Grants for farmers to invest in slurry storage close end of January

Farmers are able to apply for grants of £25,000 - £250,000 towards the cost of slurry stores, covers and supporting equipment
Farmers are able to apply for grants of £25,000 - £250,000 towards the cost of slurry stores, covers and supporting equipment

Grants to help farmers in England overcome current financial barriers to investing in slurry storage on farm are set to close at the end of this month.

The funding, announced by Defra in November, aims to help farmers prevent water and air pollution while making the best of organic nutrients.

Grants will go toward the cost of building, replacing or expanding slurry storage to achieve six months capacity.

The scheme is open for farmers in England only, offering 50% match funding between £25,000 and £250,000.

The total funding pot is £13 million, and it will be available for livestock farmers to build six months of slurry storage capacity.

The first round of the Slurry Infrastructure grant closes for applications on 31 January 2023.

Defra farming minister Mark Spencer said many farmers were put off by high infrastructure costs and difficulty accessing finance.

"The grant will tackle this, helping farmers to invest in future-proof slurry storage that supports thriving farms while cutting pollution and allowing nature to prosper."

The NFU said adequate slurry storage was essential for farmers to continue protecting water courses and improve water and air quality.

The union's deputy president Tom Bradshaw said: "Farmers want and can do more to cut pollution levels and this grant will go a long way to supporting that.

“Though some farmers have plans, equipment and infrastructure in place to manage the nutrients in their slurry and manure, others face significant financial barriers to having sufficient slurry storage.

“The NFU has been working closely with Defra on the development of the scheme and will continue to do so to ensure as many farmers as possible are able to access this support."