Welsh farmers offered £15,000 grants for yard roofing
© Tim Scrivener Welsh livestock farmers can apply for government grants of up to £15,000 to roof manure and livestock areas under a new farm infrastructure scheme.
See also: Welsh farmers invited to apply for SFS capital grants
The scheme is aimed at improving clean and dirty water separation by preventing rain from entering slurry and manure management systems, reducing storage requirements and improving nutrient management.
Eligible projects include installing new impermeable roofing over existing livestock feeding or gathering areas and manure stores.
Funding
Funding is based on a standard cost of £40/sq m of roof area, rather than the actual cost incurred by the farmer.
This means a 100sq m eligible roof would attract a standard grant value of £4,000, while a 250sq m project would be worth £10,000.
Clean water collected from the new roof must be directed to a clean water drain or rainwater harvesting system.
Grants range from £3,000 to £15,000 per customer reference number in each financial year.
Applications
Farmers can submit more than one application, provided their combined award remains within the funding annual ceiling.
Applications can be made throughout the year, and the current application form will remain available until March 2028.
An indicative £1m budget has been allocated for 2027-28, with applications assessed through several selection rounds.
Applications will be scored against expected benefits for water and air quality, animal health and welfare, and climate change mitigation.
Additional weighting will apply in areas including sensitive rivers and lakes, and locations with evidenced nutrient issues.
SFS Universal layer participants will also receive additional points during selection.
The first selection for 2027-28 funding is scheduled to begin on 30 November.
Farmers must receive a grant award letter before starting work or purchasing materials, and may also need planning or sustainable drainage approval.
