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Catchment Sensitive Farming is contacting farmers who have been flooded in the Somerset Levels and Moors to reassure them that they will have longer to complete any work that has been funded by the project's capital grant scheme.

While farmers in the Somerset Levels and Moors deal with flood damage on their farms and are unable to access waterlogged land, Natural England fully appreciates that those who have received grants from the Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) Capital Grants Scheme 2013-14 will be unable to finish the work on their farms before the scheme’s original claim deadline of 28 February this year.

To give farmers in the area more time to complete all of the works funded by the grant scheme on their land, the date to complete grant-aided work has now been extended until 30th September 2014.

The Catchment Sensitive Farming local advisers work with many farmers who have land on the Somerset Levels and Moors and for further information regarding any CSF queries in the area, please contact Roy Hayes on 07814233743 or  roy.hayes@naturalengland.org.uk or Simon Richardson on 07989578809 or  simon.richardson@naturalengland.org.uk.

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

The CSF Capital Grant Scheme 2014-15 opened to new applications on 1st February.  Farmers in the CSF’s priority catchments - including the Somerset Levels & Moors - can now apply for a grant for works to be carried out within a CSF target area.

This claim extension applies only to the CSF Capital Grant Scheme 2013-14 in the Somerset Levels and Moors Catchment and does not include any other agreements or grants with Natural England or other organisations.  Natural England has separately issued advice: (71kb) for any farmers in Environmental Stewardship whose agreement land has been affected by flooding.

For further information please contact: catchmentsensitivefarming@naturalengland.org.uk

Media enquiries only please contact: David Hirst, Natural England press officer: david.hirst@naturalengland.org.uk 
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