Farmers and landowners are being advised to check if they will be of eligible for grants from the new Severn Trent Environmental Protection Scheme (STEPS).
Sarah Hulland, a chartered rural surveyor with leading regional company Halls, says the voluntary scheme is funded by Severn Trent Water and set to run for five years, with farmers and landowners able to apply annually.
STEPS aims to provide grants to farmers for infrastructure investments to aid the protection of the environment. It will pay the fixed price offered for each land management/capital item or scheme, up to a maximum of £5,000. This could total up to £25,000 of works if applied for annually.
“It is a competitive scheme but does not need to be match funded,” said Sarah. “If a holding or part holding falls within the Environmental Agency Safe Guard Zones (SGZ) and is within the Severn Trent Water Catchment Area, the owner will be eligible to apply.
“The aim is to prevent pollution by pesticides and livestock diffuse pollution into the River Severn and tributaries. The scheme is set to open imminently and will be sending out application packs to interested parties who register.
“I advise farmers and landowners to waste no time in checking if their farm or land falls within a SGZ catchment.”
The Capital Item Options include: watercourse fencing, livestock drinking troughs, pasture pumps, supply pipe, solar panel pumps, hard base for troughs, pesticide wash down areas, lined biobeds, pesticide biofilter, installation of piped culverts in ditches, roofs/floating covers for existing slurry stores, roofing of existing manure storage and livestock holding areas, arable and grass margins, livestock removal from high risk fields, riparian margins, catch crops, rainwater harvesting, field drainage and many more including a farmer innovation option.
