The EAGGF says there is no minimum amount of grant

The cash is on offer for various rural projects in agriculture, horticulture and food processing.

Since 2000, Objective One in Cornwall has handed out �30m to agriculture, representing nearly 5,000 projects.

Over the next two years �22m of funding is available for distribution through the European Agricultural Guidance Guarantee Fund (EAGGF).

Future funding

One of the largest projects to have been supported by Objective One is the Dairy Crest factory at Davidstow, which is now Europe's biggest cheese processing plant.

Money has also been made available to help farmers diversify by converting barns into business units.

The EAGGF is holding a conference for people in farming, forestry and other rural businesses to encourage them to apply for funding.

It says in two years' time there were no guarantees whether there will be any further specific funding for Cornwall.

David Rodda, of the EAGGF, said: "The idea is to cast the net as widely as possible and remind people that funding is available for a huge variety of projects. Grants can vary from �100 to millions of pounds."

The conference will also include rural workshops

Anthony Gibson of the National Farmers' Union is speaking at the conference, which he hopes will stimulate imaginative thinking.

Mr Gibson told BBC News Online: "There is no doubt that collective activities achieve more in the industry and the conference is ideal to encourage this, with Objective One cash to oil the wheels of enterprise."

A �59,000 grant was awarded to non-profit organisation CKL - The Machinery and Labour Ring, which was matched funded by Defra.

The non-profit making group, which acts as a "matchmaker" between those farmers with surplus machinery or labour and those who require additional capacity, said its grant was "essential".

The EAGGF conference, at the Headland Hotel, Newquay on 19 October, will also include workshop sessions on training, investing in skills, diversification, novel crops and livestock.