New grant applications open for Lincolnshire farmers to expand existing slurry stores
Tue 06 Dec 2022
Great news for Masons Rural and Louth Livestock Market clients who already operate a slurry system. As part of the Farming Investment Fund, the Rural Payments Agency released information on the Slurry Infrastructure Grant available to Pig, Beef or Diary Farmers.
This new grant is designed to help farmers invest in future proofed slurry infrastructure by replacing or expanding existing slurry stores or constructing a new store.
The aim to provide 6 months’ worth of storage capacity and to make better use of organic nutrients, improve water, and air quality and reduce greenhouse gases.
Lucy Turner from the Masons Rural team explains “Currently, the minimum storage capacity for slurry required to comply with the SAFFO Regulations is 4 months. The minimum requirement for this grant is 6 months which is in line with stores located in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) for Pigs and is just above the 5-month minimum requirement in NVZs for Cattle.”
With a minimum grant of £25,000 and maximum of £250,000 of funding available, Lucy suggests it’s well worth contacting her immediately to investigate eligibility.
The grant covers a large range of infrastructure such as an above ground steel store, a precast circular concrete store, earth bank lagoons and rectangular concrete panelled stores. It also includes a grant for impermeable covers to mitigate ammonia emissions. The options are a fixed flexi-cover or a floating flexi-cover.
Not only that, but the slurry grant can also be used to pay for additional items for the storage system such as reception pits, transfer pumps, chopper pumps, galvanised or polyethylene pipework, wall or in-situ mixers or underground transfer channels to name a few.
Storage requirements are based on livestock numbers and rainfall, along with the yard areas, drainage, and roofing provisions.
Unlike previous schemes, this RPA funding is not based on a percentage towards the total cost of the project but instead, if successful, you will receive a fixed contribution for each item the project requires and the type of storage you plan to build. This is normally based on 50% of the current market cost.
Applying for the grant is a 2-stage process with the first stage opening on 6th December 2022. The funding is competitive and expected to generate high demand for this initial tranche, so we advise you to act quickly and call Lucy on 01507 350500 Option 3 or email.