Final call for Rural Development Programme bids

Michelle O'Neill, the agriculture and rural development minister for Northern Ireland, has issued a final call for grant applications to the £21.5m Rural Development Programme.
The programme is open to companies ranging from sole traders to those with up to 750 employees, as long as they are involved in the processing of primary agricultural products.
Up to £250,000 is available per applicant towards the cost of purchasing equipment and plants, reconfiguring factory layouts or making building alterations.
All applications must be submitted by 20 September 2013, although funded projects have up until 31 March 2015 to complete.
O'Neill said: "I hope all in the agriculture, horticulture and forestry processing sectors will welcome this final opportunity under the current programme to avail of financial support."
To date, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has approved funding worth approximately £18.6m to 88 separate projects.
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