Which Grants are Available to you in 2024?
Farming grants & schemes are put in place by DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and are available to farmers to help cover a percentage of the upfront cost which help with investments into new farming technology. They are nonrepayable funds that help farms and farmers create better and more sustainable crop production.
SFI – Sustainable Farming Incentive
Sustainable Farming Incentive is an initiative that rewards farmers for farming practices that help produce food sustainably and protect the environment. Offering a reliable outcome which supports food production and the environment.
At a recent NFU Conference Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that SFI Management Payments will double from £20/ha to £40/ha so those with existing agreements will receive up to an extra £1,000 this spring and it will be extended to Countryside Stewardship mid-tier for the first year of agreements starting by March 2025. This applies on up to 50ha of land entered into the agreement.
The improved offer also includes:
• A 10% increase in the average value of agreements in SFI and Countryside Stewardship.
• A streamlined single application process for farmers to apply for both SFI and CS Mid-Tier.
• 50 new actions that farmers can get paid for
You can apply for a three year SFI agreement to do environmental land management actions to help you manage your land in a more sustainable way. Our team attended an SFI talk with DEFRA recently where they were told the SFI 2024 actions will be coming into play in May 2024 so keep your eyes peeled for them.
Countryside Stewardship
Countryside stewardship provides financial incentives for farmers, landowners and foresters to look after and improve the environment.
Countryside Stewardship protects and enhances the natural environment by:
- Increasing biodiversity
- Improving habitat
- Expanding woodland areas
- Improving water quality
- Improving air quality
- Improving natural flood management
CS is made up of 8 grants:
Capital Grants – Provides three year agreements offering capital items to achieve specific environmental benefits in four groups:
- Boundaries, trees and orchards
- Water quality
- Air quality
- Natural flood management
You can apply for a Capital Grant at any time of the year from 3rd January 2024!
Higher Tier Capital Grants – These grants provide a three year agreement offering capital items to achieve additional environmental benefits alongside existing agreements.
Protection & Infrastructure Grants – These are for capital items that support improving the management of woodland and to help manage the impact of beaver behaviours.
Woodland Management Plan Grants – Capital grant for a one-off payment to create a 10 year woodland management plan which must be fully compliant with the UK Forestry Standard.
Woodland Tree Health Grants – A Woodland Tree Health grant helps to restock or improve woodland after tree health problems.
Implementation Plan & Feasibility Study Grants – Provide funding for more complex agreements and projects. You must speak to a Natural England Advisor before applying for one of these grants.
Higher Tier – These are for multi-year management options and capital items for the most environmentally important sites, including commons and woodland.
Mid Tier & Wildlife Offers – Help protect and enhance the natural environment through multi-year management grants and capital grants to improve:
- Diversity of wildlife
- Water quality
- Air quality
- Natural flood management
Countryside Stewardship Information and How to Apply
Farming Equipment & Technology Fund
The Farming Equipment & Technology Fund (FETF) 2024 includes three grants to help you buy items to improve productivity, manage slurry and improve animal health & welfare. This grant is competitive which means you may not receive any or all of the funding you apply for.
Successful applicants will receive:
- A minimum of £1,000 and a maximum of £50,000 towards productivity items
- A minimum of £1,000 and a maximum of £50,000 towards slurry items
- A minimum of £1,000 and a maximum of £25,000 towards animal health and welfare items
Productivity Items
There are now 85 different items (24 of these being completely new) of productivity equipment and you can apply for a grant towards the cost of any of these items.
Applications for productivity items are scored on productivity benefit, environmental benefit and level of adoption by the industry. Each productivity item has a score of up to 100.
Slurry Items
There are now 17 different items of slurry equipment to help improve the collection and spreading of slurry, you can apply for a grant to go towards any of these. Applications for slurry items are scored on improving slurry management, environmental benefit and level of adoption by the industry.
Animal Health & Welfare
Animal health and welfare grants are available to commercial farmers, there are more than 130 items available in 2024, including 29 new ones.
Applications for animal health & welfare items are scored on their contribution towards the Animal Health & Welfare Pathway priorities. It is also good to know that you can actually increase your application score by 20% if you provide evidence that you’ve discussed your application with a vet.
To find out how to apply, click here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-equipment-and-technology-fund-2024
This grant closes on 17th April 2024 at midday for productivity and slurry grants and midday on 1st May 2024 for animal health & welfare.
Closing date for productivity and slurry management items: Midday on 17th April 2024
Closing date for animal health & welfare items: Midday on 1st May 2024
Slurry Infrastructure Grant
The Slurry Infrastructure Grant is available to help replace, build additional or expand existing slurry stores. You can also use the grant for slurry stores, including tanks, lagoons and concrete stores fitted with impermeable covers and large permanent bags.
This grant helps farmers invest in new slurry infrastructure which will help make better use of organic nutrients, improve water & air quality and reduce greenhouse gases.
Eligibility checker: Closed
Closing date for Round 1 applicants who have been invited to submit a full application: 11:59 pm on 28th June 2024
Closing date for Round 2 applicants who have been invited to submit a full application: 11:59 pm on 30th September 2024
Improving Farm Productivity Grant
The Improving Farm Productivity Grant is part of the Farming Investment Fund and is open to farmers, growers and related contractors. This provides funding for robotics, automated equipment and systems to aid crop and livestock production, the minimum grant available for this is £25,000 and the maximum is £500,000.
It will also fund the installation of solar equipment to increase the take-up of renewable energy generation on farms, the minimum grant for this is £15,000 and the maximum is £100,000.
The online checker which is the first stage of application for this grant is closed! If you managed to complete the online checker and complete the first step of the application for this grant, you need to wait until DEFRA announce the next steps, which we will update you on when we know more.
Farming in Protecting Landscapes
This grant is a part of DEFRA’s Agricultural Transition Plan, it will offer funding to farmers and landowners in AONBs, National Parks and the Broads.
The programme will fund projects that support nature recovery, mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and protect or improve the quality of the landscape.
You can apply for this funding at any time of the year, the grant value varies depending on your project and all projects must end by March 2025.
England Woodland Creation Grant
This provides funding to create new woodland on areas that are at least one hectare. You could receive up to £10,200 per hectare, plus up to an additional £12,700 in stackable payments when delivering wider benefits to society, nature recovery and the environment to support your woodland creation scheme.
Open all year around, the grant closes on the 1st January 2025.
Delinked payments to replace BPS
As we all know, BPS has now been phased out and Delinked Payments have made their arrival. Delinked payments will be paid each year from 2024 to 2027. Advance payments of around 50% will be made from 1st August and the balance payments from 1st December. The amount you receive will decrease each year as progressive reductions are applied.
Our expert Land AGency team can offer you guidance with all of these grants and help you apply for them so if you are considering applying, please contact your local H&H Land & Estates office:
- North Lakes - 01228 406260
- South Lakes - 01539 721375
- North East - 0191 370 8530
- North Yorkshire - 01609 710377
- Hexham - 01434 303615
