Guidance

Funding for farmersfarmers, growers and land managers

FindApply outfor whatgrants and other funding isto availableincrease forproductivity, farmers,manage your land managersto benefit the environment and foresters.support your agricultural business.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and Rural Payments Agency, and Forestry Commission
Published
9 March 2022
Last updated
2119 JuneJuly 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England

IfThis you’repage ahas farmer,recently landchanged. managerEmail oryour forester, youfeedback canto applyfarmingcontent@defra.gov.uk for money to help youus improve farm productivity and the environment.further.

BeforeThis youpage applytells foryou aabout payment,grants you’lland needother tofunding checkcurrently youopen (andor youropening land, if relevant) are eligible.soon.

You canmay be able to apply for moreone thanor onemore of the available payments if:

  • yougrants meetand thefunding eligibilityschemes requirementsif foryou eachor payment
  • theyour activitiesland orare outcomeseligible. you’reThe beingguidance paid for areeach compatible
  • youscheme will notexplain bewhere paidthis twiceis forpossible.

    Manage ayour similarland activityto orbenefit outcomethe atenvironment

    Apply thethrough samean timeenvironmental (andland onmanagement the(ELM) samescheme areato offarm landproductively ifand it’sin a land-basedway scheme)

Ongoingthat payments

Ongoingbenefits paymentsthe environment. There are for3 activitiesELM thatschemes.

1. usuallySustainable takeFarming youIncentive

Open: summer 2023 as a yearmanaged orrollout.
Closing moredate: to complete.

Managingbe yourconfirmed.
Grant landvalue: inbetween an£10 environmentally- sustainable£989 way

per hectare, depending on action.

If you were eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in 2022 or 2023, youyou’ll canbe able to apply for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).

SFI is a 3-year agreement made up of a choice of environmental land management actions you need to complete to receive payment. These actions will help you manage your land in a more sustainable way. The number of actions will expand each year until the full range is available by early 2025.2024.

ApplicationsIf you are temporarilyeligible, closedyou but will reopen this summer. You can then apply for up to 23 actions,actions that you’re eligible for, towards improving:for:

  • soil health
  • moorland assessment
  • hedgerows
  • integrated pest management
  • nutrient management
  • farmland wildlife on arable and horticultural land
  • farmland wildlife on improved grassland
  • buffer strips
  • low input grassland

Read the guidance for SFI 2023 to get ready to apply.

Managing2. habitats,Countryside woodlands,Stewardship flood(CS)

Closing riskdate: andsome reducinggrants waterare pollution

Youopen canall applyyear, forothers Countrysideare Stewardshiptime-limited (CS)- toread getthe paidCS toguidance managefor habitats,details.
Grant woodland,value: floodamounts riskvary anddepending reduceon wateryour pollution.CS agreement.

CSYou Midcan Tierapply offersfor ongoingCountryside andStewardship one-off payments to protectget andpaid improve:to:

  • theincrease diversitybiodiversity
  • improve ofhabitat
  • expand wildlifewoodland areas
  • improve water quality
  • improve air quality
  • improve natural flood management

YouUse canthe apply from March 2023.

CS Highergrant Tierfinder offersto ongoingsee andwhat’s one-offavailable payments to helpachieve managethese environmentallyenvironmental importantoutcomes.

3. sites,Landscape including commons and woodlands.

Recovery

YouClosing candate: apply21 forSeptember a2023.
Grant CSvalue: Higher£15 Tiermillion now.shared Yourbetween initialup applicationto must25 besuccessful submitted by 28 April 2023.projects.

DuringLandscape 2023Recovery andpays 2024,groups Defra will evolve CS instead of developingfarmers aand new Local Nature Recovery scheme. Read Defra’s environmental land managementmanagers update to finddo outlong-term, aboutlarge-scale theprojects environmentaltogether. landLand managementmust actions that will be available in CS.

LargeEngland scale landscape and ecosystemconsist restoration projects

Landscape Recovery pays groups of farmersat andleast land500 managersconnected to do long-term, large-scale projects together.hectares.

You can apply to join the schemeLandscape Recovery scheme if you’re planning to do a landscape-scale project that supports:

  • net zero

    carbon emissions

  • protected sites

  • wildlife-rich habitat

Apply

Improve forwater Landscapequality Recoveryand fundingair untilquality

You middaycan onapply 21for Septembergrants 2023.

Plantingto trees

Theimprove Englandwater Woodlandand Creationair Grantquality (EWCOthrough CS). providesCheck fundingthe toCS creategrant newfinder woodlandfor onwater areasquality thatoptions areand atair leastquality 1options. hectare.

You can applychoose grants suitable for EWCOyour atland anyand timeapply ofto the yearrelevant untilCS thegrant scheme.

Closing closesdate: andsome thesegrants activitiesare open all year, others are fundedtime-limited through- read the CS. guidance for details.
Grant value: amounts vary depending on your CS agreement.

Reduce flood risk

ThereYou arecan otherapply for grants availableto forreduce woodlandflood creation,risk maintenance,through managementCS. andCheck treethe healthCS grant finder for natural flood management options.

There areYou alsocan otherchoose regionalgrants fundingsuitable opportunitiesfor your land and apply to createthe woodland,relevant suchCS as:grant scheme.

  • England’s

    Closing Communitydate: Forestssome grants are open all year, others are time-limited - fundingread isthe availableCS guidance for plantingdetails.
    Grant treesvalue: inamounts somevary areas

  • depending on your CS agreement.

    The

Protect Northernspecies Forestand -habitats youand support biodiversity

You can getapply paidfor grants to createprotect woodlandspecies inand partshabitats ofand Lancashire,support Merseyside,biodiversity Yorkshire,through Derbyshire,CS. NottinghamshireCheck andthe LincolnshireCS grant finder for:

You moneycan ischoose availablegrants tosuitable createfor andyour maintainland forestsand acrossapply to the country relevant CS grant scheme.

Planning CS woodlandWildlife Offers

TheClosing Woodlanddate: Creationsome Planninggrants Grantare (WCPG)open providesall fundingyear, toothers prepareare atime-limited Woodland- Creationread Designthe PlanCS thatguidance compliesfor withdetails.
Grant thevalue: UKamounts Forestryvary Standard.depending on your CS agreement.

YouWildlife canOffers useare thispart planof CS Mid Tier and are a simpler way to supportimprove furtherbiodiversity woodlandbased creationon grantland applications,use. suchYou ascan EWCO.choose to:

You

  • improve cannectar applysources for WCPGinsect atpollinators anyand timeforaging offor thebirds
  • provide year.additional winter food sources for seed-eating birds
  • improve habitats and other resources for specific species or areas

There are CS wildlife packages for:

Restoring SFI peatlandsoffers

TheWhen NatureSFI foropens, Climateyou Peatlandcan Grantchoose Scheme (NCPGSSFI) providesmanagement fundingactions tofor:

Species Survival Fund

FromClosing Aprildate: 2023,submit you’llan beexpression ableof tointerest applyby formidday restoration24 grantsJuly to2023, fundapplications landscapeclose scalemidday restoration26 workOctober on2023.
Grants degradedvalue: peatlands.

Thefrom scheme£250,000 willto run£3 untilmillion 2025.for 2-year projects.

Joining farming

WeYou wantcan express an interest to supportapply newfor entrantsa grant to developcreate successfuland land-basedrestore businesseshabitats inand England.reverse We’rethe exploringdecline howof bestspecies toacross doEngland. thisYou throughneed 5to pilots.have Fora thenature latestrecovery progress,project readplanned, thecosted Defraand blogready postto Newstart.

Further Entrantinformation Supportis Scheme:available anon updatethe onHeritage ourFund pilotswebsite.

One-offFarm paymentsin protected landscapes

One-offOpen: paymentsapply areat toany helptime youof buyyear.
Closing equipmentdate: orprojects othermust capitalend items,by orMarch for2025.
Grant activitiesvalue: you100% doof once.

Investingthe incost equipment,of technologya andproject infrastructure

as long as there is no commercial gain.

TheYou Farmingcan Investmentapply Fundfor (FIF)funding providesif grantsyou’re betweena £1,000farmer andor £500,000land tomanager improvewithin productivity,an thearea environmentof andoutstanding animalnatural healthbeauty andor welfare.

national park in England. You canmust applybe for:planning projects that:

  • productivitysupport andnature slurryrecovery
  • mitigate itemsthe impacts of climate change
  • animalprovide healthopportunities for people to discover nature
  • protect or improve the quality and welfarecharacter itemsof fromthe Marchlandscape

TheRead otherthe FIFguidance grantsfor arethe currentlyFarming closedin Protected Landscapes Progamme to newfind applicants,out buthow thereto willapply.

Protect beanimal furtherhealth applicationand rounds.

welfare

Research SFI annual health and innovationwelfare review

YouOpen: canregistering applyyour interest for grantsa forvet innovation,review researchis andopen.
Grant developmentvalue: from the£372 Farmingto Innovation£684 Programme.

Improvingper animalvet healthreview anddepending welfare

on livestock type.

Farmers who keep cattle, sheep or pigs can get fundinga topayment pay for a vet or vet-leadvet-led team to visit their farm and carry out an annual health and welfare review. If you’re a Basiceligible Paymentfor Scheme (BPS), eligible farmer, you can register your interest to apply for this funding on GOV.UK.

Later

Create thisor year,improve you’llwoodland alsoand beprotect abletree tohealth

Creating applywoodland

The forEngland animalWoodland healthCreation andGrant welfare(EWCO) capitalprovides grantsfunding forto equipment,create technologynew andwoodland infrastructure.on areas that are at least 1 hectare.

Improving

Open: boundaries,all treesyear andround.
Closing orchards,date: water1 quality,January air2025.
Grant qualityvalue: andup naturalto flood£10,200 management

with an additional £8,000 if the woodland is for public benefits.

YouRead canthe applyForestry forCommission’s standaloneoverview capitalof grants underavailable Countrysidefor Stewardshipwoodland (CS)creation, Capitalmaintenance, Grantsmanagement 2023and tree health.

There are also regional funding opportunities to helpcreate youwoodland, improve:such as:

You- you can applyget forpaid theseto grantscreate atwoodland anyin timeparts of theLancashire, year.

ImprovingMerseyside, environmentallyYorkshire, significantDerbyshire, sitesNottinghamshire and woodlands

CSLincolnshire

  • The HigherNational Tier Capital Grants 2023Forest offers- standalonemoney capitalis grantsavailable to improvecreate environmentallyand significantmaintain sitesforests andacross woodlands.

    the country

    • Planning woodland

    YouCS canoffers applygrants for these10-year grantswoodland atmanagement anyplanning.

    Open: timeall ofyear year.

    Improvinground.
    Grant woodlandvalue: infrastructuredepends andon protectionthe fromarea beaverof activity

    eligible woodland.

    YouThe canWoodland applyCreation forPlanning CSGrant (WCPG) Protectionprovides andfunding Infrastructureto Grants,prepare whicha offerWoodland standaloneCreation capitalDesign grantsPlan to:

    • improvethat managementcomplies ofwith woodlandsthe byUK makingForestry themStandard.

      Open: moreall accessibleyear byround.
      Grant road,value: allowingmaximum timber£30,000 andper otherproject.

      You forestcan productsuse tothis beplan movedto forsupport easily

    • protectfurther permanentwoodland cropscreation andgrant treesapplications, fromsuch beaveras activityEWCO.

      Protecting intree eligible catchments

    health

    You can apply forto thesethe grantstree athealth anypilot timescheme of2023 year.

    Improvingto managementtest different ways of woodlands

    Theslowing CSthe Woodlandspread Managementof Planpests grantand 2023diseases offersaffecting atrees one-offin paymentEngland. toGrants createare aavailable 10-yearfor:

    • ash Woodlandwith Managementash Plandieback
    • diseased thatlarch, compliesspruce and sweet chestnut
    • oak with theoak UKprocessionary Forestrymoth
    • restocking Standard.

      trees

    YourOpen: planall mustyear beround.
    Closing approveddate: by2024.
    Grant thevalue: Forestry
    - Commissionup beforeto you80% canof applyfelling forcosts ongoingcapped paymentsat to£50 deliverper yourm3
    - planup underto CS40% Higherof Tier.

    Youinfrastrucure cancosts applycapped forat this£100 one-offper paymentlinear atmetre anyfor timeroad ofor thetrack year.

    Improvingcosts theand health£30 ofper trees

    m2 for loading areas.

    CS Woodland Tree Health Grants 2023grant offerspays one-offyou payments to support:

    • restockingrestock or improve woodland after fellingtree duehealth toproblems. aThere treeare health19 issue
    • removingcapital treesitems andavailable rhododendronunder infectedCS withto specificchoose diseases
    from.

    YouOpen: canall applyyear forround.
    Grant thesevalue: one-offvaries paymentsdepending aton anythe timecapital items chosen as part of year.your CS grant agreement.

    Invest in equipment, technology and infrastructure to increase productivity

    You can apply for fundinggrants through the treeFarming healthInvestment pilotFund if you(FIF) manageto specificinvest treesin ornew woodlandstechnology, infectedequipment by specific pests and infrastructure diseasesto in certain regions of England.improve:

    The

    • productivity
    • the treeenvironment
    • animal health pilotand offerswelfare

    FIF differentgrants supportare toprovided through the CSFarming TreeTransformation HealthFund Grants,and whichFarming willEquipment endand inTechnology 2024.Fund.

    TheThis treepage healthwill pilotbe willupdated runwith untilnew 2024.

    SupportingFIF nationalgrants parksor andfurther areasapplication rounds of outstandingprevious naturalgrants beautywhen (AONBsthey open. Read the details of the 3 FIF) grants currently open.

    Water Management Grant (round 2)

    TheClosing Farmingdate: in11:59pm Protected12 LandscapesJuly Programme2023.
    Grant providesvalue: funding40% toof alleligible farmerscosts andof landa managersproject withinup an AONB orto National£500,000.

    You Parkcan inapply Englandfor whothis aregrant planningif projectsyou’re that:both:

    • supportrepresenting naturean recovery
    • mitigatearable theand impactshorticultural of climate changebusinesses
    • providegrowing, opportunitiesor forintending people to discovergrow nature
    • protectirrigated orfood improvecrops, theornamentals qualityor andforestry characternurseries ofin the landscapeEngland

    You can apply for fundingthe anyWater timeManagement upGrant (round 2) Stage 1 until the11:59pm programmeon ends12 inJuly March2023. 2025.Successful Yourcandidates projectwill mustbe endinvited into Marchapply 2025.for Stage 2.

    LeavingSlurry farmingInfrastructure grant

    TheClosing optionaldate: Lump11:59pm Sum28 ExitJune Scheme2024 enablesfor farmersinvited applicants who werepassed BPSstage applicants1.
    Grant invalue: 2018you’ll orget earliera togrant retirecontribution ortowards leaveinfrastructure items, the industry.amount Itvaries closeddepending for applications on 30the September 2022.item.

    Direct Payments

    BPS

    YouThe canSlurry applyInfrastructure grant is for apig, BPSbeef 2023and paymentdairy fromfarmers 14whose Marchfarming 2023.

    Yousystems mustproduce submitslurry. yourIt applicationhelps byreplace, 15build Maynew 2023or expand existing slurry stores to avoidprovide late6 applicationmonths’ penalties.storage.

    BPSThe willapplication endprocess onis 31at Decemberstage 2023.2 for invited applications who passed stage 1.

    Adding Value grant

    FromClosing 2024,date: BPSapplicants willwho bewere replacedsuccessful byat ‘delinkedstage payments’.1 Thesemust paymentssubmit willtheir befull madeapplication untilby 2027.31 January 2024.
    Grant value: between £25,000 and £300,000.

    EachThe year,Adding directValue paymentsgrant areis beingavailable progressivelyfor reducedgrowers untilor they’reproducers phasedto outadd byvalue 2028.to eligible agricultural products after they have been harvested or reared. You can calculateonly howapply theseif progressiveyou reductionswere couldsuccessful affectat yourstage direct1 paymentsof forthe 2023application and 2024.process.

    Get

    Apply advice

    for new or refurbished calf housing

    YouLater canthis contact:

    welfare grant.

    Research and innovation

    You can alsoapply getfor supportgrants from:

    2024.

    Published 9 March 2022
    Last updated 2119 JuneJuly 2023 + show all updates

    1. Content on this page has been restructured to show grants and funding open or opening soon for applications, closing dates and grant value information.

    2. Added Sustainable Farming Incentive information for 2023 applications opening later this summer.

    3. The information about Landscape Recovery has been updated to reflect the round two focus. A link to the guidance and to apply has also been added.

    4. Updated information on the New Entrant Support Scheme.

    5. Updated to include current and future funding available to farmers and land managers.

    6. Restructured page to make it clearer what funding options are available to farmers, land managers and foresters.

    7. A link to more information about the sustainable farming incentive has been added.

    8. First published.

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