Grants available to invest in slurry stores

FUNDING is being made available to farmers to help them overcome current significant financial barriers to investing in slurry storage on farm.

The NFU said adequate slurry storage is essential for farmers to continue protecting water courses and improve water and air quality.

It comes as Defra launches the first round of its Slurry Infrastructure grant worth £13 million. Farmers will be able to apply for grants of between £25,000 and £250,000 towards the cost of building, replacing or expanding slurry storage to get six months capacity.

Tom Bradshaw, deputy president of the NFU, said the farming industry has already made “significant progress”, with a 75% reduction in serious pollution incidents year-on-year compared to 2000. Farmers want and can do more to cut pollution levels and this grant will “go a long way” to supporting that, he added.

Mr Bradshaw added that the NFU has been “working closely with Defra” on the development of the scheme, and will continue to do so to ensure as many farmers as possible are able to access this type of funding support.