§ Dan NorrisTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to support farmers who wish to diversify within farming. [111270]
§ Mr. MorleyThe England Rural Development Plan describes how Government intend to use the European Community co-funded measures in the Rural Development Regulation to support farmers wishing to diversify within farming. Of the £1.6 billion seven-year programme, £152 million will fund a new Rural Enterprise Scheme to encourage diversification; £44 million will fund a new 17W Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme to encourage innovation and achieve added value for primary produce, and £22 million will go towards providing targeted training to support these and other schemes in the Plan.