Farming Monthly National June 2017 | Page 8

| News Fairfields Farm boosted by Government grant Colchester-based potato farm and hand-cooked crisp producer, Fairfields Farm, has successfully secured a £99,978 grant from The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) to assist with continued expansion. he rapidly growing business, which has invested in production and equipment in the last few years, as well as product development, applied for the grant in order to upgrade equipment on the farm. The grant contributed to an investment in a new state-of-the-art T frying and product handling system at Fairfields Farm, which is part of a bigger project to make Fairfields Farm one of the leading snack producers in Britain fueled by renewable energy generated on the farm using anaerobic energy. “This grant has enabled us to make the changes and upgrades that were required to meet the demand from our customers,” 08 | Farming Monthly | June 2017 explains Robert Strathern, third- generation potato farmer and founder of Fairfields Farm. Fairifields Farm has also just undergone a BRC Global Standards inspection, receiving a grade A. BRC Global Standards' guarantee the standardisation of quality, safety and operational criteria and ensure that manufacturers fulfil their legal obligations and provide protection for the end consumer. “We're currently investing heavily in our production and NPD and this grant, along with our Grade A BRC inspection will make a huge difference to the business going forward,” adds Robert. For more information about Fairfields Farm visit www.fairfieldsfarmcrisps.co.uk www.farmingmonthly.co.uk