What you should know about the Slurry Infrastructure Grant
Farmers will soon be able to apply for funding towards storing and using slurry in a safe and efficient way.
Pigs, beef and dairy land owning and tenant farmers can apply for the first round, with those in protected sites with the biggest environmental impact prioritised.
Those with six months of storage, poultry and arable farmers, horticultural businesses or contractors will not be eligible.
What the funding will pay for:
The funding will help replace, build or expand existing slurry stores to provide six months of storage. All stores will need to be fitted with an impermeable cover or slurry treated through acidification.
Up to 50% funding is available towards:
- A range of slurry store types
- Impermeable covers
- Extra equipment such as pumps, pipes and safety gear
Farmers will have the opportunity to build more than six months storage, but the grant will only contribute to six months. The funding will also cover replacement stores for those that have reached the end of their design life or are susceptible to leaks or failure.
The application process:
The process will be in two stages, to identify the farms in the high priority areas.
Stage 1: This will involve an online checker where you will be asked about the store, including:
- Current and planned storage capacity
- Location
- Status of planning permission
This online checker takes only 10 minutes and if the project is identified as high priority for round one, you will be invited to submit a full application by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).
Stage 2: If you are successful in being invited to full application, you will be required to complete a form and submit it with supporting documents. A project plan will be required and needs to include:
- Store design and location
- Confirmation it meets with storing slurry rules and build standard requirements
- How you calculated storage capacity needs
The RPA and the Environment Agency will check these details to ensure relevant rules and requirements have been met.
How much funding is available?
Farmers can apply for between £25,000 and £250,000 for each business. Grants can cover up to a maximum of 50% of the eligible costs of a project. The remaining costs will need to be paid for through private sources, such as savings or a bank loan. The grant will be paid in arrears.
The Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) is offering a slurry wizard to help farmers calculate their current storage capacity based on animal numbers. You can find this tool online at the AHDB website. (www.ahdb.org.uk)
Applications will be open from autumn 2022 and further information will be made available over the next few months.
