North farmers urged to apply for funding for environmentally friendly tyres

Farmers are being being warned time is running out to apply for funding for more soil friendly tyres.

The Sustainable Agriculture Capital Grant Scheme is available to arable, potato and vegetable farmers to encourage the adoption of floatation tyres which reduce the impact of farm machinery on their soil.

Zach Reilly of SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), warns that compaction by farm machinery is one of the biggest threats to soil structure, but the correct tyres can reduce pressure by up to 40 per cent.

“Compaction is inevitable with heavy machinery and the number of passes needed in modern agriculture, but one way that the soil structure can be protected is through the use of flexion tyres," he said.

"If you are thinking seriously about looking after your soil, you should be seriously considering applying for funding to help fit these specialist tyres.”

The Sustainable Agriculture Capital Grant Scheme is a pilot grant scheme introduced to support agricultural business to meet challenging Climate Change targets and to promote sustainable farming and land use. Applications close on Sunday, October 11.

For more helpful tips on reducing your carbon footprint visit www.farmingforabetterclimate.org/drd

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