Guidance

Socio-economic measures and grant funding agreement privacy notice

Published 18 July 2024

Applies to England

How the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) collects and processes personal information relating to socio-economic measures including where grant funding agreements are entered into.

1. Purpose for Processing

Socio-economic Measures consist of the following services:

1.1 Adding Value to Agri-Food Scheme

The register of animals where animal-based aid schemes apply.

1.2 Small Grants

The scheme providing funding for farmers to purchase equipment to improve the productivity of their farm.

1.3 Improving Farm Productivity Scheme

To improve farm productivity through equipment to aid crop and livestock production.

1.4 Improving Forestry Productivity Scheme

To improve forestry productivity through felling, extraction and adding value by primary processing of timber products.

1.5 Large Grants

Large grants (over £35,000) for forestry productivity, water resource management, adding value to agri-food and improving farming productivity.

1.6 Cumbrian Countryside Access Fund Scheme

Individual grants for landowners or public bodies to cover reinstating and improving rights of way for rural towns and villages, visitor attractions, long distance trails, and those passing through environmentally sensitive areas such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

1.7 European Innovation Partnership Scheme

Funds projects in public-private partnership in the field of information and communication technology (ICT) for active and healthy ageing.

1.8 Farming Recovery Fund

Provides emergency financial assistance to farmers whose agricultural land has been impacted by exceptional weather conditions on 12 June 2019 in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire and 30 July 2019 in Arkengarthdale, Wensleydale and Swaledale in North Yorkshire.

1.9 Growth Programme - Business Development

Grants to help rural businesses grow and create more jobs by way of improving buildings or buying new equipment.

1.10 Growth Programme - Food Processing

Grants to help food and drink businesses that process agricultural and horticultural products grow and create more jobs.

1.11 Growth Programme - Rural Broadband Infrastructure

Grant funding for projects in England which create broadband infrastructure in rural areas.

1.12 Growth Programme - Rural Tourism Infrastructure

To support projects that will encourage more tourists to visit, to stay longer and to spend more money in rural areas.

1.13 Leader Scheme

Providing funding for projects in England which create jobs and growth in the rural economy.

The following services include Grant Funding Agreements:

1.14 Adding Value Scheme

Grants for growers or producers to add value to eligible agricultural products after they have been harvested or reared.

1.15 Slurry Infrastructure Scheme

Grants to improve the slurry infrastructure for pig, beef and dairy farmers whose farming systems produce slurry.

1.16 Farming Equipment and Technology Fund

A scheme providing support to businesses so that they can invest in equipment and technology to improve sustainable agricultural, horticultural and forestry productivity. It will help to deliver a competitive and thriving agricultural, horticultural and forestry sector, with a reduced impact on the environment.

1.17 Smaller Abattoir Fund

The fund is a criteria grant supporting the continuation of a sustainable network of smaller abattoirs in England by providing financial support to make improvements to productivity, enhance animal health and welfare, encourage the introduction of innovative approaches to the use of new technologies and add value to primary products.

1.18 Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare

The grant supports laying hen and pullet farmers in England by providing grants to build new and upgrade or replace existing hen housing buildings. These will provide a high level of biosecurity, an excellent ambient environment, and will maximise the space available by ensuring full and safe accessibility to all birds.

1.19 Water Resource Management Scheme

Grants to improve farm productivity through more efficient use of water for irrigation.

1.20 Water Restoration Fund

The fund is a competitive grant supporting the improvement of water quality and restoration of the water environment by providing financial support to projects that focus on addressing pressures on the water environment.

2. Why we are able to process your personal data

The law allows us to process your personal data under article 6(1)(e) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). We are allowed to process personal data when we need to carry out a public task.

The relevant law is the Environmental Stewardship (England) Regulations 2005.

We have a legal obligation to provide beneficiary data to Defra, who publish it to meet EU retained legislation, aimed at promoting transparency and the requirements of the Agriculture (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2021.

3. What personal data we process

We collect and process the personal data asked for during the registration process for the service you are applying for.

The information that we collect and process is:

• customer registration information
• bank account information
• applications and whether they meet the eligibility criteria plus evaluating the strengths of applications against the scheme priorities
• offers and agreements (including the agreement (AG) number)
• grants
• supply chain information
• equipment details including costs
• permitted paths and rights of way
• cattle records
• land management plans
• advice from partnership bodies
• for water schemes: data on consumption including which water resource zones are in use
• the overall effectiveness of the scheme or function
• whether the outcomes met the aims
• lessons learned
• developing policies and new schemes
• details of anyone who acts for you, for example an agent

We may process your personal data including your email address in any questions or feedback you send to us. We may also use your information to contact you about future grants and updates to farming policy that would be relevant to you.

We may also potentially use your information in media campaigns to promote outcomes, we will contact you to request your agreement to do this.

4. Your responsibility with other people’s personal data

If you’ve included personal data about other people in your records, you must tell them. You must provide them with a copy of this privacy notice so that they know how their personal data will be used.

5. Where your personal data is stored

We store, transfer and process your personal data on our servers in the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU).

6. How long we keep your personal data

For the following schemes we keep your information for 5 years:

• Water Resource Management Scheme         
• Small Grants
• Improving Farm Productivity Scheme
• Improving Forestry Productivity Scheme
• Large Grants
• Cumbrian Countryside Access Fund Scheme
• European Innovation Partnership Scheme
• Farming Recovery Fund
• Growth Programme - Business Development
• Growth Programme - Food Processing
• Leader Scheme. 
• Improving Farm Productivity

For the following schemes we keep your information for 7 years:

• Adding Value to Agri-Food Scheme
• Growth Programme - Rural Broadband Infrastructure
• Growth Programme - Rural Tourism Infrastructure

For the following schemes we keep your information for 3 years for data submitted through the application eligibility checker or full application, and 7 years from the end of the agreement where a Grant Funding Agreement is entered into:

• Adding Value Scheme
• Slurry Infrastructure Scheme
• Farming Equipment & Technology Fund                   
• Smaller Abattoir Fund
• Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare
• Water Resource Management Scheme
• Water Restoration Fund

Please refer to our Personal Information Charter and the section ‘How long we will keep data’ for information on any potential exceptions.

7. Who we share your personal data with

We share your personal data with:

• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
• Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
• Environment Agency
• Natural England
• Forestry Commission
• Department for Business and Trade
• Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate
• Welsh Government Rural Payments Wales
• Broadband UK
• European Union
• European Structural and Investment Fund Committee

8. Your rights

Read our Personal Information Charter to find out your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018).

9. How to make a complaint

If you have concerns about how RPA uses your personal data, please read how to get in touch or make a complaint.