Farmers prompted to access slurry grants by end of September
© Tim Scrivener Livestock farmers in England are being encouraged to apply for slurry management grants ahead of the 30 September deadline.
Grant funding of between £25,000 and £250,000 is available for farm businesses to help towards the cost of building slurry stores, fitting covers and investing in equipment through the second round of Defra’s Slurry Infrastructure grant.
The grant is paid in arrears and generally covers 50% of project costs.
See also: Joining forces brings environment rewards for farmer groups
Water company Seven Trent has encouraged farm businesses to apply, due to the role slurry storage plays in improving water quality.
Dr Adam Freer, senior catchment management scientist at Seven Trent, welcomed the government support and mentioned that alternative funding options were also available for slurry management on dairy, beef and pig farms.
“With winter fast approaching, I’d urge all farmers to invest in best-practice manure handling and storage techniques to ensure compliance with the Farming Rules for Water and NVZs [Nitrate Vulnerable Zones], help protect the environment, and make the best use of homegrown nutrient sources,” said Dr Freer.
He also mentioned that Countryside Stewardship options were available, with support from Catchment Sensitive Farming as well as funding through Severn Trent’s Environmental Protection Scheme.
“This ranges from funding to cover manure stores, which excludes rainwater and reduces storage pressure, to clean and dirty water separation equipment, concreting and precision spreading equipment.”
Dr Freer added: “Our 20-strong team of local agricultural advisers are on-hand to help farmers protect the environment while supporting greater farm productivity.
“We can help guide farmers to any grants they may be eligible for – including options funded by the government and private organisations.”
A third round of Defra’s Slurry Infrastructure Grant is due to open later this year.