Agri-Environment Initiatives Grant Scheme

About the Agri-Environment Initiatives Scheme (AES)

The Agri-Environment Initiatives Scheme (AES) has been created within the Agriculture and Fisheries Scheme (AFGS) to widen the scope of the AFGS to enable it to better meet the current Agricultural Strategy.

The Agricultural Strategy has four key objectives:

1. The Environment – providing support for targeted initiatives that produce conserved and cherished landscapes, enhance biodiversity, sequester carbon and, improve water quality and reduce flood risk
   
   
2. Supporting Active Farmers – ensuring that financial support is targeted at businesses producing food, protecting the environment and catchment and landscape management
   
   
3. Productivity – supporting marketing, efficiency, knowledge, benchmarking and advice to sustainably improve farm profitability and secure the long-term viability of the industry, post BREXIT
   
   
4. Investment – increasing investment through capital grants, business confidence and profitability

The AES provides a mechanism to support these objectives through the following initiatives:

• Woodland, Tree and Shelterbelt Planting
  
  
• Dubs, Scrapes and Wetlands
  
  
• New Hedgerow Planting and Enhancement
  
  
• Farmer Initiatives
  
  
• Winter Stubble
  
  
• Winter Fodder Crops
  
  
• Traditional Spring Cropping
  
  
• Cereal Conservation Headlands
  
  
• Unharvested Arable Crops
  
  
• Wild Bird / Pollinator / Wildflower Plots on Arable Land
  
  
• Supplementary Winter Feeding of Farmland Birds
  
  
• Grass Buffer or In-field Strips on Cultivated Land
  
  
• Hedge Management
  
  
• Dry-stone Walling
  
  
• Manx Sod Hedges and Earth Banks
  
  
• Control of Invasive Non-Native Species
  
  
• Wide Water Buffer Zones
  
  
• Winter Cover Crops between Arable Rotations
  
  
• Pest, Disease, Nutrient monitoring or sampling for animals, soils, and crops
  
  
• Manx & Imported Agricultural Lime
  
  
• Legumes for Combining or Harvesting as Forage
  
  
• Legumes Rich Swards (e.g. Clover Reseeds)
  
  
• Organic Farming
  
  
• Vermin Control
  
  
• Farm Carbon Calculator
  
  
• Soil Health Initiative
  
  
• Herbal and Mixed Species Leys
  
  
• Management of Priority Habitats
  
  
• Poultry Productivity KPIs
  
  
• Pig Industry Efficiency Schedule
  
  
• Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) Management Agreement
  
  
• Nest & Wildlife Boxes
  
  
• Educational Visits (School/Youth Groups)
  
  
• Upland Stewardship Scheme

For further information on these initiatives please refer to the Handbook which you are able to find under the ‘Downloadable Documents’ section on this webpage.

Who can apply?

An individual resident on the Island for tax purposes and carrying out agricultural or horticultural activity on the Island; who meets the Agricultural Development Scheme Active farmer criteria:

Grant rate - Manx

The Grant for the Manx Lime scheme will be calculated based on 50% of the cost of the purchase and spreading of the lime.

Grant rate - Imported

The Grant for imported will be calculated based on 25p per tonne per percentage ENV. For a product with an ENV of 57.7% this equals to 25p * 57.7 = ~£14.43/tonne.

The application process

This follows the AFGS process, the Department must have received a completed application before work has started i.e. before the lime is ordered. However for this first Scheme year (2022/23) applications dated from 1 April will be accepted.

Information required

The information required includes, basic contact details, tonnes required.

Payment

This follows the AFGS process, once the lime has been paid for, a claim for payment can be made.

Apply online

Pest and disease monitoring 5/06o

Pest and Disease monitoring Purpose: Optimising production, reducing the use of Pesticides, whilst maximising returns to the farmer.

Schedule / Number 5/06o Payment Rate: 80% of costs Items of Expenditure Eligible for support include: Laboratory analysis and sampling costs, an integrated Pest Management Plan must be produced and updated annually and a copy made available to the Department if requested.

The Application Process follows the AFGS process: The Department must have received a completed application form before work commences.

The information required on Application Form includes basic contact details and number /type of testing taking place, once work has been paid for, a claim for payment can be made. A copy of the receipted invoices or proof of payment must be supplied with the grant claim form, once this has been assessed the payment will be processed. It is your responsibility to be aware of the conditions applicable to your application and the Claim Form expiry date is generally 12 months from approval.

Contact details

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture is committed to ensuring that its services are accessible to all. If you require these documents in an alternative format and / or language please contact us to discuss your needs.