You can apply for the grant if your farming system produces slurry and you farm either pigs, beef or dairy. However, in the first year, the RPA will prioritise projects that have the biggest environmental impact. The focus will be on projects located near specific protected sites, which will be announced before applications open. The minimum grant amount is £25,000 and the maximum amount is £250,000, which will be paid in arrears.

The grant is aimed at enabling farmers to have the capacity for 6 months storage, by building new or expanding existing slurry stores. 50% of the cost of; a range of slurry store types, impermeable covers and extra equipment likes pumps, pipes and safety equipment could be awarded.

To apply for the grant, there will be a 2-stage process:

The first stage will be answering questions about the store, including; current and planned storage capacity, location, and status of planning permission. If your project is identified as high priority for round 1, the RPA will invite you to submit a full application.

A full application, which is the second stage, entails producing a project plan including; details about the store design and location, how you calculated the storage capacity needs and confirmation that the store meets with storing slurry rules and build standard requirements.

As part of a successful grant funding agreement, applicants will need to maintain the storage capacity for the duration of the agreement and create and use a nutrient management plan.

Poultry farmers, contractors, arable/horticultural farmers and those who already have 6 months of slurry storage that is fit for purpose are not eligible for the grant.