New applicants for the Business Development Groups (BDG) Scheme must be submitted before 4pm on Wednesday 30 November 2016

The Scheme has reopened to eligible pig and dairy farmers.

Members of Kilrea dairying BDG discussing grassland management with Alan Agnew, Senior Development Adviser, CAFRE

Business Development Groups is part-funded through the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and the scheme aims to help farmers improve their technical and business efficiency, assist with long term planning of their farm business and improve access to new technologies and innovative ways of working. Key to the success of the programme is ensuring that the right farmers are in the right groups. Participants will have one opportunity to change the group they have been allocated to if they find they have little in common with the other group members.

New entrants will be registered to the scheme at their first training event which will take place early in the New Year. This event will provide an opportunity for group members to meet each other and their facilitator to discuss the requirements of and the further roll out of the scheme.

This tranche of applications is open to dairy and pig farmers only. However, CAFRE will continually review the membership of BDGs and anticipate that future calls for applications to other sectors may be required to maintain the balance within the scheme and to respond to the needs of the industry.

To make an application to the Business Development Group scheme and for further information visit the CAFRE website or call 028 9442 6790 or email kt.admin@daera-ni.gov.uk.

Notes to editors: 

1. Applications to the BDG scheme can be submitted from 10.00am on Wednesday 16 November 2016 to 4.00pm on Wednesday 30 November 2016.
2. The Business Development Group Scheme is part funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
3. Follow us on Twitter: @daera_ni.
4. All media enquiries to DAERA Press Office, pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk or tel: 028 9052 4619.

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