PROJECT Carrot, the multi-million pound plan to put Herefordshire among Europe's top organic economies, made its first full bids for funding this week.

Carrot needs around £3m from European, regional and charitable coffers to convert Holme Lacy College into a flagship centre for sustainable agriculture.

By next month the scheme should know if that cash is coming.

Since first announced in March 2001, Carrot has been successful in attracting project development sums from similar sources. These latest bids are for the money to make things happen.

Enterprize zone

Carrot is an enterprise zone at Pound Farm - part of the Holme Lacy College campus - offering access to research, development and training opportunities related to organics.

Food processing units, teaching kitchens, and a state of the art information centre are part of the package for which planning permission is being sought from Herefordshire Council.

Vicki Murray, for The Bulmer Foundations, said Carrot was about alternative approaches to agriculture and rural business.

"Many farmers feel that it is not realistic to go all organic. They are interested in what difference organics can make."

The working organic farm would process and market its produce through the enterprise zone.