Phillips Rural - Cornwall

03/06/2026

Good luck to all of our clients and friends exhibiting at the Royal Cornwall Show this week.

It’s always great to see so many local businesses, farmers and organisations coming together to showcase the best of Cornwall. We know how much effort goes into getting ready for the Show so we hope all the hard work pays off.

Have a fantastic few days and we will hopefully bump in to some of you around the show ground 🚜🌾🐑

01/06/2026

🚜 CAPITAL GRANTS 2026 🌱

DEFRA has now released details of the 2026 Capital Grants Scheme with funding available for a wide range of environmental and land management projects.

✔ Hedgerow planting and restoration
✔ Tree planting and woodland improvements
✔ Water quality measures
✔ Natural flood management works
✔ Boundary and habitat enhancements
✔ Farm infrastructure improvements

📅 Applications are expected to open in July 2026

If you're considering a project and would like advice on eligibility, grant options or assistance with an application please get in touch.

📞 Rural Planning & Agricultural Consultancy
📍 Cornwall & the South West

07/05/2026

30/04/2026

🚜 FETF Deadline Extended 🐄

The deadline for the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) has now been extended to midday on Tuesday 12th May.

The three grant priorities are:
• Farm productivity
• Slurry management
• Animal health & welfare

Grants available from £1,000 – £25,000 per theme but this is a competitive fund.

If you require any assistance with an application, please get in touch.

More information on eligible items can be found at

Apply for a FETF grant for help to buy items that improve productivity, manage slurry and improve animal health and welfare.

30/03/2026

There’s nothing we love more than seeing projects we have been involved in from the initial stages progress through to completion.

This one is particularly exciting and is the start of a new dairy unit in North East Cornwall. We are looking forward to seeing how it takes shape over the next few months!

27/03/2026

Ending the week on a high with another fantastic Class Q approval today 🙌

This was a more challenging proposal, but through considered design and a clear strategy around policy compliance, we secured a great result. It’s one we’ve been eagerly awaiting, so both my client and I are delighted to see it approved.

It’s been a very busy but exciting Q1, with a strong run of planning consents granted. Alongside this, we have a full and varied workload, including:

• Planning application for seasonal workers accommodation (x2)
• Planning applications for 4 slurry lagoons
• Agricultural worker’s dwelling
• GPDO agricultural buildings
• GPDO engineering works
• Barn conversions
• Agricultural justification appeal statements
• Agricultural justifications to accompany planning applications
• FETF grant applications
• Agricultural Land Classification reports

Heading into Q2, we’re hoping for a bit more sunshine, the opening of SFI26, and to see many of the projects we’re currently working on continue to progress.

17/03/2026

Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2026 now OPEN for applications 🚨

📅 Open: 17 March 2026
📅 Close: 28 April 2026 (midday)

The three grant priorities are:
• Farm productivity
• Slurry management
• Animal health & welfare

Grants available from £1,000 – £25,000 per theme but this is a competitive fund.

More information on eligible items can be found at

Apply for a FETF grant for help to buy items that improve productivity, manage slurry and improve animal health and welfare.

01/03/2026

Today is the first day of the ‘no cutting and trimming period’ for hedgerows on or next to land used for agriculture. This is in place from 1 March to 31 August (inclusive).

Read the Hedgerows management rules guidance to find out more 👇

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hedgerow-management-rules-cutting-and-trimming

24/02/2026

🌱 SFI26 Update + Key 2026 Funding Dates 🌾

DEFRA has now confirmed the detail for Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26).

🌿 SFI26 – Key Details

• 71 actions available (reduced from 102)
• Focus remains on environmental delivery alongside food production
• Most agreements will be 3 years
• Minimum eligibility: 3 hectares of agricultural land
• Window 1 opens June 2026 (for farms up to 50ha and those not already in an ELM revenue agreement)
• Window 2 opens September 2026 (open to all eligible farms)
• One SFI26 agreement per farm business
• £100,000 annual payment cap per business
• Management payment removed
• Some payment rates increased (e.g. upland/moorland grazing options)
• Some payment rates reduced (e.g. herbal leys, winter bird food)
• Limits on certain actions to prevent excessive land being taken out of production
• Rotational actions cannot increase beyond the area entered in Year 1

📅 Other 2026 Funding to Note

• Higher Tier Capital Grants – Open year-round from 5 January 2026

• Capital Grants – Expected July 2026

• Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) - Opens 17th March 2026

20/02/2026

💧 Water Efficiency Innovation Fund 💧

South West Water is offering funding to support businesses across Devon & Cornwall that have ideas to reduce mains water use and improve water efficiency.

The Water Efficiency Innovation Fund is open to projects that deliver measurable water savings. This could include:

💦 Reusing or recycling water on-site
🌧️ Rainwater harvesting
⚙️ Improving processes or installing water-saving technology
🔬 Trialling innovative approaches that reduce demand on the public water supply

Funding contributions (including match-funding) are available, and applications are reviewed on a monthly basis.

Projects don’t need to be groundbreaking, they simply need to demonstrate clear water savings and practical benefits.

If your business is considering improvements that could reduce water consumption, this fund may help support delivery.

Find out more on the link below:
🔗

We're encouraging and funding new and innovative ideas to reduce water-use in businesses that operate out of Devon and Cornwall.