The Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) have announced a call for LEADER Food Initiative Project Applications. At least €883,000 in funding is available nationally in this call for LEADER Food Initiative projects.
Project applicants must be an Artisan, Micro, Small food producer or an on-farm diversification enterprise and registered as a food producer with the relevant Competent Authority as per Regulation (EC) No 852/2004. Start-up food businesses must be registered as a food producer with the relevant Competent Authority as per Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 before receiving payment under the LEADER Food Initiative. Such registration is a condition of funding. This grant aid is also for investment in local processing facilities, which allow farmers to sell their products into the local and wider domestic markets. Medium enterprises are not eligible under this initiative.
Projects must be fully completed by 31 March 2024.
Those eligible to apply are food enterprises who are Artisan, Micro or Small food producers or on-farm diversification enterprises. Projects must be in the areas of
(1) Market development,
(1) Market development,
(2) Competitiveness or
(3) Innovation
This is a two stage competitive process with at least €883,000 in funding available nationally.
The first stage is submission of an Expression of Interest (EOI). This EOI can be downloaded HERE and must be submitted to by Monday the 28th August at the latest. Your completed form will be presented to the Department for their review and the Department will select the projects nationally that will proceed to full application.
Exact timeframes for the completion of the full application process are yet to be determined, but we anticipate a short turnaround period of possibly 3-4 weeks for submission of your completed full application form and supporting documentation.
