Stephen’s milking system has 18 robots to speed up productivity, save labour and improve yields, as his 600 Jersey cross British Friesians enter the stalls when they please. The milk is then gently pasteurised, bottled and sold at one of his four vending machines in local shopping areas under its brand name JustMilked. It’s sustainable, convenient and Stephen has kept the profit right through the supply chain.

Stephen funded the state-of-the-art parlour by combining government grants and specialist agri asset finance.

“Stephen’s farm is a brilliant example of someone having an idea and finding the perfect way to make it reality,” says Matthew Smart, CEO of Rural Asset Finance, which funded the project. “These projects do need specialist financial support and most lenders can’t structure multiple finance products in parallel to cater for the diverse revenue streams in modern farming.

“For a start, the legacy HP, lease, loan and mortgage debt needs to be analysed. We consolidated Stephen’s existing finance to a new long-term loan at a cheaper rate which more than halved his monthly repayments. This freed up his machinery fleet from finance, enabling him to change and sell machines easily to complement his changing business model.

“The new parlour was funded with fixed-rate lease finance over 10 years and a new loan for the shed to house it. Loan funds paid the invoices and Stephen used grants to retrospectively repay some of the initial loan and provide solid working capital buffers to counter high input costs. A further grant, with HP finance, bought the pasteurising equipment and the vending machines, with no cash outlay from the farm bank account.”

Government grants including the Farming Investment Fund, the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund and the Farming Transformation Fund can provide up to £500,000 towards equipment or building projects. And with the right finance partner farmers could, like Stephen, use that money as a foundation to access borrowing that transforms their farms, and their revenue.

Now is the time to take advantage of government support. Matthew explains: “Many farms are seeing benefits processing food products and retailing them directly, which keeps more of the supply chain profit on the farm. Whether it’s turning potatoes into crisps, or washing and packaging your products before sale, that’s adding value and can be done with automation.

“Yes, it’s significant investment in such things as packhouses, parlours and processing plants, but grants complemented with the right credit agreements are making this more achievable than ever. Obviously, the whole farm’s finances need to be reviewed – modern farm revenue generation is changing so dramatically that historic debts now need structuring differently to ensure they remain manageable.

“We’ve helped so many farmers expand their business in this way and with the grants continuing into next year we’re ready, willing, able and happy to help many more.”

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With milking cows being the most direct income generators on dairy farms, their health is often prioritised and many farms invest heavily in their housing as a result. Calf housing, on the other hand, is often neglected and not fit for purpose – with poor drainage, ventilation and space allowance being common problems, explains Rob.

Additionally, they can be less accessible for mucking out and feeding calves. With farmers being increasingly time-poor and labour being difficult to come by, having an efficient calf housing system could help to relieve some pressure.

Measurable indications that calf housing needs improvements include high pneumonia rates, medicines use and mortality, Rob notes.

What funding is available?

Defra has made a £10M funding pot available, with calf housing grants ranging from £15,000–500,000 to build new, or upgrade existing buildings to house calves. For the purposes of the grant, ‘calf’ applies to domestic cattle up to six months of age.

Farmers will also be able to access funding for roof-top solar panels on calf housing buildings. While not a requirement, projects installing solar power are likely to be more highly ranked when funding is allocated due to the environmental benefits, explains Rob, who took part in an expert panel as Defra planned its cattle housing grants.

Calf housing grants can cover up to a maximum of 40% of the eligible costs for a project. For those installing rooftop solar PV systems, the grant will only cover up to 25% of the eligible costs of purchase and installation.

What are the requirements?

As demand is likely to outstrip availability, Defra is more likely to accept applications that meet three criteria, and depending on how much benefit they deliver compared to the farm’s existing housing. The three priorities are:

• Improving calf health and welfare
• Enhancing environmental sustainability
• Introducing innovation.

Defra has stated that grant-funded calf housing must provide ‘a good ambient environment and facilitate social contact through pair or group housing’. The environment ‘must ensure good air quality, temperature, and humidity within the building through choice of suitable location, ventilation and other building features’.

Upgrades to existing buildings or new structures are expected to be gold standard, with criteria based on the Wisconsin University Dairyland Blueprint. Defra requires a total area (included bedded area, lying and feed space) of 3m2 for calves under 100kg, 4m2 for calves 100–150kg, and 5m2 for calves above 150kg.

Also required is straw bedding (aiming for a nesting score of 3, where the calf’s limbs are not visible when lying), as well as solid concrete flooring and a 5% gradient in bedding areas, which slopes towards a drain or drainage channel.

When built in a sheltered or semi-sheltered location, buildings must include positive pressure tube ventilation to ensure at least four air changes per hour. Minimum air inlets of 0.04m2 per calf are needed in side-walls, and minimum outlets (e.g. covered roof ridge) of 0.04m2 per calf are also required.

The grants specify Yorkshire boarding to clad walls rather than space boarding. However, side walls with curtains or shutters allow greater flexibility and would score points for greater design innovation, Rob advises.

The minimum height of external solid walls required in England is 1.2m. Further items required by the grants include enrichment (e.g. hanging balls or brushes), artificial lighting, two electrical sockets, temporary isolation for sick calves, and temperature-humidity data loggers.

Who can apply?

Existing cattle farmers carrying out farming activities including calf rearing, with 11 or more cattle, can apply – but any buildings you build or upgrade using money from the grant must be located in England.

Farmers must own the land they’re building on or have a tenancy agreement for the land until five years after the project is complete.

How to apply for calf housing grants

Applications follow a three-step process:

1. Use the government’s online eligibility checker
2. Ambient Environment Location and Design assessment: Share details of the design and specification of your proposed calf building
3. Full application: If the above assessment is satisfactory, you’ll be sent application forms.

You will also require a written letter from your vet confirming that your calf housing grant application has been discussed with them, and that they support your application. One way to do this would be to apply for an Annual Health and Welfare Review visit, which will cover the costs of the consultation.

The application process closes on 30th November. For more information, visit gov.uk.

You can also read more stories from our Livestock News section.

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Stock photo for illustration purposes only.

The new research and feasibility competitions are open to farmers, growers, foresters, research organisations and businesses involved in agriculture and encourage collaboration on novel ideas and solutions addressing the most pressing challenges in farming.

Previous rounds have led to investment in automation to improve soft fruit yield; a ‘herd’ of lightweight, battery-operated, asparagus-harvesting robots; and the use of ultraviolet as a disinfectant in the dairy and poultry sectors.

Farming minister Mark Spencer said the competitions are aimed at promoting collaboration between farmers, research organisations and other industry stakeholders to help bring ground-breaking ideas to life.

“The success of the previous competition rounds and the broad scope of ideas coming forward showcase the range of possibilities available for driving up productivity and solving some of the industry’s biggest challenges. I encourage everyone to take a look at what’s on offer in the latest competitions and apply,” the minister said.

Guidance is now available for the third round of the Small R&D Partnerships competition, which seeks to help businesses develop a new farming product or service and take it to commercialisation on the open market.

Worth almost £10 million, it has been developed in partnership with the Transforming Food Production Challenge and is delivered by Innovate UK. Applications for the competition will be accepted starting from 14^th August.

Projects that received funding in the second round of the competition include studies exploring how to breed sheep with a naturally low carbon footprint and looking at renewable energy sources for powering operational processes on soft fruit farms such as automated picking, sensors and vehicles.

This comes alongside the third round of the Feasibility Studies competition, offering businesses and researchers £4.5 million to assess whether a new idea works in practice and decide whether further investment can be justified.

The competition looks for early-stage solutions that have the potential to substantially improve the overall productivity, sustainability and resilience of farming, and will open for applications on 18^th September.

Successful applicants in previous rounds include a study to identify fungal strains that can help fight against insect and fungal pests in wheat crops, reducing the costs associated with multiple applications of chemical pesticides, mechanical damage from repeated spray applications and crop yield losses.

Guidance for both competitions can be found on the gov.uk website and those interested are encouraged to read this ahead of applications opening.

Dr Katrina Hayter, executive director for the Healthy Living and Agriculture Domain at Innovate UK, said: “We look forward to supporting the next round of applicants and identifying promising partnerships that hold the potential to address the sustainability, efficiency, and net zero challenges confronting the UK’s agrifood industry.

“Feasibility studies mark the initial stage in researching an idea that could improve farming, while small R&D partnerships are a vital step to empowering businesses to forge novel farming products and services, paving the way towards successful commercialisation.”

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Last week, the government announced the launch of the new £10 million Animal Health and Welfare Infrastructure Grant, under which farmers will be awarded grants from £15,000 to £500,000 for upgrading cattle buildings and improve conditions for livestock.

Through the scheme, farmers will also be able to access funding for roof-top solar panels to improve the thermal insulation of calf housing while also providing a low-cost energy source.

Applications for the Infrastructure Grant will open later this year, and there are plans to extend the scheme to other livestock sectors, including pig and poultry.

The government has also announced that more than £19 million has been awarded to over 3,000 pig, poultry, sheep and cattle farmers who successfully applied to the first round of the Animal Health and Welfare Equipment and Technology Grant.

These grants, of between £1,000 and £25,000, will help farmers with items ranging from livestock handling equipment to reduce lameness in sheep or cattle or sealed water tanks to reduce disease transmission in outdoor pigs, to automated monitoring system and sensors which free up farmers’ time and limit environmental stress in poultry housing.

Both the Infrastructure and Equipment and Technology grants are part of the government’s wider Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, which supports farmers to transition to higher welfare practices and systems, whilst encouraging sustainable food production.

Commenting on the reception of the grants, farming minister Mark Spencer said: “It’s great to see such enthusiasm for these grants, with over 3,000 farmers receiving money through the Equipment and Technology Grant from today, and many more set to benefit with our investment in new and upgraded calf housing through our brand new Infrastructure Grant.”

The Animal Health and Welfare Infrastructure Grant will prioritise co-funding new and upgraded calf housing in order to promote better social contact and create a healthier environment for livestock.

Successful applicants could receive funding for a variety of building types – for example, the construction of A-frame buildings to house dairy calves from birth to weaning, or a mono-pitch building on a beef unit to house calves between 3-6 months.

Improved cattle housing will not only ensure calves are healthier, more resilient and productive, but will also enhance the resilience of farm buildings in the face of our changing climate. These infrastructure improvements, which are known to effectively reduce the risk of disease and calf mortality, will also benefit farmers’ bottom line.

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The new scheme will provide a seamless transition as the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme ends, and will also replace the Glastir Advances, Commons and Organic schemes ending 31^st December 2023.

Through the scheme, farmers will be eligible to receive payments for protecting habitat land, which will also ensure the important gains made by Glastir are maintained. Introduced in 2013, Glastir has been the main sustainable land management scheme in Wales, providing farmers with financial support for taking climate-friendly actions.

The application window for the interim agri-environment scheme will open later this year, with contracts commencing in January 2024. Further details including the budget for the scheme will be announced following discussions with stakeholders prior to the start of the application window.

Rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths commented: “The interim scheme is an important step as we progress towards the Sustainable Farming Scheme which will support farmers to produce food sustainably at the same time as addressing the climate and nature emergencies.”

With the end of Glastir, farmers and land managers in Wales will also be able to access all of the available Rural Investment Schemes, a number of which will prepare them to enter SFS. Currently, Glastir Advanced farmers are unable to apply to the Small Grants – Environment scheme.

The minister added: “Through Glastir, we have supported farmers to maintain and enhance habitat protection; we want to maintain this investment as we transition to the new Sustainable Farming Scheme.

“It’s important we have a scheme to ensure the valuable gains made under Glastir are not lost, and we’re also able to encourage more farmers to take part.”

Lack of support for organic farming sparks concern

Having reviewed the proposed interim scheme, the Soil Association has expressed concern over the apparent lack of support for organic farming systems, saying the announcement might come as a “shock” for Welsh organic farmers.

“We and other farming representatives recently called on the Minister to confirm that there would be no cliff-edge on funding for nature-friendly and low carbon farming ahead of the introduction of the Sustainable Farming Scheme,” said Soil Association head of policy Wales Andrew Tuddenham.

“Whilst the announcement goes some way to addressing this, we remain concerned that what appears to be a singular focus on habitat will miss the wider range of benefits secured through organic farming.”

Mr Tuddenham went on to point out that organic dairy farmers will be at a particular disadvantage, and that the proposals could be the “final straw” for those squeezed tight between high input costs and dropping milk prices.

The Association has also called for current Glastir contract holders to be prioritised in the application process to ensure uninterrupted support for those doing more for the environment.

“Now is not the time to heap more pressure on farmers who manage their land through Glastir for nature, carbon and sustainable food production goals. Welsh Government must bring forward its engagement with stakeholders to ensure that the scheme helps rather than hinders sustainable farming in Wales,” Mr Tuddenham stressed.

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Farming minister Mark Spencer sampling examples of agri-innovation at the Royal Norfolk Show.

Building on the Nature for Finance event at Downing Street last month, the Farming Innovation Investor Partnership Competition aims to accelerate agricultural research and development by blending grant funding with private investment.

It specifically seeks to support pioneering projects across the agricultural sector that have demonstrated the potential to grow and generate revenue, supporting the commercialisation of on-farm technologies that can then be rolled out across the industry.

The competition is set to open on Monday 24^th July, and projects are encouraged to apply from across the livestock, arable, horticulture, bioeconomy and agroforestry sectors.

Applicants can bid for up to 45% of project costs in grant funding, which must be matched by at least twice the amount in private investment. There is no limit to the level of private investment for projects, and previous schemes have shown the ability to attract significantly higher levels of investment.

The competition, which is funded by Defra, run in partnership with UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and delivered by Innovate UK, represents an extension of the government’s £270m Farming Innovation Programme.

Examples of projects already benefitting from the scheme include autonomous livestock monitoring systems, robotic fruit harvesting systems, concentrated light weeding using AI, intelligent robotic cow cubicles and digital crop management for the early detection of glasshouse pests and diseases.

By supporting projects at the later stage of innovation, the new competition is expected to drive increased commercialisation and adoption within the industry, and also aims to elevate the profile of the agri-tech sector by positioning it as a central focus for UK investors.

Moreover, it delivers on commitments made at the UK Farm to Fork Summit in May to boost growth, innovation and improve sustainability across the food supply chain in order to keep the nation fed while delivering nature recovery for our countryside.

Farming minister Mark Spencer commented: “Supporting a resilient, sustainable and innovative agriculture sector that puts food on our tables while safeguarding the environment is my priority, and we are working with farmers to deliver this through our new farming schemes and grants.

“By bringing together cutting-edge agri-innovation and public and private investment, we can unlock new technologies that help make our farm businesses as productive as possible.”

In order to apply, projects must be led by a sole UK registered micro, small, or medium-sized business and exhibit clear and tangible connections to farmers, growers, agri-businesses, and other potential end-users. Investors for the programme will be selected from the pool of Innovate UK Investor Partners which currently comprises 80 partners and growing.

For further details on how to apply, visit the Innovate UK website here.

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The event brought together farmers, land managers, investors and conservation experts to identify new investment opportunities that drive forward actions to mobilise investment in nature recovery while continuing to maintain the country’s food production.

At the event, which was organised on the back of the UK Farm to Fork Summit last month, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Thérèse Coffey announced the launch of an additional round of the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund (NEIRF) later this year to address barriers to accessing private investment for nature recovery.

This round will be the first time the NEIRF focuses specifically on the farming sector, helping farmers to come together at a landscape scale to combine their offer to investors, and enabling more types of farmer to access and benefit from nature markets.

Ahead of the event, the secretary of state commented: “Today’s event is an important step forward in bringing together farmers and financiers to invest in nature and unlock new opportunities to improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of farm businesses.”

The NEIRF provides funding for projects that have the potential to produce revenue from the benefits nature provides to attract and repay investment, as well as projects able to produce an investment model that can be scaled up and reproduced.

To date, 86 projects across England have received development grants of up to £100,000 through two competitive rounds of the £10 million NEIRF in 2021 and 2022.

One of the projects to receive funding from the NEIRF was The Wendling Beck Exemplar Project, which aims to transform land use for environmental benefit while also selling ecosystem services such as Biodiversity Net Gain.

Explaining more about its mission, project lead Glenn Anderson said: “Wendling Beck is a pathfinder project for financing land-use change through new nature markets.

“Projects like Wendling Beck are critical in safeguarding long-term food security – through mitigating existential challenges to climate, water and biodiversity – and enhancing the national natural capital reserves which underpin our economy.”

Mobilising nature finance

The secretary of state has also announced the launch of the pilot phase of a new version of the Green Finance Institute’s (GFI) investment readiness toolkit which will provide a tailored framework offering farmers advice on how to create investable nature finance projects.

In the pilot phase, the GFI will gather insights from stakeholders – including those in attendance at yesterday’s event – to ensure the toolkit meets the specific needs of farmers.

The government will also consult later this year on specific steps needed to mobilise additional nature finance through voluntary markets and protect against the risk of greenwashing, seeking input from experts in finance, business, environment, and farming sectors.

In addition, Defra has recently partnered with the British Standards Institution to ensure the adoption of sound scientific standards underpinning nature investments and avoiding greenwashing.

Archie Ruggles-Brise, estate manager of Spains Hall Estate in Essex, commented:

“The opportunities for land managers to engage directly with finance professionals, tech providers and local authorities around environmental markets are rare, especially at this early stage of the market. So to be afforded that chance through the Essex County Council led NEIRF project is exciting.

“This could be game changing for farms, as once the income side is proven it opens the door for all kinds of support for transition to alternative, more sustainable, land use choices. It’s all about having more choice, especially beyond commodity markets, now and in the future.”

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The fund is set to test out new ways of bringing together satellite, wireless and fixed line internet connectivity, helping to support farmers and tourism businesses in accessing fast, reliable connectivity in remote areas for the first time.

The investment will also help rural businesses in trial areas make the most of new agricultural technologies by improving connectivity on their land, such as by using new drone technology to monitor crops and livestock in real-time, support landscape and wildlife conservation efforts, or develop interactive experiences for tourists.

The new fund is part of a wider government initiative to improve housing, transport, digital connectivity and jobs for rural communities and drive growth in the sector, as set out in a new publication ‘Unleashing Rural Opportunity’ released today.

The plan will be formally unveiled at the Future Countryside Conference by Secretary of State for Rural Affairs Thérèse Coffey, who commented:

“The countryside makes up over 90% of the UK’s land mass, it is home to millions of people, and contributes over £250 billion to our economy in England alone. Rural areas are rich in human and natural potential with strong communities and entrepreneurial businesses.

“We want to go further in unleashing that potential and support people in rural areas to build the sustainable future they want to see. Unleashing Rural Opportunity sets out what we have already delivered for rural communities and new initiatives to build on that record.”

The plan is split across four broad themes of housing, communities, connectivity and growth, including proposals to expand internet provision and scale up the availability of housing in rural areas.

It also includes proposals to make it easier for farmers to convert their redundant agricultural buildings into family homes by cutting red tape. Planning rules could be changed to provide a more generous threshold delivered through the more streamlined planning process, while providing local authorities with new powers to safeguard against second homes and holiday lets.

Moreover, the government has pledged to provide additional funding for the NPCC’s new national rural crime unit to help keep farmers and rural communities safe by tackling anti-social behaviour, equipment theft and fly-tipping. New legislation is set to be introduced shortly to increase fly-tipping and litter penalties and a consultation launched into using these fines to fund further action on fly-tipping.

In addition, there are plans explore the launch of a new fund to help smaller abattoirs improve productivity and enhance animal welfare with the aim to open the fund for applications later this year.

Commenting on the publication, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “I have pledged to build a better future for people in this country, and our rural communities are right at the heart of that promise.

“That’s why I’m determined to make sure that their interests are front and centre of all our work to grow the economy and strengthen our communities – so that every part of our country gets the support it needs to thrive.”

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The projects receiving a share of the funding pot under the Farming Innovation Programme include:

• Ground-breaking genetics research projects which could reduce methane emissions in cattle by 17% per generation, and produce a reliable UK-grown protein source that can replace soya in human foods
• Investigations into the use of drones and artificial intelligence to inspect and monitor animals to enable farmers to take action should animals go missing or need attention
• Efforts to develop biopesticides using fungal strains that help tackle pests in wheat crops, and to pin-point the genetics for creating slug-resistant wheat

Over 50 innovative projects have been awarded a share of over £18 million so far in the latest rounds of the Farming Innovation Programme, titled Climate Smart Funding, Sustainable Farm-Based Protein Feasibility Round 2 and Research Starter Round 2.

The government has also announced the launch of a new ‘On-Farm Environmental Resilience’ competition which will see £12.5 million awarded to innovative projects aimed at creating a more productive, resilient and sustainable agricultural sector.

Farmers and growers have until Wednesday 19th July to apply for up to £1 million in project costs to drive the development of new technology and innovative farming methods, with a focus on practical solutions that make a tangible impact on farms.

Example projects include finding new ways to detect pests and prevent and manage disease; helping farmers to reduce their fertiliser use; boosting soil resilience; and managing threats from extreme weather and flooding.

Projects researching how gene editing and methods including regenerative cropping could boost productivity and crop resilience are also encouraged to apply.

The competition is made up of two strands:

• A feasibility strand, with a focus on identifying emerging solutions to develop innovations in agriculture, forestry and horticulture – further details can be found here
• An industrial research strand, aimed at advancing emerging solutions to new products, processes and services within the sector – further details can be found here

Secretary of State for Agriculture Thérèse Coffey said innovation is a key factor in attaining a resilient, productive and sustainable agriculture sector and the new investment is intended to help the industry rise to the challenge.

“Alongside our new farming schemes, these grants will help to support farmers and pave the way for a technological transformation that will help produce food sustainably for generations to come.”

Katrina Hayter, executive director of Healthy Living and Agriculture of Innovate UK, added: “The competitions once again demonstrate the sheer breadth and quality of innovation within the UK agri-food space.

“We’re proud to be able to help deliver these funding and partnership opportunities to the sector, bringing together farmers, growers, technologists and researchers in a common aim of making the UK food system more sustainable and resilient.

The new grants follow the government’s pledge to launch a new support package for the farming sector, announced at the inaugural Farm to Fork Summit earlier this month.

This includes substantial investment to unlock the potential of precision breeding following royal assent for the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act, as well as a working group to bring plant breeders, food manufacturers and retailers together to determine the best approach for presenting these products to British consumers.

To read more about the 50 winning projects awarded funding under the Farming Innovation Programme, visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website here.

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Building on the success of the first round of the scheme launched last year, the second round will support up to 25 projects and will be administered by Natural England and the Environment Agency.

The projects will be selected based on their environmental and social impact, value for money and suitability for the scheme.

The focus will be on proposals involving at least 500 hectares, which could include landscape-scale projects creating and enhancing woodland including temperate rainforest, peatland, nature reserves and protected sites such as ancient woodlands, wetlands and salt marshes.

Landscape Recovery sits alongside Countryside Stewardship and the Sustainable Farming Incentive as the government’s Environmental Land Management schemes. It was designed to encourage collaboration and working in partnership to protect and enhance landscapes in England, delivering environmental benefits alongside supporting farmers in feeding the nation.

Commenting on the announcement, secretary of state for food and farming, Thérèse Coffey, said: “Landscape Recovery is one of our three Environmental Land Management schemes which provide the funding and support for farmers in England through the biggest change in a generation.

“The scheme is already supporting 22 inspiring landscape-scale projects across England with development funding and the second round will help more farmers and land managers take collective action through involvement in bespoke projects that will make a real difference in reaching net zero and supporting valuable habitats, while continuing to support sustainable food production.”

Projects that received funding through the first round last year are already demonstrating how food production and environmental delivery can go hand in hand.

The River Axe Landscape Recovery project on the Somerset/Dorset border has brought together 23 farmers, smallholders and landowners, including dairy, beef, sheep and arable farms, to restore a 23.6km stretch of the upper river.

The project will support regenerative farming and extensive grazing on the land neighbouring the river corridor to reduce diffuse pollution, phosphates and sediments entering the river, enhancing water quality.

Dr Tony Juniper, chair of Natural England, commented: “Agriculture has a huge role to play in Nature recovery, ensuring that a thriving natural world is at the heart of sustainable food production.

“I hope that through this scheme more farmers and land managers will join forces, making significant progress towards the statutory Nature targets and providing the food and public goods that our society depends upon.”

Ongoing projects show promise

Alan Lovell, chair of the Environment Agency, welcomed the continuation of the Landscape Recovery scheme, adding the second round presents an opportunity for farmers and land managers to carry out ambitious land-use changes and habitat restoration.

“The round one projects – only launched in September 2022 – are already showing great promise, such as the River Axe project in Devon supported by the Environment Agency to improve the habitats and water quality of the Axe.”

“This second round of Landscape Recovery will take us further down the track toward becoming a nation that is resilient to climate change and rich in ecological diversity,” he added.

The first round of the scheme received a high volume of applications, out of which 22 projects were selected, focusing on restoring England’s threatened native species and improving water quality of streams and rivers.

Specifically, the projects involve creating and enhancing habitats from chalk streams and temperate rainforest to moorland and wetland, restoring over 600km of rivers, and protecting at least 263 species such as water vole, otter, pine marten, lapwing, great crested newt, European eel and marsh fritillary.

Alongside the River Axe project in Devon, works are ongoing in Yorkshire under the Three Dales project, where a consortium of ten farmers, landowners and conservation organisations led by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust are aiming to restore a large area of the western Yorkshire Dales uplands, creating habitats for species including black grouse, curlew and ring ouzels.

Funding has also been granted to the Darent Valley Farmer Cluster in Kent which is seeing farmers join forces with Kent Wildlife Trust and more local organisations to carry out chalk stream restoration in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Guidance on how to apply to the second round of the Landscape Recovery scheme can be found on the government website here.

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