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SWHLI Grant Applications
The SWHLI Programme is now open to grant applications from training providers who wish to apply for delivery of the Knowledge Transfer elements of this programme. Please visit http://www.sw-ruralgateway.info/swhli for more details and an application pack.
About SWHLI
In recognition of the importance of the livestock sector to the South West region, the South West Regional Development Agency has committed £12.17m of European Development Funding over five years for a SW Healthy Livestock Initiative. This represents an exciting opportunity for farmers, and those wishing to work with farmers on methods of treating or controlling of disease.
The livestock sector is important within the South West, with 25% of the national population of livestock being reared within the region. The industry is worth approximately £2 billion to the region at the farm gate, making a significant contribution to the economy.
The aim of the programme is to achieve an uplift in the profitability of the South West livestock industry by improving health and welfare among farmed animals. This project is RDPE funded and is being delivered through the South West of England Regional Development Agency, with Defra as the Managing Authority.
Click here for SWHLI Programme Documents
The objectives of the South West Healthy Livestock Initiative are:
To improve standards of health and welfare among farmed animals by:-
- optimising levels of animal performance
- improving quality of meat, milk, hides, fleece, etc, leading to better marketability/higher prices
- reducing direct costs and wastage
Objectives will be achieved through the increased knowledge and skills of practitioners within the industry on subjects such as genetics, nutrition, fertility, environment (housing etc.), prevention, diagnosis, control and treatment of diseases and parasites.
The Programme so far…
All projects will be underpinned by a comprehensive and robust evidence base, ensuring that any future activity is demand-led, has the engagement of, and offers an integrated solution for the industry. Industry will be involved through effective workshops offering knowledge transfer, the opportunity to highlight priorities including sector specific priorities, as well as providing views on how any delivery mechanism might work. The results of both the workshops and the market research project will feed into interim reports and a final report, which will inform the priorities and form the basis for the programme delivery elements.
Driving principles that underpin the recommendations in these reports will include:-
- Providing farmers with the information they need to make informed decisions
- Taking a generic management based approach i.e. not disease specific
And will be:-
- Sustainable - a 25 year plan with 5 years of pump-priming funding
- Based on a broad business focused approach
- Achievable, with competency of delivery
- A co-ordinated set of specifications
- Collaborative in its approach
