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MANURE/SLURRY STORAGE AND TREATMENT (Tier 3)

Article 20(b)(i)

Measure code (121)

Rationale for Intervention

The quality of Scotland's water environment is good. However, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency ( SEPA) has estimated that 30% of Scottish river water bodies are at risk of not meeting the Water Framework Directive ( WFD) objectives due to diffuse water pollution, principally from agriculture and forestry. Capital investments are needed to mitigate such pollution, targeted at areas where water bodies are of low quality. These investments will deliver both efficiencies in the use and treatment of polluting substances and help to secure an environmentally sustainable industry.

Diffuse pollution was identified in the 'Custodians of Change' report as a key environmental issue which impacts on farming. It has implications for nutrient management, managing the soil and managing crops. The report recommended that the Executive prioritises resources for the prevention or mitigation of diffuse pollution. Part of this effort should support integrated, whole farm methods that will help bring about environmental improvements. Publicly funded incentives are instrumental in developing a suitable package of measures to achieve improved water quality.

Areas with volumes of manure/slurry in excess of crop requirements are liable to have a risk of the nutrients from the manure/slurry leaching into the environment resulting in pollution of water, eutrophication and in some cases the contamination of bathing waters by faecal pathogens.

Adequate collection and storage facilities provide greater freedom in choosing when to apply manure to fields. They can also reduce gaseous emissions ( e.g. ammonia), thus improving the health and welfare of housed animals and people working with them. The separation of rainwater from slurry should mean that slurry is more effectively stored and (when spread on the land) used more efficiently by grass/crops. All of these improvements will reduce diffuse pollution. Applications can be restricted to periods when nutrients will be used by a growing crop and when there is little risk of leaching, surface run-off or rapid transport to field drains. Savings in Nitrogen leaching as a result of improved slurry storage have been estimated to be in the range of 10-30 kg/ha reduction per year on arable land. The effects in grassland systems are estimated to be in the region of 2-5 kg N/ha per year (dairy) or 1 kg N/ha per year (beef). It will also reduce ammonia and NO2 emissions.

Research funded by the Scottish Executive as part of studies related to achieving good Bathing Water quality has shown that measures to treat manure and/or slurry to turn it into a product which is easier to handle for agricultural benefit or which has a non-agricultural use ( e.g. biogas) are technically feasible, but that they involve substantial initial costs especially as the techniques and technology involved are relatively new.

Objectives

This measure aims to improve water quality through storage improvements that enable better handling and application of manures, and through the use of technology to process surplus slurry and manure into biogas or compost. The measure will also contribute to reducing ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions. In addition to delivering environmental benefits, this measure aims to increase the efficiency of farm operations.

Scope and actions

The measure contains two options, which may be used independently or in combination; the second has two variants.

(a) Improvements in manure storage, handling and application facilities

The measure will support the capital investment in improved storage and handling facilities for manure and slurry, including installation of covers for slurry storage facilities and middens to prevent the volume of slurry or other manure being increased through the addition of rainwater.

The provision of adequate storage facilities is most important on farms that handle their manure as slurry. In contrast, solid manure can be stored in field heaps or in the animal house, prior to land-spreading at a time of year that presents less risk of pollution. The measure would be effective on all types of soil.

(b) Manure Treatment (composting and/or anaerobic digestion of manure and slurry)

Support for investments in structures, machinery and equipment for the anaerobic digestion of slurry to produce biogas and/or the treatment of manure by composting.

Farms with access to substantial quantities of the raw materials would be the natural places for such facilities for the treatment of manure.

Definition of beneficiaries

Farmers and, for collaborative arrangements, groups of farmers

Description of the requirements and targets with regard to the improvement of the overall performance of the agricultural holdings

Potential beneficiaries will identify the expected improvements in performance of the business, as a result of the planned investment, against certain criteria i.e. business viability, animal health and welfare, environmental management or health and safety. These expected benefits will be used as part of the competitive process for assessing applications. They will also form the basis of future monitoring of successful projects.

The raw material of manure and slurry must be stored in ways that minimise the risk of water pollution; this involves compliance with the Silage, Slurry, and Agricultural Fuel Oil (Scotland) Regulations 2003.

Primary production sectors

Agriculture

Type of investments (tangible-intangible)

Support for:

Option (a)

• New or enhanced slurry stores or manure storage
• Roofs for slurry stores; and diversion for separate treatment of lightly contaminated water
• Slurry separation equipment
• Equipment for slurry spreading that makes more efficient use of nutrients (eg low emission techniques)

Option (b)

• Storage facilities for slurry and biogas
• Biogas structures, machinery and equipment
• Composting structures, machinery and equipment

Type of aid.

Capital grant

Aid intensity

Variable, dependent on requirement to allow the project to go ahead, with ceilings of 40% of eligible costs (non Less Favoured Areas) and 50% (Less Favoured Areas) with a 10% premium on the ceilings for investments undertaken by young farmers.

Financing

Total Public Support for Measure 121: 121.2 M Euro
Total EU Contribution for Measure 121: 32.6 M Euro

Transition arrangements (including estimated support)

None.

*As per guidance, the proxy for Gross Value Added is to be profit (revenue minus costs). The baseline value for this result indicator will be established once information on revenue and costs in supported enterprises becomes available.
# Impact indicators will be estimated based on output and result indicators

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