Financial support is being offered to Cheshire farmers interested in growing a Christmas tree crop on their land.
Grants covering up to 70% of the planting and establishment costs of a conifer crop has been made available by United Utilities.
Alongside this, expert advice and training on all aspects of Christmas tree growing will be given to farmers.
The water firm's catchment advisor, Vee Moore said growing Christmas trees can be a profitable use of land.
She said it was ideal for farmers wishing to grow low-input trees on less productive patches of land, field corners or grasslands.
“When Christmas trees are grown slowly, with small amounts of fertiliser, they cost less to produce and very little nitrate is lost to groundwater.
"This helps keep our treatment costs and customer bills down,” she added.
The offer is available exclusively to farmers who manage land in United Utilities' groundwater safeguard zones.
Eligible farmers have been asked to email southcatchmentteam@uuplc.co.uk for more information.
