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Farmers reap the rewards of Europe

ALMOST 1,000 new jobs are set to be created in the region’s farming and rural communities on the back of £9.3m in European funding, One North East has predicted.

The regional development agency topped its £8.5m target between 2009 and 2010 for funding into the agricultural and rural sector.

The Rural Development Programme for England 2007-2013 is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union, and is managed in North East England by One North East, Natural England and the Forestry Commission.

According to One North East, the investment programme will help create 981 new jobs and safeguard a further 811.

Projects which have benefited from investment include a grant of £80,000 to upgrade storage, processing and bottling facilities at Rock Farm Dairy, and a grant of £120,000 to Lanchester Dairies, both County Durham, to enable local farms to handle increased sales after the collapse of Dairy Farmers of Britain in Blaydon.

Alan Clarke, One North East chief executive, said: “We are thrilled that we have exceeded our targets essentially because we have ensured that farmers and rural businesses in the region are receiving money that has been specifically set aside to help allow them to prosper and secure a successful future.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .