Farmers in the Midlands are being given another opportunity to apply for a grant from Severn Trent to help them to protect local watercourses from pollution. The ‘Severn Trent Environmental Protection Scheme’ (STEPS), which is solely funded by the water company, supports farmers in making improvements to their farm management and infrastructure, reducing the risk of pollution from their land into local water courses.

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Jodie Rettino the Severn Trent Catchment Manager, commented: "The more work we can do with farmers to reduce pollution from their land, the more we’ll protect local water courses, such as rivers, and the environment. In turn it'll also help reduce how much we have to treat the water we take from these water courses.” 

The STEPS grant scheme offers grants of up to a maximum of £5000 per year per farm. Farms must be located with a Severn Trent priority water catchment area. 

Jodie continues: “This is a great opportunity for farmers to get the financial help and support they need to make improvements to their farm and land.  Over 600 farmers were awarded STEPS grants in the last three years.  Funding is available for a range of farm and field improvement works including pesticide handling areas, watercourse fencing, cover crops and much more. Farmers also have the opportunity to propose their own ideas in a unique ‘Farmer Innovation’ option which has proven very popular.  We’d love to hear from anyone interested and we’re doing farm visits now to help farmers get the support they need.”

The application window for grant applications for 2018/19 opens on the 1^st January and closes on 16^th March 2018. For more information on STEPS funding, to book a farm visit and to contact your local Severn Trent  Agricultural Adviser visit http://www.stwater.co.uk/catchment .