The RPA has announced that the Slurry Infrastructure Grant scheme will open on 6th December and will provide farmers and landowners with funding worth between £25,000 – £250,000 to replace, build or expand existing slurry stores so that they have six months storage capacity.
Funding can be used to pay for tanks, lagoons, concrete stores and large-volume permanent bags. In addition, the grant can cover accessories such as reception pits, slurry pumps, agitators, pipework and safety fencing. Where slurry stores are being installed or expanded, these must be fitted with an impermeable cover.
The grant will be available to pig, beef and dairy farmers for the provision of 6 months of slurry storage facilities based on current stocking figures. Businesses will be paid a fixed rate towards the equipment needed, based on standard amounts and it is estimated that the grant should cover approximately 50% of the costs. Examples of some of the standard costs can be found below:
- Above ground steel slurry store: £31.50 per m3
- Precast circular concrete slurry store: £26.17 per m3
- Earth bank lagoon with synthetic liner: £18.22 per m3
- Store using precast rectangular concrete panels: £72.74 per m3
Funding will not be available for demolition and removal of old stores or the repair of existing stores.
There will be a two-stage application process. An online grant checker will open on 6th December 2022 and close on 31st January 2023, which will allow applicants to check if they are eligible to apply and get an estimate of the grant funding that they will potentially receive. The RPA will then review all projects and produce a shortlist of projects based on the priority areas including those in the Eden Valley, South Cumbria and areas of the North York Moors and East Yorkshire. Those applicants that make the shortlist will then be invited to submit a full application by 31st January 2023.
The Slurry Infrastructure Grant is a good opportunity for landowners and farmers to obtain funding to improve their farmers slurry stores in anticipation for tighter slurry rules which are being brought in over the coming years as part of the Governments Clean Air Strategy. For more information, please contact one of the Hewetson & Johnson team.