Two weeks left to apply for slurry store cover grants

Dairy and beef farmers in England have just over two weeks to apply for 100% grants for slurry store covers.

Successful applicants to the Farming Ammonia Reduction Grant scheme also get one-to-one advice from a consultant on reducing ammonia emissions and conserving nitrogen. The scheme is open for existing slurry stores only.

Ammonia air pollution can have significant effects on human health and on ecosystems, with farming accounting for more than 83% of total emissions in 2014.

See also: More slurry and fertiliser articles

Covers protect slurry from rainwater, reducing storage and field application costs, cutting nitrogen loss and increasing the quality of slurry as a fertiliser, as well as reducing ammonia emissions, improving air quality and minimising odour emissions.

Applications must be in by 31 January and are being assessed on a first-come, first-served basis, with no maximum grant on eligible capital items for each business.

“Get your applications in as soon as possible,” advised Thomas Armstrong, associate director at land agent and surveyor H&H. “And make sure all your application details are filled in correctly – plenty of applications are expected and if details are missing, forms risk being put to one side.”

North Yorkshire farmer and contractor Adam Metcalfe has diversified into slurry store supply and building and advises that applicants need to think about how slurry will be stirred under covers.

Careful timing and planning was needed as covers must be installed when lagoons were empty, said Mr Metcalfe.