Defra announce £110m fund to level up the countryside

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have announced a £110m Rural England Prosperity Fund that will help support communities in the UK countryside.

The funding will be invested in initiatives that improve productivity, create rural job opportunities, and boost prosperity. Such investment could be ringfenced for farm businesses looking to expand by opening a farm shop, wedding venues, tourism facilities, as well as renovations for pubs, village halls and other rural hubs vital in their local communities.

The investment will be in addition to the £2.6bn provided through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to further back levelling up efforts in the UK.

As Cumbria Business Growth Hub we are in communication with Local Authority colleagues to find out more information and offer our support – we’ll share more details as and when they become available.

Plastic Packaging Tax – Is it time for your business to register?

If your business manufactures or imports plastic packaging, it may be time to register for the new Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT). Businesses of any size and type must register for PPT on GOV.UK if they expect to manufacture or import 10 or more tonnes of plastic packaging in the next 30 days, of if they have manufactured or imported 10 or more tonnes of plastic packaging since 1 April 2022.

If you need extra support, check out the range of resources HMRC has developed to assist businesses with PPT.

African Swine Fever: New controls on pork and pork products entering Great Britain

From Thursday 1 September new restrictions are in place for the import of pork and pork products into Great Britain from the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states.
It is no longer legal to bring pork or pork products weighing over two kilograms into Great Britain unless they meet commercial EU production standards.
These restrictions will protect against the threat of African Swine Fever, which is spreading across Europe towards the UK.
For further information please see:

• Imports, exports and EU trade of animals and animal products: topical issues
• The updated risk assessment
• Defra’s African swine fever guide
• Guidance on bringing food into Great Britain

Sustainable Farming Incentive: more farmers can apply without invitation

From 1 September, if you have land in a Countryside Stewardship (CS) and Environmental Stewardship (ES) agreement, but not on common land, you can now apply online directly by signing into the Rural Payments service. Guidance can be found on GOV.UK.

Guide from Made Smarter

Digital transformation has proven to be crucial to food and drink manufacturers of all sizes. Not only can technologies help makers overcome challenges, but it can also unlock a whole host of opportunities.

It’s no wonder that so many in the industry have been eager to adopt these new tools.

In their guide Made Smarter share just a few of the biggest advantages that makers in the food and drink space can look forward to.

Ultimate Guide To Food And Drink Manufacturing – Made Smarter

Boost for farming innovation

£16.5 million of funding has been announced to help drive innovation in agriculture and horticulture as part of the Government’s £270 million Farming Innovation Programme.

Review into food supply chain labour shortages

Defra has launched an independent review into labour shortages in the food supply chain. The review will examine the challenges facing farming businesses when recruiting and retaining workers, as well as how the sector can reduce its reliance on migrants. It will also look at how automation, the recruitment of domestic workers and migration rules can help tackle labour shortages. The final report will be published in 2023.

Read more about the review here