The government has announced this week that an added £74 million will help farmers invest in slurry infrastructure. This, it hopes, will tackle water pollution, improve air quality and make better use of organic nutrients.
Applications are now open for the second round of the Slurry Infrastructure Grant, which forms part of a total £200 million being invested in infrastructure to tackle agricultural pollution from slurry.
Various improvements have been made, including how much storage pig farms can apply for, offering grants towards a slurry separator, and the option to retrofit covers onto existing stores.
As well as that, in order to meet increased demand, double the funding of the first round has been allocated.
Under the scheme, farmers can apply for grants of £25,000 to £250,000 to replace and expand slurry stores, and to fund equipment such as agitators, separators, reception pits.
Water and air pollution
The grant forms a key component of the government’s Plan for Water, which sets out more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement to tackle water pollution.
It also delivers on vital commitments under the Environmental Improvement Plan to reduce air pollution, halt biodiversity decline and support recovery of protected sites.
Farming Minister, Mark Spencer said:
“We’re indebted to farmers who work day-in, day-out to ensure we have great British food on our tables, while protecting and shaping our countryside.
“Our Slurry Infrastructure Grant is helping farmers to invest in infrastructure which is often costly but can deliver big benefits for our waterways and air quality, while also cutting their input costs.”
Slurry is a vital tool in increasing organic matter in soil, supporting crop growth and helping farmers be more productive while reducing the need for artificial fertilisers.
Spreading slurry when there is no crop or soil requirement, can cause significant pollution in rivers, as well as wasting a valuable resource and increasing costs for farmers.
The grant will enable more farmers to go beyond existing storage requirements, supporting better compliance with regulation and more effective use of organic nutrients, according to the government.
It is part of the government’s commitment to tackle nutrient pollution, and grants will continue to be prioritised in areas near protected sites with ammonia pressures in nutrient neutrality catchments.
Sustainable development
This comes as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and Natural England continue to support developers and local planning authorities to mitigate the impact of nutrient pollution from wastewater from new housing developments.
Recipient of the first round of the Slurry Infrastructure Grant, Joe Dewhirst, said:
“The Slurry Infrastructure Grant is helping me replace my old earth banked slurry lagoon with a new precast circular slurry store, which will help me manage my slurry better and reduce emissions from the farm.”
This grant comes ahead of the launch of two further rounds of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund in early 2024 and 2025, offering £21 million for items of equipment such as nutrient testing kids, to help farmers manage slurry.
