Grants to promote UK grain usage

The UK's Home Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) offers these grants as a way to encourage the development of new markets for grain. Applications for the current round of grants must be submitted by the end of June 2005.

The HGCA Enterprise Awards could benefit any company or business with plans for innovative use of grain in food and industrial applications. The cereals eligible for an award are wheat, barley, oats, rye and triticale, and the oilseeds eligible are linseed, soyabean, sunflower seed and oilseed rape.

The award scheme was launched by the HGCA in 1996, and has since benefited 137 businesses and generated the usage of an additional 610,000 tonnes of UK-grown cereal - more than half of the total annual production of cereal in Scotland.

A total of £2,276,600 (€3,330,000) has been awarded in grants since then.

Rathbones, one of the UK's largest independent bakers, recently received £10,000 (€14,500) to help launch its new variety pack of sliced bread. The different types of bread cater for different preferences in the same home, and have a two-week shelf life. The company aims to produce 500,000 packets a week, using an extra 2,450 tonnes of cereal.

Rank Hovis was also an award winner for its Elephant Atta chapatti flour, and Jordans cereal manufacturer received a grant to help launch its country crisp brand in the German market.

The HGCA Enterprise Awards are open to any companies within any industry using grain and are split into two categories- a start-up category for newly formed businesses and a main category for businesses over three years old.

Main category projects must generate the usage of 500 tonnes of grain and projects using oilseed, or start-up and export businesses must generate 250 tonnes.

Grants must also be match funded by the company they are awarded to.