Farmers to be offered efficiency boost

Dec 23 2008 by Laurie Stocks-Moore, Chester Chronicle

FARMING advisers in Tarporley have been awarded a contract worth nearly £2m to help boost the agricultural economy.

Promar, an agricultural advisory business based at Rookery Farm Lane, Tilstone Fearnall in Tarporley, is one of five organisations appointed by the North West Development Agency (NWDA) to deliver £6.3m in livestock support across the region.

Promar, which will be given a £1.9m chunk of the investment, will deliver resource efficiency and nutrient management on farms that wish to take part in the scheme.

The work is aimed at improving farm competitiveness through better animal health and welfare and greater efficiency of main farm resources such as fertiliser, fuel, water and energy.

Director of Promar International, David Cooke, said: “We will look at ways that farmers might be able to make improvements in terms of saving, which has an economic benefit.

“We will look at what fertiliser they use and what nutrients they put onto the ground, making sure they make the best use of their nutrient resource.”

In order for farmers to carry out the work the advisers might suggest, follow-on funding of £9.75m in capital investment grants will soon become available from the Livestock Programme.

Mr Cooke added: “It will enable farmers to implement some of the recommendations that are found. Some may require capital so it gives them an opportunity to make changes that in the long term are going to save them costs.”

The rest of the money will be spent on overseeing animal health and welfare planning work.

Farmers interested in receiving the nutrient management planning and resource efficiency audits can contact Promar International on 01829 731731.