Programme Transfer
The responsibility for the delivery of the socio-economic elements (Axis 1,3 and 4) of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) will transfer from the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as of the 1st July 2011.
Over the next 12 months Defra expect to move towards a more consistent national model of delivery for the remainder of the programme period (to 31st December 2013), which delivers efficiencies for the taxpayer but retains a network of locally accessible delivery support.
Priorities for the Programme going forward include: competitiveness of the farming sector; skills and knowledge transfer; support for upland areas; rural broadband; and tourism.
Both Yorkshire Forward and Defra are working to minimise any disruption as a result of the transfer, though there may be some small administrative delays as processes switch over from one organisation to another, and as accommodation and IT moves take place.
A series of Questions and Answers about the transfer can be found here.
Rural Enterprise Investment Programme (REIP)
REIP is a package of support for rural businesses wanting to start up or expand, which need to access over £25,000 of public funding to take their businesses forward.
The Farm Resource Efficiency Programme (FREP)
Farmers in Yorkshire & Humber can apply to Yorkshire Forward for funding to help them invest in technology—which will benefit their profitability as well as the environment.
