NFU Scotland is calling on Scottish Government to clarify the support available to farmers and crofters in 2023 as businesses attempt to comply with ‘extremely challenging slurry storage regulations’.

The new rules on application methods for slurry and digestate coming into force from January 1, 2023 and the union said those impacted by the rule changes were in an ‘information void’ on what support for storage and spreading would be available.

These require slurry storage capacity of 22 weeks for housed cattle and 26 weeks for housed pigs and there will be a four-year transition period from the 'coming into force date' to all farmers outwith a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) to achieve compliance.

From January 1, 2023, slurry will not be allowed to be applied by high trajectory raised splash plate, or rain guns. This means that slurry should only be applied by using precision equipment if applied by contractors.

For those applying it themselves on farms of more than 100 milking cows, 200 beef cattle livestock units, or pig units with more 800 fattening pigs or 800 sows. For smaller farms, low trajectory splash plates will be allowed but from January 1, 2027, all slurry must be applied by precision equipment. From January 1, 2023, liquid digestate can only be applied using precision equipment.

NFUS wrote to the Scottish Government nine months ago asking for slurry storage investment to be ring-fenced within the Agri-Environment and Climate Scheme budget, the grant rate available per project to be increased and for the funding to be made more widely accessible.

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For investment in slurry storage, the only currently available support is through the very limited AECS. Since launching in 2016, some 134 slurry storage applications had been approved under AECS – thereby committing £5.21m. So, from a total AECS budget of some £290m since 2016, it appeared that less than 2% had been allocated to slurry storage.

The union has also called for the Sustainable Agricultural Capital Grant Scheme (SACGS), a £5m fund which supported investment in specialist slurry equipment this year, to be significantly expanded in 2023 in terms of overall funding, eligible expenditure, funding per business and grant rates.

However, it pointed out that it had heard nothing from the Scottish Government on this. It added that, by comparison, in recent weeks Defra had announced grants of between £25,000-£250,000 towards the cost of slurry storage, covers and supporting equipment for producers south of the Border.

Argyll and Islands Regional chair, Duncan Macalister, said: “It is disappointing that Scottish Government has not met our asks from the spring of the year leaving those farmers and crofters affected none the wiser on what support will be available for the necessary investments in the storage and application of slurry.

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“Making the most of muck and slurry is paramount, given the very high price of fertilisers, but without providing clarity on what investments will be eligible for support, and what support rates will be, Scottish Government is limiting on farm efficiency and holding back progress on its own regulations.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson responded: “The Scottish Government wants to help people in Scotland to farm and croft more sustainably as we work to become a global leader in regenerative agriculture. Helping farmers, crofters and agricultural contractors to change their practice by ensuring they have access to the right equipment, tools and knowledge is key.

“Slurry store funding has been available through AECS, on a standard cost basis, in SEPA identified priority catchment areas. Since 2014, the Scottish Government has committed £6.2 million to 161 AECS Slurry Storage applications.

"Complementing this, SACGS 2022 has committed almost the full amount of funding available to it to provide support for low emission slurry spreading and slurry store covers.

“Agriculture is devolved and it is for each part of the UK to develop policies for its own circumstances. We will continue to support the rural economy with stability and simplicity until 2025 and we remain committed to supporting active farming and food production with direct payments.

"However, Brexit means we no longer have long-term certainty of funding and unilateral choices imposed by HM Treasury provide insufficient replacement for the EU budget. The support offered reflects this.”

The current scheme for slurry store funding is paid on standard costs of £15 per cubic metre up to a maximum of 2000 cubic metres of storage (£30,000). Associated slurry tank equipment is also available through AECS and paid on standard costs, including covered below-ground reception tanks with a payment of £235 per cubic metre, restricted to a maximum size of 36 cubic metres (£8460).