Apply for £5,000 grants to protect environment
If you are based in a Severn Trent priority catchment, you could receive up to £5,000 to make environmental improvements on your land.
Through the Severn Trent Environmental Protection Scheme (STEPS), the water company is offering farmers the opportunity to apply to match fund projects that enhance or protect the local environment.
Dr Jodie Rettino, Severn Trent catchment and biodiversity lead, explains that while water quality is a key focus of the STEPS grants, farmers are also being encouraged to enrich farm biodiversity. “New options for this year’s funding include hedgerow and woodland planting, pond management plans, and wildflower meadow creation. Farmers can also bring their own ideas to life, through the biodiversity innovation option,” she says. The STEPS scheme has been running for five years, and last year saw a record number of applications. These successful grants have included cover crops, fencing and pesticide washdown areas. “Given the recent adverse weather, we know it has been difficult for everyone to complete their projects from last year. So, we have decided to allow farmers to apply again for 2020, even if previously funded work hasn’t been finished.
“For these reasons, we’ve also decided to extend the application deadline to 14 February 2020, to give farmers some valuable extra time to get applications in,” says Jodie.
Flexible funding opportunities improve operations
Worcestershire-based Andrew Symonds has used Severn Trent grants to improve the farm environment while making efficiencies that have led to impressive cost savings.
Lincomb Farms produce a variety of arable crops including winter wheat, barley and oats, with spring malting barley. In addition to the arable crops, the farm also grows potatoes and Chantenay carrots. Andrew explains that farming near the River Severn presents the challenge of protecting water quality. But being in a Severn Trent priority catchment has also brought a wealth of opportunities. “We were introduced to the schemes when our local agricultural adviser, Susey Bamber, stopped by in 2015. She explained about
the different options, and how we could work together to improve water quality and protect the environment, while benefiting operations,” he says.
“Susey helped us apply for our first STEPS grant. We wanted to invest in a GPS autosteer system for our recently purchased tractor but couldn’t justify the spend without additional help. “We received the full £5,000 match funding available through the ‘farmer innovation’ option and we’ve since cut our pesticide and fertiliser bills by over £3,000 per year from increased accuracy,” he says.
The following year Andrew received another £5,000 (£550/ha) for maintaining six-metre grass buffer margins, to help prevent pesticide run-off and leaching into watercourses. Most recently, because the grants are flexible, Andrew combined two years’ worth of STEPS applications to receive £10,000 towards a roofed sprayer washdown area and biofilter.
“This coming year we’ll develop the washdown area by applying for another grant to contribute towards a rainwater harvesting system, so we can fill the spray tank and wash off machinery with recycled water. “We couldn’t have completed the work without the funding and advice from Severn Trent, and I’m delighted to improve productivity in an environmentally friendly way. I’d certainly recommend other farmers in the area apply,” he adds.
How to apply
• Visit
www.stwater.co.uk/catchment to find out if your land is in a priority catchment
• Read the STEPS options brochure to find out about the wide range of options you can apply for, or, contact your agricultural advisor to arrange a visit to discuss what is best for your farm
• Once you have decided on the most suitable solutions, you can apply online
www.stwater.co.uk/steps
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