Grants of up to £30,000 are available to farmers and landowners in Gloucestershire.

The grants are to help provide farm improvements that will help reduce water quality issues.

There's just over two months to go before Severn Trent’s Environmental Protection Scheme (STEPS) closes.

The scheme has seen a reduction in the value of applications this year, despite Severn Trent increasing the funding available on key items in priority catchments. This is largely due to the ongoing financial challenges farmers are facing.

Farmers are being offered financial and technical support to invest in solutions that will reduce water pollution and protect the environment while supporting farm productivity.

Dr Alex Cooke, principal catchment scientist at Severn Trent, said: "For eligible recipients, funding has doubled from £5,000 up to £10,000 across the board.

"But in catchments where pesticide reduction is a priority, farmers can now apply for up to £30,000 for washdown and disposal areas, and there is also up to 75 per cent funding for watercourse fencing."

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Severn Trent has identified three key concerns in its priority catchments and is urging farmers to pursue funded options that prevent pesticide, nitrates or cryptosporidium reaching watercourses.

“The match funding is available to both arable and livestock farmers, for a wide range of infrastructure and land management improvements,” says Dr Cooke.

“For example, we’ve seen the grants being put towards building pesticide washdown areas, covering livestock handling systems, planting cover crops and installing livestock fencing.

“We hope that this added flexibility will encourage more famers to work with us and apply for grants before January 31, 2023.”

To find out more about STEPS funding, contact your Severn Trent agricultural adviser, Susey Bamber susan.bamber@severntrent.co.uk or visit www.STwater.com/STEPS