Catchment Sensitive Farming grant scheme opens February

Capital Grant Scheme farmers' application pack
Capital Grant Scheme farmers' application pack

The Catchment Sensitive Farming Capital Grant Scheme will open for applications on 1 February 2014.

The grants scheme supports farmers to undertake practical works that will help improve water quality and reduce pollution from agricultural activity within the CSF project's 77 catchment areas.

More than 40 types of capital item are eligible, including installing water troughs, roofing manure and silage stores, and works to keep livestock away from streams. A total of £7.5 million is available from the grant fund to support projects that meet the scheme’s criteria.

Farmers within the Capital Grant Scheme’s priority catchments who are interested in making a grant application should contact their local Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer as soon as possible for more information.

The Capital Grant Scheme is a competitive fund with grants going to applications that best meet the scheme’s priorities and have the greatest environmental benefit. Grants of up to a £10,000 per holding are available and the scheme can pay 50% of the cost of approved capital works. The deadline for completed applications to be returned is 31 March 2014.

Catchment Sensitive Farming is a partnership between Natural England and the Environment Agency, funded by Defra and the Rural Development Programme for England, working in priority catchments within England.

Detailed maps for individual catchments can be viewed on the CSF website but please note that some amendments to the CSF area boundaries will not be updated before 12 February. Farmers and their advisers in the following 14 catchments are asked to contact the Capital Grants Scheme team on 0300 060 1111 for a copy of the most up to date maps showing eligible grant funding areas.

Catchment Name: Lincs Humber. Catchment number: 14a

Catchment name: Deben, Alde and Ore. Catchment number: 15

Catchment name: West Cornwall Catchments. Catchment number 16

Catchment name: Hampshire Avon. Catchment number 24

Catchment name: River Teme. Catchment number 28

Catchment name: Peak District Dales. Catchment number 30

Catchment name: Gipping and Orwell. Catchment number 31

Catchment name: Rivers Stour and Colne. Catchment number 48

Catchment name: River Perry. Catchment number 57

Catchment name: West Cumbria catchments. Catchment number 60

Catchment name: Upper Great Ouse. CSF Catchment A

Catchment name: Nidd. CSF Catchment C

Catchment name: Taw and Torridge. CSF Catchment E

Catchment name: Dane. CSF Catchment K