Farmers are being urged not to miss out on the chance to share in £15.5million in grants available through this year’s Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) capital grants scheme.

Grants of up to £10,000 are available for land managers to carry out practical farm work that will boost the health of England’s streams, rivers, meres and mosses by improving water quality and reducing pollution from agricultural activity.

The fund, which is administered by Natural England, operates across England and is available to holdings situated within the CSF project’s 79 catchment areas.

The deadline for applications is April 30. Contact the Natural England CSF team on 0300 060 1111.

With the deadline for applications to be returned fast approaching, Natural England is urging anyone who would still like to apply for a grant not to leave it too late. To request an application pack please call the CSF grants team on 0300 060 1111.

The grants scheme has a budget of £15.5 million to distribute in 2013/14 to help fund capital works on farms. More than 40 types of project are eligible, including installing water troughs, managing pesticides to reduce groundwater impacts, roofing manure and silage stores and works to keep livestock away from streams.

Grants of up to a maximum £10,000 per holding are available and the scheme can pay 50% of the actual cost of agreed capital works. The Capital Grant fund is a competitive scheme with grants going to applications that best meet the scheme’s objectives.

From the River Aln in Northumberland to the River Exe in Devon and the Tweed to the Tamar, hundreds of farmers have already benefited from the grants scheme and the free specialist training and advice offered by the Catchment Sensitive Farming team.

The project is not only boosting local wetland environments, but also helping farmers to cut costs. The free, specialist advice on offer covers a wide range of topics from providing information on nutrient management, planning and soil husbandry, to details of the latest developments in fertilizer spreader calibration and soil and water management.