More than 800 farming businesses in Wales have applied for a share of £20m from two slurry infrastructure schemes, according to the Welsh government.

The Nutrient Management Investment and Small Grants Yard Coverings schemes focus on supporting investment in on-farm slurry infrastructure.

Launched in the spring, the schemes aim to help farmers comply with the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021.

They are designed to improve slurry management by supporting additional storage capacity and preventing rainwater from entering slurry stores, which reduces the need for extra storage.

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The Welsh government announced on September 25 that a large number of applications have been received, with approximately 800 farms across Wales applying for funding.

Grant awards worth nearly £1.1m have already been accepted under the Yard Coverings scheme, while over 700 Expressions of Interest have been submitted for the Nutrient Management Investment scheme.

All eligible applicants to the Nutrient Management Investment scheme can now proceed to the next stage, with full applications due by December 9, according to the Welsh government.

Rural affairs secretary Huw Irranca-Davies expressed his satisfaction with the strong interest in the schemes.

“This will enable them to build resilience to extreme weather conditions - and help to improve water quality in our rivers and their tributaries.” he said.

“Public awareness of the state of our rivers has never been higher. This puts the agricultural sector in a powerful position to help improve the quality of our river environment.

“Farmers, landowners and agricultural businesses are at the forefront of this effort, and so it’s essential that we give them the support to develop sustainable practices and innovative solutions."

He added: “I would encourage all those who have been selected to submit their full applications and take full advantage of the funding that’s available.”