Long Awaited Details of Slurry Infrastructure Grant

Livestock Farmers Urged to Get Ahead on New Slurry Infrastructure Grant

The long awaited details of the Slurry Infrastructure Grant have been released today by DEFRA. The scheme will open on 6th December 2022 with the aim of increasing slurry storage on farm up to six months. 

Here's the key points that you need to know: 

So full guidance now out:

• Replace, build additional or expand existing stores to provide six months storage
• Store must be undercover
• Standard costs and fixed contribution
• Prioritises those with the greatest environmental benefit that need urgent action to reduce pollution from agriculture and restore natural habitats
• Areas which they have prioritised on location
• Available for pigs, beef and dairy farms as long as slurry is already produced
• You can also use the grant to pay for additional items such as reception pits etc
• 2 stage process, firstly an online checker to understand current and future slurry requirements. From this you will be then invited forward for a full application.
• Online checker will open on 6^th December and close on 31^st January
• Min £25,000 and max £250,000

Following DEFRA’s announcement on the new Slurry Infrastructure grant, offering between £25,000 and £250,000, to help livestock farmers in England improve or expand their slurry storage to 6 months, this is an overview on the grant funding to help those prepare ahead of the online checker opening on Tuesday 6^th December.

Part of the Farming Investment Fund, the aim of this grant is to allow farmers to invest in slurry storage to increase the storage capacity up to six months based on existing livestock numbers. The two-stage process begins with an online eligibility checker to understand current and future slurry storage requirements. Following this if shortlisted you will be then invited forward to make a full application. The online checker will be open through to Tuesday 31^st January with grants available between £25,000 and £250,000.

We have been waiting for full guidelines to be announced on this Slurry Infrastructure grant since details were announced earlier in the year. We are now in a position to work with farmers across the north of England to offer clarity and direction and also ensure they are fully utilising opportunities available.

Part of the first application stage is to understand current and future slurry requirements; a tool called Slurry Wizard can help to illustrate this. There is a lot that can be brought into the calculation that can tip you in or out of the storage amount and careful consideration must be taken as to what is going on in and around the farmyard. The team here, are able to help work out this calculation and explore additional scenarios that you could obtain grant aid for.

Available for pigs, beef and dairy farms, so long as slurry is already produced, grants can be used to replace, build additional or expand existing storage to provide six months’ storage, including additional items such as reception pit and slurry pumps for example. The grant will only apply for funding if the store is covered and can be used to pay for a fixed or floating flexible cover. The grant is not available to cover the store only.  Priority will go to those applicants which have a higher environmental benefit that need urgent action to reduce pollution from agriculture and restore natural habitats. There are priority areas for the grant funding, however the guidance states you should apply even if you are not in the priority area.

To apply you will need to calculate your slurry allowance. This requires simple data such as:

- Covered yard area

- Existing storage volumes

- Herd numbers

- Housing periods for livestock

 With this data we can also look at different scenarios to see what options would be best to make you compliant. This calculation is required for your application so we urge people to be prepared in readiness for the grant.

The grant will use standard costs per cubic metre to calculate what funding is available for the project, where you will get a fixed contribution towards the items that are needed. It’s been a long time since slurry storage grants were offered so we are expecting demand to be high. It is a great opportunity for farmers to improve their slurry capacity on farm and help future proof their business.

We have a dedicated and knowledgeable team who are available to help here at H&H Land & Estates. For more information on the Slurry Infrastructure grants please contact, Jonathan Hird, Janet Flintoft or Nick Mullins on 01228 406260.

For more information you can contact any of our Land Agency offices on:

• North Lakes - 01228 406260 or email carlisle@hhlandestates.co.uk 
• South Lakes - 01539 721375 or email kendal@hhlandestates.co.uk 
• North East & Yorkshire - 0191 370 8530 or email durham@hhlandestates.co.uk