Schemes
Project Based Schemes
The Project Based Schemes - the Rural Enterprise Scheme, the Processing and Marketing Grant, the Vocational Training Scheme and the Producer Groups element of the Energy Crops Scheme, delivered the socio-economic elements of the England Rural Development Programme. They aimed to help farming, forestry and other rural businesses and communities adapt to changing circumstances and contributed to the development of more sustainable, diversified, and enterprising rural economies and communities.
Regional Delivery
The Project Based Schemes were delivered regionally through Defra’s Rural Development Service with each region setting its own priorities and objectives. Applications were assessed on a selective basis to ensure the best use of public funds. Successful projects were those that met regional priorities demonstrating a genuine need for funding support, along with clear business planning or training need and value for money.
Closure of the Project Based Schemes
The ERDP Project Based Schemes closed to new applications on 30 June 2006. [Further information].
The Rural Enterprise Scheme
The Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES) was part of the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP). It provided assistance for projects that helped to develop more sustainable, diversified and enterprising rural economies and communities. Its coverage was wide-ranging but the primary aim was to help farmers adapt to changing markets and develop new business opportunities. RES also had a broader role in supporting the adaptation and development of the rural economy, community, heritage and environment.
The scheme covered a very broad spectrum of potentially eligible activities, ranging from those designed to produce a commercial return, to those where the primary aim was to provide social and/or environmental benefits.
Rural Enterprise Scheme Outcomes
- Around £145m European Union and Government money was committed to projects under RES for the period between October 2000 and December 2006.
- Over the life of the scheme 5,654 applications were received, of which 3, 034 projects were approved, with a total value of approximately £145m.
- Over the whole programme RES:
- Assisted over 3,000 projects
- created or safeguarded over 14,500 jobs
- supported over 1,200 diversified farm enterprises
- supported the marketing of over 3,800 quality agricultural products
- provided funding for 548 village initiatives
- Assisted almost 165,000 rural community members with basic services
- supported over 3,500 new tourism/craft related enterprises
- Over the life of the scheme a total of 1,261 applications were received, of which 825 were approved representing a grant commitment of over £21.5 million.
- The VTS supported over 156,000 training days over the life of the scheme
- Nearly 19,000 courses were funded which led to the achievement of over 17,000 qualifications.
- Of 429 applications received over the life of the scheme, 250 were approved, representing a grant commitment of nearly 46.6 million.
- Over the whole of the programme the scheme created or safeguarded over 8,300 jobs and introduced 383 new products to the market.
- 5 projects were approved under the ECS producer group scheme, and claims of almost £300,000 have been paid out.
The Vocational Training Scheme
The VTS provided funding of up to 75% of eligible costs for vocational training activities that contributed to an improvement in the occupational skill and competence of farmers and other persons involved in forestry and farming activities and their conversion (ie.diversification).
The scheme supported a wide range of training activities including technical skills, business management + IT skills, marketing, on farm food-processing, managing staff + resources, conservation + environment skills etc.
Vocational Training Scheme Outcomes
The Processing and Marketing Grant
Processing and Marketing Grants enabled capital investment in processing and marketing of English primary agricultural products. They also encouraged farmers to become more competitive, respond to consumer demand, be more innovative and add value to their produce.
Projects were supported, for example, which produced new or innovative products, improved the quality of existing products or improved or rationalised processing facilities. Grants were be available towards the cost of new buildings, the refurbishment of old buildings and the purchase of new equipment.
PMG grants were available for investments over £70,000 and provided up to 30% of eligible costs. The maximum grant available was £1.2 million per project.
Processing and Marketing Grant Outcomes
The Energy Crops Producer Groups Scheme
The ECS producer group scheme was designed to develop and facilitate the supply chain between growers and users of energy crops. A producer group is a legally established group of SRC growers who work together to harvest their crops and supply them, after processing and storage if necessary, to one or more energy end-uses, thus an important mechanism in ensuring a regular supply of fuel to end-users.
Energy Crops Producer Groups Scheme Outcomes
Further Links
Page last modified:
7 December, 2007
Page published: 10 December, 2002