Published: 13/10/2023 By Jack Curnick-James
DEFRA has announced that they anticipate Round 2 of the slurry infrastructure grant will open in November with more guidance to follow. Jack Curnick-James, Senior Rural Surveyor at our Devizes office highlights what's new in Round 2 and explains how farmers can prepare to take advantage of the grant.What's New in Round 2
Building upon the lessons from the first round, several noteworthy new items have been introduced in round 2 of the Slurry Infrastructure grant:
- Slurry Separators: These can make slurry easier to store and move around the farm.
- Covering Existing Stores: Farmers who have recently invested in slurry storage can receive support to add impermeable covers to their existing stores.
- In-Situ Cast Concrete Stores: An alternative for farms where transporting pre-cast panels is challenging.
- Landlord Support: A novel feature allows landlords to underwrite grant funding agreements, which instils confidence in tenant applicants.
- Increased storage duration for pig farmers to eight months
Round 2 anticipates a larger number of project submissions. However, to avoid overwhelming suppliers, the program may limit the number of full applications. Projects in areas requiring coordinated action to reduce water and air pollution from farming will be prioritized. This ensures that public funds are directed to areas where they can have the most significant environmental impact.
What Happens Next
Online applications for round 2 will open in November. Once the online checker closes, the level of demand will be assessed. Afterwards, applicants will be informed if they are invited to submit a full application for this round. For those who are not shortlisted, there will be another opportunity to apply in 2024, with an expanded target area.
In conclusion, the second round of Slurry Infrastructure grants presents new opportunities for farmers to improve their slurry storage facilities, benefitting both farm productivity and environmental protection. It’s important to stay up to date with guidance from the government and prepare for the application process. Please contact either Jack (01380 710537) or one of our Rural Grants experts (below) in your nearest office for advice on this, and the wide range of grants available.
