Act now on Water Capital Grants, farmers looking to apply for Water Capital Grants under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme need to contact their local Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer before the end of May 2020. Capital grants are on offer which will allow farms and estates in England to invest in works designed to improve water quality by reducing the amount of diffuse pollution entering watercourses and aquifers.
The grants are available either as a standalone two-year option under the Countryside. Grants are available for work including concrete yard renewal, installation of rainwater harvesting equipment, alternative drinking sources for livestock away from watercourses and ponds, lined bio-beds and the roofing of silage camps, collecting yards, muck heaps, slurry and silage stores.
Under the standalone two-year scheme, grants of up to a maximum of £10,000 are available. The amount of grant available is unlimited if water capital items are included as part of a wider five-year CSS application, which includes other land management options.
Farmers must be in a High-Water Quality Priority Area to qualify for the two-year scheme and for certain options within the five-year scheme. Proposals will also need the support of their local Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer.
The rules of the scheme state that farmers considering applying for water capital grants must contact their local Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer by 31 May to arrange a visit to discuss their proposals. It will be important that applicants are able to show that their proposals offer value for money in terms of reducing pollution risk, with competition for CSS funding likely to be greater than for a number of years.
The 31 May is the last date to request a CS Mid-Tier paper application pack by email or phone – so act now on Water Capital Grants. Online application packs can be requested up to 30 June.
The final deadline for applications is 31 July.
