Farming News - Fund to support dairy farmers opens for applications

Fund to support dairy farmers opens for applications

The dairy response fund has opened today (18 June) for applications from eligible dairy farmers in England in need of support following the coronavirus outbreak.
 
To be eligible for support from the fund, farmers in England need to demonstrate that they have suffered a reduction in the average price paid for their milk of 25% or more in April 2020 when compared with February 2020.
 
Qualifying farmers are entitled to up to £10,000 each to cover 70% of their losses across April and May incurred as a result of a drop in price, following a reduced demand for milk with the closure of restaurants, bars, and cafes in recent months.
 
This financial support will help farmers maintain production capacity and sustain their business without impacts on animal welfare.
 
Farmers will be able to apply for a single payment from the fund, which will be paid out from 6 July. Applications can be submitted directly to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).
 
However, RABDF Chairman Peter Alvis said the fund did not go far enough to support all those in need.

He said: "We welcome the news of the dairy response funds in England and Wales. However, the concerns that we have raised before remain that for those farmers who had to dump milk still don't appear to be covered by the funds, neither do farmers who process their own milk or those in the non-bovine sector.  

 “We do not understand how farmers will demonstrate milk volumes dumped as this will not appear on milk statements and therefore, the volume loss can’t be evidenced in this way.”

He added: “It is disappointing the non-bovine sector has been excluded despite both Governments being made aware of the fragility of the sector. Due to the small size of the sector we hope the government can find a small sum of money to support them as without it, these farms will struggle to survive.”

The deadline for applications will be 14 August. Farmers will be able to apply for a single payment from the fund, which will be paid out from 6 July. Applications can be submitted directly to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA

Further advice on how to apply for this funding is available here.