§ 15. Mrs. LawrenceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he is taking to provide business advice to farmers. [122417]
§ Mr. Nick BrownUnder the Action Plan for Farming announced on 30 March, farmers in England will benefit from business advice worth in excess of £8.5 million in the current financial year. Additional support will also be provided for farmers involved with diversification projects under the England Rural Development Plan.
§ 21. Mrs. DeanTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps his Department is taking to help farmers in marketing and product development. [122423]
§ Ms QuinWe have a range of measures to help farmers improve their marketing and better meet the needs of consumers. These include the Agricultural Development Scheme, which is currently open for applications, and new schemes under the England Rural Development Plan, which will be introduced in the summer, subject to clearance by the European Commission.