Training, advice and grant support for farmers and land managers in England to reduce water and air pollution from agriculture.
Fund Information
- Funding body:
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
- Maximum value:
- Discretionary
- Application deadline:
- None specified
Background
This programme is a partnership between the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), the Environment Agency and Natural England.
Objectives of Fund
Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) works with farmers and a range of partners, including water companies, local authorities, agricultural and environmental bodies, to improve water and air quality in high priority areas.
CSF is one of the main ways to help farmers tackle pollution which results from manure, fertiliser and soil running off into rivers when it rains.
Value Notes
The programme helps farmers to reduce water and air pollution through management of farmyard manure and soils among other things.
CSF gives free training and advice It provides practical and cost-effective solutions that improve water and air quality through workshops, demonstrations, farm walks, farm events and confidential one-to-one advice for priority farms.
As of August 2021, the funding for the programme will be almost doubled, with an additional £17 million over the next three years. The new annual budget will be £30 million, up from £16.6 million in 2020-21. This means it will cover 100% of England’s farmland, up from 40% of its previous coverage, with every farmer able to access advice and support by March 2023 to help them access a range of solutions to reduce pollution.
The extra funding will provide more Natural England advisers to help farmers implement practical solutions to reduce pollution, including planting new grassland buffer strips to improve drainage, establishing river side trees to reduce run off into rivers and using better slurry storage facilities to avoid accidental spillage.
Natural England teams will also help farmers apply for grants to invest in new equipment and technology, such as precision farming tools that reduce the use of fertilisers and better protect the soil.
Who Can Apply
Farmers and land managers in high priority areas of England may be eligible for support.
Location
England
How To Apply
Interest may be expressed at any time.
Interested parties are advised to contact their local Catchment Sensitive Farming officer (CSFO) for mor details.
More details can be accessed here
Useful documents & links
Useful Links
Addresses and contacts
For further information on how to obtain this grant locally, please contact the following:
- Natural England
County Hall
Spetchley Road
Worcester
WR5 2NP
Tel: 0300 060 3900
Email: [email protected]