The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) Scotland is reminding those considering erecting or upgrading their slurry storage to meet new regulations, that the latest funding round will open tomorrow (February 15).
The round also includes support for irrigation lagoons, which is a new measure that NFU Scotland has been calling for as a result of significant water shortages seen in some areas in recent years.
NFU Scotland received confirmation from the Scottish government that the grant funding for slurry storage and irrigation lagoons, delivered through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS), will open with £4 million being made available for successful applications received before April 19.
The Scottish government has indicated that this will be the final year that support for slurry storage will be made available.
New regulations will apply, which include: farms where slurry from cattle is produced are required to have 22 weeks of slurry storage capacity by January 1, 2026.
As well as that, slurry stores constructed before September 1991 have until 2026 to comply with the new storage requirements.
The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has committed to working with those farmers who have less than 22 weeks storage after January 1, 2026, with the aim of reaching compliance as quickly as possible.
Around 60 Scottish farms applied for slurry storage funding in the 2023 AECS round, largely due to the short application window – but many more farmers are expected to apply this year.
NFU Scotland
Since December 2023, NFU Scotland has been encouraging those likely to be applying to the current round of funding for slurry storage to undertake planning ahead of the opening of the scheme.
“On supporting slurry storage, this is a step in the right direction. There is an increased payment rate of up to £20/m3 (up to 2,000m3).
Previous recipients can apply although first time applicants will be prioritised.
The director of policy at NFU Scotland, Jonnie Hall, said:
“To improve industry resilience in light of recent significant water shortages in some areas, having irrigation lagoons included for the first time shows that the Scottish government has listened to us and accepted the proposals we have submitted.
“For those looking to either erect a slurry store or construct an irrigation lagoon, the application window closure on April 19 remains very tight.
“It’s not ideal, but we urge members to use what’s on offer – not least as the clock is ticking on the four-year phase of the new slurry storage regulations.”
