Cavan LEADER Food Initiative Call - 2023

The Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) announced a call for food project applications under the ‘LEADER Food Initiative’ (LFI) on the 7 August 2023.

Those eligible to apply include the following food enterprises who are Artisan*, Micro*, or Small* food producers or on-farm diversification enterprises who wish to receive grant aid under the LEADER Food Initiative. This grant aid is also for investment in local processing facilities (not primary agriculture activities), which allow farmers to sell their products into the local and wider domestic markets. Medium enterprises are not eligible under this initiative. This funding will be delivered using the LEADER application process and will be coordinated locally by Cavan Local Action Groups partner ‘Cavan County Local Development'.

At least €883,000 in funding is available in this call for Food projects nationally. To be considered for funding under this Call, you are invited to send an email with a outline description of the food project that you wish to develop and include details of how it will benefit you economically, socially and or environmentally (e.g. will it create jobs?, will it improve efficiencies?). This description should be brief, with approximately 300 to 350 words. PLEASE include your full name and contact telephone number in your email. In first instance, send your project description by email to leader@ccld.ie by 4.30pm on Wednesday 16 August 2023. A member of the Cavan LEADER development staff will then contact you directly for further information about the application process. You will be required to complete a full LEADER application, subject to your project proposal being approved in principle by DRCD.

*Notes: *‘Artisan’ businesses are micro-enterprises with turnover up to €2m, employing fewer than 10 people and producing food in limited quantities using skilled craftspeople. (FSAI Guidance Note The Use of Food Marketing Terms (Guideline No. 29)) * ‘Micro’ businesses are enterprises which employs fewer than ten persons (or whole time equivalents) and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed €2 million. (Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC). * ‘Small’ businesses are enterprises with turnover up to €10m, employing fewer than 50. (as per Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC).