FARMERS will be able to share more of their equipment, skills and time after an investment boost in a non-profit-making co-operative.

A rural enterprise grant of £122,000 has been made to the 250-strong Ridings Machinery Ring, which operates throughout North Yorkshire.

The ring provides a full range of services and machinery, as well as extra help at busy times or if a farmer is injured or on holiday.

The grant, from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, will run for three years and will allow the ring to recruit new members and expand the services offered.

The ring's manager, Peter Day, said: "Given the changes which are happening in farming, we felt we needed to increase membership to enable us to help farmers make the best use of their time and assets.

"With the extra funding we will be actively assessing the needs of individual farmers."

Such "need assessments" look at which parts of a farmer's work could be made easier or more cost-effective by the ring and also at how the farmer can help others.

The Ridings Machinery Ring was formed in 1992 by a number of farmers and contractors as an independent co-operative, with assistance from the old Ministry of Agriculture.