NFU Scotland is calling on producers considering erecting or upgrading slurry storage to meet new regulations to start planning and preparing now.
Grant funding for slurry storage in 2023 came from the Agricultural Transformation Fund (ATF) and was available through the wider Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS).
NFUS received confirmation from Scottish Government in September 2023 that a new round of AECS would reopen for applications in January 2024. Among other items, the new round will support slurry storage options with Scottish Government intimating that the window for submitting applications for slurry storage would open in early 2024.
Under new rules, all farms where livestock slurry is produced will be required to have 22 weeks slurry storage capacity by 1 January 2026. Slurry stores constructed before September 1991 have until 2026 to be compliant with the new storage requirements, but those constructed after this date must be compliant by 2024.
The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has committed to working with those farmers who have less than 22 weeks storage after 1 January 2026 with the aim reaching compliance as quickly as possible. Around 60 Scottish farms applied for slurry storage funding in the 2023 round, largely due to the short application window, but the expectation is that many more will apply in 2024 and the planning process should start now.
NFU Scotland’s Environmental Resources Policy Manager Sarah Cowie said: “While we await details on what the slurry storage grant scheme will look like when it opens in 2024, our experience from the 2023 scheme suggests those planning to apply should start the planning process now.
“There were far fewer applications to the 2023 scheme than anticipated with many potential applicants stating that they did not have enough time between finding out that the grant was available, the deadline for submitting applications and the deadline for completing the work.
“We have prior notice of the grant funding returning in 2024. There is no commitment yet to funding beyond that so now is the time for those anticipating investment in slurry storage to plan ahead so that they are ready to apply when the scheme opens.”
- Details on the Agri-Environment Scheme are available at:: https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/agri-environment-climate-scheme/
- Details on the new slurry rules are available from Farming and Water Scotland at: https://www.farmingandwaterscotland.org/know-the-rules/new-general-binding-rules-on-silage-and-slurry-whats-changed/