Farmers offered share of £47m peat funding package

Farmers and land managers on England’s peat soils are being invited to apply for a share of £47m in new government funding aimed at improving water management, supporting wetter farming and restoring degraded peatland.

The funding forms part of an £85m peat programme running to 2030 and includes grants for farmers, drainage boards, water companies and environmental organisations.

The largest pot, worth £36m, will support lowland peat water infrastructure projects through the Environment Agency.

See also: Flawed peat map risks land use and funding mistakes

The funding will help install measures to raise and manage water tables, reducing carbon losses from drying peat while also improving resilience to drought and flooding.

A further £10m Wetter Farming and Paludiculture Fund, delivered by Natural England, will support research and trials into crops that can be grown on wetter peat soils and help develop new markets for them.

Paludiculture involves producing crops on wet or re-wetted land and could create new income opportunities for farmers, with trials already exploring uses for wetland plants in products including building materials and insulation.

A smaller £1.15m grant scheme will support training, apprenticeships and equipment to build the skills needed for peatland restoration.

Nature minister Mary Creagh said: “Peatlands are as vital to the UK as the Amazon rainforest is to Brazil but too many of them are degraded and releasing carbon rather than locking it in.

“These new grants will support better water management on farms, new types of wetter farming, or upskilling local people to restore peatland.”

The government said the measures are intended to protect productive farming on valuable agricultural land while supporting nature recovery and climate targets.

The schemes are open to applicants in England only.

Where to apply

Farmers and land managers interested in lowland peat water infrastructure funding can apply through the Environment Agency’s Lowland Peat Water Infrastructure Grant, with applications closing on 18 September.

Applications for the Paludiculture and Wetter Farming Fund close on 23 August through Defra’s eCommercial portal.

The Peatland Restoration Sector Capacity Grant closes on 23 July and is aimed at organisations developing skills and capacity for restoration work.

The government has set a target to restore 280,000ha of peatland by 2050.