The first application round for the Slurry Infrastructure Grant is now open ( as of 6th December 2022) and will remain open until 31st January 2023.
With increasing scrutiny and attention towards the farming industry surrounding pollution caused by poor slurry management, there is now more pressure than ever placed on farmers to ensure good practice. Pig, beef and dairy farmers across the UK face legislative changes brought about by an environmental focus, which they must strive to comply with to continue to operate. Perhaps less discussed, poor slurry infrastructure reduces both financial and operational productivity on British farms. It is suggested that the source of up to 9% of UK agricultural ammonia emissions stems from poor slurry and manure storage. (Kupper et al., 2020)
Fortunately, through the Farming Transformation Fund, DEFRA and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) have launched this new grant channel to support farming businesses and industry experts in order to develop and renovate slurry storage for farmers’ safety, maximising efficiency and reducing the nutrient loss to the surrounding environment.
Read on to find out more about this grant.
What is the Slurry Infrastructure Grant?
The Slurry Infrastructure Grant is available to pig, beef and dairy farmers and tenant farmers who have management control over the land hosting the existing slurry store. The overarching aim of this grant scheme is to:
- Improve organic nutrient use
- improve air and water quality
- reduce greenhouse gases emissions
The funding ranges from £25,000 to a maximum of £250,000 per applicant business based on standard costs as per the infographics below. The funding will be paid in arrears, with up to 3 allowable claims across the duration of the project. Each applicant must therefore have sufficient funding sources to cover the cost of all items prior to claiming.
The grant itself is aimed at farming businesses with less than 6 months of serviceable slurry storage. Please note that if your farm business already has 6 months of storage you will not be eligible. Additionally, the grant will not fund AD plants or the storing of digestate.
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) intend to prioritise applicant projects that provide the greatest environmental benefit, particularly if the first round becomes oversubscribed.
What will the grant help pay for?
Providing the eligibility requirements are met, the grant can help pay for:
- above-ground steel slurry stores
- precast circular concrete slurry stores
- earth bank lagoons without synthetic liner
- earth bank lagoons with a synthetic liner
- stores using precast rectangular concrete panels
- large volume supported slurry bags (over 2,500 cubic metres (m3))
See our quick reference sheets below for a brief look into the various funding opportunities:
When and how to apply
The Slurry Infrastructure Grant is a two-stage process which launches in 6th December 2022, where you will have until 31st January 2023 to submit an eligibility form (stage 1) to see how much funding may be available. Please note, you will need to understand your current and future slurry storage requirement, which can be calculated using the AHDB Slurry Wizard tool.
If your project is deemed eligible, you will be sent an invitation and application form to create a full application (stage 2). Should your full application be successful, the RPA will offer a grant.
We believe the arrival of this grant to be a significant opportunity for UK pig, beef and dairy farmers to take steps towards improving their environmental footprint and business resilience.
If you think you may be eligible for this grant, don’t miss out! Apply here.
Contact us today to discuss or ask questions about grants schemes, diversification or development projects on your farm to see how we can help you.
Links
Below are links to the official RPA documents regarding the grant
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/slurry-infrastructure-grant/about-the-slurry-infrastructure-grant-who-can-apply-and-what-it-can-pay-for
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/slurry-infrastructure-grant/how-to-apply-for-a-slurry-infrastructure-grant
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/slurry-infrastructure-grant/use-the-online-checker-to-see-if-youre-eligible-to-apply
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/slurry-infrastructure-grant/plan-your-slurry-storage-what-you-need-to-know-and-where-to-look
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/slurry-infrastructure-grant/check-how-applications-will-be-prioritised
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/slurry-infrastructure-grant/item-specification-and-grant-contribution
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/slurry-infrastructure-grant/slurry-infrastructure-grant-and-habitats-regulations-assessment-information-for-local-planning-authorities
References:
- Kupper, T. et al. (2020) “Ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions from slurry storage – A Review,” Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 300, p. 106963. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2020.106963.
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