principal ESA within the region (Pennine Dales) now has 70% of its area under agreement (Table 1.48). A large number of conservation plans have been implemented since 1992, these are detailed in Table 1.49. Current spending on Conservation Plans within the region (Pennine Dales ESA) approaches £250,000 per year.

Table 1.48. ESA land area under agreement (Source: MAFF/FRCA)
Pennine Dales ESA 1991-1998 (Yorkshire and the Humber Region Part)
TYPE ha
Arable and Improved Grassland 579
Pastures and Allotments 10,606
Meadow land 2,318
Herb Rich Meadows 687
Herb Rich Pastures and Allotments 109
Woodland 26

 

Table 1.49. Pennine Dales ESA conservation Plans (Yorkshire and the Humber Region Part). (Source: MAFF/FRCA)
Feature: No. Plans (92-98)
Historical Features 13
Scrub Removal 0
Tree Planting Schemes 15
Hedge Planting (m) 790
Hedge Laying (m) 1966
Hedge Coppicing 0
Rebuild Stone Walls (m) 37,153
Build New Stone Walls (m) 0
Renovate Trad Farm Bdgs. 119
Creation Herb-rich Meadows 0
Bracken Control (Ha) 19.30
Creation Wildlife Habs. 3
Provision of Stiles 3
Access Gate/Stile/Bridge 0
Other 11
Total No. Cons Plans 285

Countryside Stewardship is targeted more widely on the basis of the joint Character areas. The County breakdown of agreements, area under agreement and financial commitment are as follows (see also Figure 1.31 and Table 1.51):

Table 1.50. Countryside Stewardship agreements (Source: MAFF)
  Number of Agreements Area Under Agreement(Ha) Financial Commitment in 1999/2000(£)
North Yorkshire. 588 14,821 1,766,000
South Yorkshire. 136 1,209 269,000
West Yorkshire. 116 1,635 247,000
Humberside. 190 1,892 486,000
TOTAL 1030 19,557 2,768,000

 

Map of countryside stewardship scheme uptake 1998

Figure 1.31. Countryside Stewardship Scheme Uptake 1998 (Source: MAFF)

Table 1.51. Countryside Stewardship Scheme (Source: MAFF/FRCA)
Countryside Stewardship 1991-1998
LOWLANDS ha
Land Management  
Lowland Pasture 1585.3
Calcareous Grassland 4076
Lowland Hay Meadows 575
Waterside 522 (91-93)
Waterside Re-Creation 86
Lowland Health 115.5
Lowland Health Re-Creation 58
Cliff Top/Sand Dunes 88.7
Re-Creation of Coastal Vegetation 85
Salt Marsh 119
Re-Creation of Grassland 1335
Old Orchards 13
Fen/Reedbed 44.6
Historic Landscapes 125
Field Boundaries
Hedgerow Restoration 885
Grass Margins (3m) 721
Grass Margins (6 m) 220
Ditch Restoration 15
UPLANDS km
In-By Pasture 456
Rough Pasture 1695
Upland Hay Meadows 720
Regeneration of Heather 6273
Moorland Re-Creation 81
Field Boundaries Stone Wall Restoration 287

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Page last modified: 17 August, 2005
Page published: 1 October, 2000

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs