Protecting water from nitrates from agriculture – ARMA will subsidize investments. Call for applications is launched

As of October 25, the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture has launched a call for applications for financial assistance for investments aimed at protecting waters from nitrates of agricultural origin. It applies to farmers raising or keeping livestock up to 210 livestock units[1]. Under the program, reimbursement of incurred costs up to a maximum of 150,000 can be obtained. PLN. These investments include. Construction of slabs and tanks for storing silage and manure. Applications can be submitted until November 24.

Protecting water from nitrates – up to 150,000. PLN for the farmer for safe storage of fertilizers

The document on which the aid is based is the Program of measures to reduce water pollution by nitrates from agricultural sources and prevent further pollution. It stipulates that manures and silage are to be stored in places with appropriate parameters and in such a way as to negate their infiltration into the soil and water. According to this program, by December 31, 2024, all farms raising or rearing animals up to 210 livestock units (LU) are required to bring the storage and collection of fertilizer into compliance with certain guidelines.

As a reminder, livestock farms sized above 210 LU were supposed to meet these requirements by the end of 2021. These farms (above 210 IU) can also apply for funds in the described call for proposals, provided that they are managed by young farmers for no more than 2 years (the date the young farmer started managing the farm as a manager is what counts).

The funds come from the Rural Development Program (RDP) 2014-2020, operations of the Investment type to protect waters from nitrate pollution from agricultural sources, sub-measure Support for investment in agricultural holdings.

Protection of water against nitrates – rules for granting support

Financial support will be allocated according to:

1. Standard unit rates (SSJ) for the construction from scratch of new tanks for storing natural liquid fertilizer and slabs for storing solid fertilizer. Young farmers can count on aid of 60 percent. of eligible costs, and other farmers 50 percent. eligible costs. The base amount from which the subsidy is calculated is the product of the standard unit rates, the capacity of the slab or tank for the collection of natural fertilizer, and the overall cost of the investment (no more than 10% of the product of the standard unit rates).
2. Reimbursement of eligible costs – for investments related to already existing tanks and slabs for storing natural fertilizer and silage, in the amount of 60 percent. Eligible costs for young farmers and 50 percent. Eligible costs for other farmers with up to 210 DJP. Up to 10 percent can be taken into account when determining the amount of funding. Overhead costs of the investment.

Farmers applying for funding should bear in mind that any copies of documents attached to the application must be certified as true copies by an ARMA employee, notary, legal counsel or attorney.

Any questions or doubts about the call for applications will be clarified by ARMA staff at the hotline numbers – 800 38 00 84 and 22 595 06 11, as well as at regional offices.

Other information on this funding can be found on the website of the Agency for the Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture at.

Protection of water from nitrates – what specifically can you get funding for?

Applications for financial assistance will be subject to scoring, in which special importance will be given to such factors as the number of livestock, the share of investment costs and whether the farmer has previously applied for funding under the operation Investments to protect waters against nitrate pollution from agricultural sources and Investments in farms located in OSN areas.

Farmers can apply for financial assistance for the following investments that support the protection of water from nitrates from agricultural sources:

• Reconstruction, construction or purchase of tanks for storing liquid natural fertilizers;
• Construction or purchase of silage storage tanks and plates;
• Construction of slabs for solid fertilizer collection;
• Purchase of equipment for applying natural liquid fertilizers;
• Purchase of equipment for liquid natural fertilizer tanks;
• Purchase of necessary technical installations related to storage and application of natural fertilizers.

[1] LU – large livestock unit – is an animal conversion factor used, for example, to determine animal feed requirements. Examples: 1 cow up to 500 kg = 1 DJP, 1 boar = 0.4 DJP, 1 mare = 1.2 DJP. https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/DJP