environment in new equipment and technology to enhance the technical, financial and environmental performance of farm businesses. As part of the package of support, there are schemes offering grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 to develop plans for new woodland creation and a scheme to support woodland restoration. Discussions with Plaid Cymru to deliver commitments
within the Co-operation Agreement are on-going. This includes working with the farming community to encourage woodland creation on less productive land and through agro-forestry and ‘hedges and edges’ approaches, and to explore ways of drawing investment for woodland creation that secures local ownership and management.
Under the weather?
Rebecca Audsley, Principal Consultant, SAC Consulting
Calls for slurry storage funding in Scotland to meet new rules
NFU Scotland is calling on the Scottish Government to increase the agri-environment budget as a matter of priority to specifically fund the significant levels of capital investment that will be required on many Scottish farms to comply with new slurry storage rules coming into force over the next four years. It calls for funding for slurry storage investment to be ring-fenced within the AgriEnvironment Climate Scheme (AECS), the grant rate available per project to be increased and for the funding to be made more widely accessible.From a total AECS budget of some £290 million since 2016, it appears that less than 2 per cent has been allocated to slurry storage, with only 134 slurry storage applications approved. In addition, 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. To be effective in reducing emissions and enhancing the environment, SACGS must be significantly expanded – in terms of overall
available funding, eligible expenditure, funding per business and grant rates. NFU Scotland had an unprecedented level of response and concerns from members last year when consulting on the proposals. The Scottish Government’s Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021 came into force on 1 January 2022. The Union has described the regulations as a purely regulatory solution that delivers nothing for the Scottish economy or for fragile rural communities highly dependent on agricultural production. The new regulations require minimum slurry storage of 22 weeks for housed cattle and 26 weeks for housed pigs across Scotland.
We regularly hear how we have seen our wettest, coldest or hottest days, months and years since records began, and how this is rapidly becoming a feature of our changing climate which we will all need to adapt to. These unseasonable weather events and weather extremes can add another level of complexity and disruption to routine farm activities. Many farmers and land managers are already building resilience into their system and increasing the diversity across the business to spread risk. Practical actions, such as improving ventilation in livestock sheds can help animals better cope with heat stress, reduce disease risks and improve profitability. Reinstating hedges or shelterbelts can provide shelter and shade for livestock, crops and buildings, whilst also slowing wind or water action leading to erosion and flooding risk. Additional planting can also
provide a range of food, shelter and habitats across the farm for insects and wildlife, supporting biodiversity as well as the farm business. But how many of us would say that these actions are driven partly, or fully, in response to a changing climate? Understanding the various risks posed to your business from a range of extreme or prolonged weather events, and what the potential impacts might be, could help you consider practical measures. The Climate Change Adaptation For Agriculture – Is your farm ready? booklet gives practical pointers and checklists that could suggest ways to help you minimise risk and disruption, prioritise actions and increase business resilience. With our weather taking a more unpredictable turn, time spent reviewing risks and opportunities now, could pay dividends in the future. Why wait for a rainy day?
For other information and ideas about adaptation measures on the farm, and to see what other farmers have done, visit www. farmingforabetterclimate.org/adapting-to-climate-change/ find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @SACFarm4Climate.
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