Farmers, crofters and agricultural contractors will be able to apply for funding for equipment with a recognised evidence base to protect the water environment and reduce the agricultural impact on climate change and air quality.
The Sustainable Agriculture Capital Grant Scheme (SACGS) is supported by up to £5 million of Scottish Government funding. Support is focussed on low emission slurry spreading equipment and slurry store covers that are proven to reduce harmful ammonia emissions and reduce adverse impacts on water quality resulting from the storage and spreading of livestock slurry and digestate.
Guidance for the fund has published online and it will open to applications from 26 April and closes on 1 June 2022.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said:
“We want to help people in Scotland to farm and croft more sustainably as we work to become a global leader in regenerative agriculture. Helping farmers, crofters and agricultural contractors to change their practice by ensuring they have access to the right equipment, tools and knowledge is key. Following the SACGS pilot, stakeholders called for better targeting and support to be given to equipment with a recognised evidence base. The 2022 SACGS round addresses these issues.
“Applications will be made online using the new ‘Grant Application’ service which will provide a better experience for applicants. Once successful applicants have been notified they will have until the end of Feb 2023 to purchase the items and claim their grant. Anyone thinking of applying for the scheme should familiarise themselves with the guidance ahead of the scheme opening on the 26 April.”
NFU Scotland Vice President Andrew Connon said: “While we welcome the opening of the scheme on 26 April, and urge all farmers, crofters, and contractors to take note of the short application window, it is disappointing that NFU Scotland’s request for the scheme to be significantly expanded has been dismissed.
“While the focus of investment through the Sustainable Agricultural Capital Grant Scheme (SACGS) has shifted to precision slurry applications and slurry store covers, the limited £5 million earmarked for this year falls way short of the ‘transformational’ funding required.
“In writing to the Scottish Government last month (see: https://www.nfus.org.uk/news/news/calls-for-slurry-storage-funding-to-meet-new-rules ), NFU Scotland said that for SACGS to be effective in reducing emissions and enhancing the environment, it required a significant boost in terms of overall available funding, eligible expenditure, funding per business and grant rates.”
Background
