Nutrient Management Investment Scheme: guidance

The Programme for Government sets out our commitments to continue supporting farmers to produce food in a sustainable way, whilst taking action to respond to the climate emergency and to help reverse the decline in biodiversity. Funding support for farmers, land managers and associated rural sectors over the next 3 years is delivered through a flexible framework of support, with schemes – including the Nutrient Management Investment Scheme - delivering towards the following themes:

• Farm scale land management
• On farm environmental improvements
• On farm efficiency and diversification
• Landscape scale land management
• Woodland and forestry
• Food and farming supply chains

The framework is designed to both support action in response to the challenges and opportunities available over the next 3 years and to inform the continuing development of the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which will reward farmers for the work they do now to lower their carbon footprint, improve the environment and produce food in a sustainable way.

Further information on the themes and schemes being developed are available at:  Wales Rural Network | Business Wales - Business Wales (gov.wales)

These Guidance Notes explain the Nutrient Management Investment Scheme. Please read it carefully. If you then consider your investment plans may qualify for support under this scheme and you want to apply for support, please see ‘How to Apply’ at section C and the How to Complete booklet.

The application window will open on 4 July 2022 and close on 12 August 2022.

The indicative budget allocation for this application window is £15.0m.

The Nutrient Management Investment scheme is a capital grant scheme available to farmers in Wales to improve the economic and environmental performance of their farm businesses.

The objectives are to support investments which enhance on-farm nutrient management, protect, and enhance water, soil and air quality, improve on-farm resource efficiencies, technical performance, and the use of technology to improve management decisions.

The Nutrient Management Investment scheme supports infrastructure and capital investments in equipment and machinery that have been identified to address the impact of on-farm pollution, offering clear and quantifiable benefits to your farm business and the wider environment.

Please read the scheme rules and guidance document before submitting an Expression of Interest (EoI).

If selected, you must be able to complete and claim all Capital Works items by 31^st March 2025.

Any changes will be publicised via the Welsh Government website, GWLAD online and, where necessary, we will contact you directly.

You are eligible to apply if:

• You are registered with the Welsh Government and have been issued with a Customer Reference Number (CRN). Please refer to the Welsh Government website for the how to register guidance or call the RPW Customer Contact Centre on 0300 062 5004.
•  You are a primary producer of agricultural products
• You have 3ha of eligible agricultural land registered with RPW in Wales or
• You are able to demonstrate over 550 standard labour hours

We will check if you have an eligible Basic Payment Scheme or Glastir Organic claim to verify if you are a primary producer of agricultural products and you have 3ha of eligible agricultural land in Wales.

If you have not submitted claims for either of these schemes, you must submit documentary evidence with your EoI to verify that you are a primary producer of agricultural products and that you meet either the 3ha of eligible agricultural land registered with RPW in Wales or 550 standard labour hours eligibility criteria. If this documentary evidence is not submitted by the EoI closing date, your EoI will be rejected.

The primary production of agricultural products includes the following farming sectors:

• arable
• beef
• dairy
• goats
• horticulture (including hydroponics and aquaponics)
• pigs
• poultry
• sheep
• apiculture

Group Eligibility

A group of farmers may submit an EoI for Nutrient Management Investment. To do so, all farmers that comprise the group must meet all the above eligibility conditions. In addition, the group must be registered with the Welsh Government and have been issued with a Customer Reference Number (CRN) for the group. The EoI must be submitted under the CRN as issued for the group.

If two or more agricultural holdings are managed as a single unit, or in a single ownership, or to some extent have common management, common financial accounts, common livestock, machinery and/or feeding stores that will be classed as a single business.

You are not eligible if:

• You are an Equine customer (including grazing horses)
• You are a Forestry customer (including woodland only owners)
• The capital equipment is to be used for contracting or leasing purposes
• You have a live SPG contract for the same area/items

Eligible items

Only items included on the List of Eligible Capital Items will attract funding.

The investment must meet or exceed the minimum specification described.

Second hand equipment is eligible where the applicant can demonstrate the following:

• it complies with current health and safety legislation
• is fit for purpose
• has at least five years life expectancy remaining

Ineligible Items

• Investments to replace items previously purchased with public funding, such as EU or Welsh Government grant assistance (for the same farm business)
• Replacements under an insurance claim.
• Construction of livestock housing areas.
• Converting buildings supported through the scheme for alternative uses, e.g. livestock housing, storage.
• Investments that are not located on the applicant’s holding.

Costs related to the purchase of equipment are only eligible for grant aid when the cost has been correctly and fully defrayed by the claimant prior to submitting a claim.

Maximum Grant Rate and Maximum Grant Threshold

One application is permitted per window and the maximum grant award is £50,000 and the minimum is £12,000.

• Previous participation in the Sustainable Production Grant scheme windows 1 - 7 will not affect your ability to apply for the maximum £50,000 grant.
• Applicants that have a live SPG contract for the same area/items are not able to apply for this window.

The grant provides a maximum 40% contribution towards capital investments in equipment and machinery (excluding VAT), which can be demonstrated as offering clear and quantifiable benefits to farm businesses.

The grant will be a maximum 40% contribution against actual invoiced costs.

For instance, you are offered a contract with an offer of grant towards the purchase of a slurry store with a value of £100,000. The maximum grant offer will be £40,000.

Should the investment, on completion, cost in excess of £100,000, the grant will be capped at the original cost submitted in the application i.e. 40% of £100,000.

Should the cost on completion of the investment be less than the original cost submitted in the application, (e.g. £80,000) the grant claim will be reduced to £32,000 i.e. 40% of £80,000.

To receive the maximum grant of £50,000, the application will need to include investments of a minimum £125,000. To reach the minimum grant threshold of £12,000, you project will need to invest a minimum of £30,000.

Your application may exceed the maximum grant. If your EoI is selected, the related claim will be capped to the maximum £50,000.

Selecting Successful Projects

The initial EoI and selection process will confirm all the eligibility criteria have been satisfactorily met.

Key Requirements

If selected, all applicants for the Nutrient Management Investment scheme must demonstrate their existing slurry storage capacity and future slurry storage requirements of the farm in relation to The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021.

The slurry storage requirements can be established by using the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution)(Wales) Regulations 2021: farm workbook.

Before completing the template, please read the guidance document to identify the calculations required for your holding.

The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021: guidance for farmers and land managers.

The livestock numbers included in the calculations should correspond to the business plan information and numbers on the holding as recorded on the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS).

If selected and you do not currently meet the requirements of the Regulations, you will be required to demonstrate how the grant will enable you to reach compliance with the slurry storage capacity requirements of the Regulations.

To be eligible for slurry spreading equipment, chemical / pesticide / fuel storage items, or other general items, applicants must demonstrate that they are currently compliant with the Regulations or will reach compliance with the Regulations following completion of the Nutrient Management Investment project.

All items to be purchased and claimed by the 31^st March 2025.

All items must be purchased in accordance with the Welsh Government Competitive Tendering and Procurement requirements. See Section E for further details.

Ensure all infrastructure investments have been completed at the time you submit your claim.

Ensure all items purchased are on the premises at the time you submit your claim.

If you are constructing a slurry or silage store that is new, substantially enlarged or substantially re-constructed, you are required to notify NRW, in writing, at least 14 days before construction begins.

Where a roof is constructed over a silage or slurry store, it is likely to impact on the integrity of the existing structure. For projects supported by the Nutrient Management Investment scheme, all applicants that receive support for a roof over a silage or slurry store must in all circumstances inform NRW 14 days prior to construction commencing.

It is strongly recommended that you minimise the risk of losing any exemption you may currently have for your store and reduce the risk of receiving an enforcement notice by involving NRW early in the planning stage to prevent costly errors being made.

Note, if you require planning permission, NRW is a statutory consultee in the planning process.

If you are roofing over existing livestock feeding areas, livestock gathering areas and manure storage areas, you must demonstrate the whole area has a floor impermeable to water e.g. concrete.

All buildings should meet BS 5502 part 22:2013 – designed to withstand the typical loads to which it will be exposed, based on its use and location. Where it is manufactured off-site for subsequent erection, the unit should be CE marked. For any structures that are not CE marked, the applicant will need to demonstrate compliance to BS 5502 part 22:2013 through the provision of structural calculations from suitably qualified engineers.

The roof materials need to be resistant to corrosion and minimise condensation. To achieve this, the cladding should be constructed of fibre cement, or, alternatively, of insulated plastic-coated profiled steel where this can meet the corrosion resistance requirements. Purlins should be either treated timber or galvanised steel, with treated timber being preferable. Whilst painted steelwork is adequate, galvanised would be a better choice for longevity.

Applications must also demonstrate that the following have been addressed.

Planning Permission

If your investment requires planning consent, the payment of any grant will not be made until planning approval documents have been submitted and verified by the Welsh Government.

If the project has been considered by the planning authority not to require planning consent, you will need to provide evidence from the planning authority to confirm.

Sustainable drainage System (SuDS) Approving Body (SAB) approval

If your investment requires SAB approval, the payment of any grant will not be made until SAB approval documents have been submitted and verified by the Welsh Government.

For an overview of what requires SAB approval and for more detailed guidance please visit the Welsh Government website at: Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS): guidance.

If the project has been considered by the local SAB not to require SuDS, you will need to provide evidence from the SAB to confirm this.  While SAB approval is independent of planning permission, the evidence you submit will be assessed by the appraisal team in a manner consistent with its processes relating to planning consent.

Some applications for construction with drainage implications which require approval by the SAB may not require planning permission from the local planning authority (for example, permitted development less than 100 square metres). It should, therefore, not be assumed that the absence of a requirement for planning permission would negate the need for SAB approval.

Other Consents

• All other consents, licences and permissions have been granted where required
• Compliance with minimum standards and legislative requirements regarding the environment, hygiene, animal welfare and all relevant health and safety standards

RPW Online

You can only complete an EoI for the Nutrient Management Investment scheme by accessing Rural Payments Wales (RPW) Online.  If you already have a Customer Reference Number (CRN) you should have received a letter informing you of your Activation Code to set up your account. If you no longer have this, please telephone the Customer Contact Centre on 0300 062 5004 (Monday – Thursday 8:30 – 17:00, Friday 8:30 – 16:30) and tell the operator your CRN.  They will send you a new Activation Code.

To register your business details for the first time, you need to complete the online registration form. Please refer to the how to register guidance for further details. The vast majority of changes to business details can be done online. However, Welsh Government may require further details on any major changes. Please contact the Customer Contact Centre for further information.

Once registered, you can access your RPW Online account. The Nutrient Management Investment application is available from the “Applications and Claims” section of your account. 

Agents acting on behalf of a client will need to register as a Rural Payments Wales agent. If you have yet to do this, you are advised to complete an online or paper copy Agent / Farming Union Customer Details (Wales) form immediately. The form is available on the Welsh Government website. Upon receipt of the form, we will send you an Agent Customer Reference Number (Agent CRN) and an RPW Online Activation Code. You will also need to complete an Association Authorisation Form which can be completed once you register with RPW Online, please refer to our how to register guidance.

If you have any questions about registering for RPW Online or completing your EoI, please contact the Customer Contact Centre on 0300 062 5004. They will be able to provide advice, including the digital assistance that is available to you.

Further details regarding RPW Online are available on the Welsh Government Website.

Application Process

The application process for the Nutrient Management Investment scheme is in three stages.

1. An EoI should be submitted via RPW Online.
2. Following closure of the EoI window a selection process will be completed. If your EoI is selected, you will be invited to complete your full application, which will be available to you via RPW Online and submit all supporting documentation.
3. The third stage in the process will be appraisal of your full application. Appraisal will not commence unless all supporting documentation is received by the deadline.

Applicants that are considering submitting an EoI are encouraged to consider and prepare documentation for their full application, in anticipation of being selected.

Submitting an EoI

Guidance on how to submit your EoI via RPW Online is available here in the How to Complete.

When completing your EoI, you will be required to select from a list of eligible capital investment items and provide an estimate of the total cost for each item selected. The maximum total grant that can be approved is £50,000. An EoI total grant value over this amount will be capped to £50,000.

Prior to selecting items, we strongly recommend that applicants consider how the investment will enable the farm to comply with the requirements of the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021, including meeting the future slurry storage requirements.

The livestock numbers included in the calculations should correspond to the business plan information and numbers on the holding as recorded on the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS).

You are advised to realistically estimate the cost for each investment item you submit on your EoI. You will not be able to change this cost after you have submitted your EoI. If your EOI is selected, any grant award will not be higher than that submitted on your EoI or capped to maximum grant value of £50,000.

A list of your investment items as submitted on the successfully selected EOI application will be pre-populated in your full application for you to provide quote information.

Once the EoI is submitted, you cannot amend the items you have selected.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the EoI is correctly completed, and that the information provided in support of your project is accurate.

You must complete the EoI in full and provide all the documentation as detailed below in support of the application.

We will issue a maximum of 2 reminders for applications in draft via your RPW Online account prior to the closing date.

Withdrawal of EoIs

You can withdraw your EoI during an open EoI window via “My Messages” in your RPW Online account; you may re-submit an application before the window has closed.

You may also withdraw your EoI after the EoI window has closed, but before selection letters have been issued.

Scoring and Selection

EoIs submitted will be in direct competition with one another. Each capital investment item listed in The List of Eligible Capital Items has been scored against the following three themes and weightings:

The resultant score is given in the List of Eligible Capital Investment Items against each individual item. The purpose of this scoring is to allow Welsh Government to rank the EoIs against the funding available in each window.

The EoIs will be scored and ranked in order according to the scoring criteria. The scoring system takes the average score of the items you have applied for (as detailed in the List of Eligible Capital Items) and divides this average score by the estimated grant value of your EoI, based on your estimated cost, to arrive at a final score.

For example:

If you applied for a Slurry store and associated reception pits, with an estimated value of £80,000 the EoI score would be 0.00535. (428.75 divided by 80,000).

If you applied for the same item, but also included a Farmyard manure rotaspreader, rear discharge spreader or dual-purpose spreader, and the combined value of the EoI was £90,000 the EoI score would be 0.00409. (Average of 428.75 / 307.5 divided by 90,000).

A threshold score will be set based on the available budget and the highest scoring EoIs will be offered contracts.

Where applications have equal scores, the lowest value application will be selected first.

Where applications have equal scores and are of the same value and rank on the available budget threshold, the Welsh Government reserves the right to either select or reject these applications, depending on budget availability.

Selected EoIs -  Accepting selection

If your EoI is selected, you will be notified via your RPW Online account. You must either accept of decline the offer of selection by completing and returning the Application Annex included with your selection notification letter to the Welsh Government via your RPW Online account by the date given in your letter.

We will issue a reminder via your RPW Online account prior to the deadline date in your letter.

If you accept selection, you will be invited to submit a full application.

The selection letter does not allow you to start work on the Project. You must not start any work until you receive an offer of a Contract via your RPW Online account Any projects which breach this rule will not be considered for support.

If you do not accept selection, or do not reply to the Welsh Government by the date in the letter, your EoI will not progress further, and the offer of selection will be withdrawn.

Selected EoIs – Submitting your full application

If selected, the full application will be made available on your RPW Online account. A list of your investment items as submitted on the successfully selected EOI application will be pre-populated in your full application for you to provide quote information. Quotes must be submitted with your full application.

You will be given 12 weeks to submit your full application and supporting documents via your RPW Online account.

At the full application, applicants will need to respond to questions based on:

• Suitability of Investment
• Project delivery
• Risk and risk management
• Long term sustainability
• Value for money
• Financial and compliance

The application will ask you to explain how your project will contribute towards the Welsh Government’s cross cutting themes of:

• Equality of opportunity and Gender mainstreaming
• Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion
• Welsh Language

The indicators and outcomes that will be monitored as a result of the investment are:

• Number of businesses supported
• Number of jobs created
• Impact on the turnover of the business.
• Innovative practices or technology introduced

In addition to completing the full application online you will need to submit the following supporting documents online for appraisal by the Welsh Government within 12 weeks of your selection notification:

• Evidence to demonstrate your existing slurry storage capacity and future slurry storage requirements of the farm in relation to the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021.
• 3 Year Business Plan
• 3 Years of Certified Accounts
• 3 Quotes for each investment item selected on the EoI
• Evidence of funding available
• Planning Permission if appropriate and available
• Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) Approving Body (SAB) approval if appropriate and available

The assessment will not commence until the application and ALL of the supporting documentation has been received by the Welsh Government. You may provide other documentation and evidence in addition to the above to support your application.

Existing slurry storage capacity

The slurry storage requirements can be established by using the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution)(Wales) Regulations 2021 farm workbook.

Business plan

The business plan should provide a holistic outline of your business. As a minimum, the business plan should be for the next 3 years and include the following:

• Business details.
• Details of resources available, business activity and farming system.
• Recent financial performance, with reference to certified and recent management accounts.
• Future objectives and investment proposals.
• Considerations and options appraisal for the future business and investment proposal.

In support of the business plan, you should provide:

• 3 Years of Certified Accounts. (If certified accounts are not available for the most recent financial period, management accounts should be submitted for this period.)
• 3-year financial projections. (The proposed investment should be accounted for in the financial forecasts)
• Evidence of funding available (bank loan, overdraft, etc.)

Investment items quote details

A list of your investment items as submitted on the successfully selected EoI

application will be pre-populated in your full application for you to provide quote

information.

You must refer to the Welsh Government Competitive Tendering & Procurement Technical Guidance Notes via the following links:

• Competitive Tendering and Public Procurement - Technical Guidance Notes
• Competitive Tendering and Public Procurement - Register and Record

You will need to obtain and submit 3 separate quotes for each investment and select one as the preferred quote for the investment.

Only one quote is required when the purchase is under £5,000.

Planning Permission

If your investment requires planning consent, the payment of any grant will not be made until planning approval documents have been submitted and verified by the Welsh Government.

If the project has been considered by the planning authority not to require planning consent, you will need to provide evidence from the planning authority to confirm.

Sustainable drainage System (SuDS) Approving Body (SAB) approval

If your investment requires SAB approval, the payment of any grant will not be made until SAB approval documents have been submitted and verified by the Welsh Government.

For an overview of what requires SAB approval and for more detailed guidance please visit the Welsh Government website at: Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS): guidance.

If the project has been considered by the local SAB not to require SuDS, you will need to provide evidence from the SAB to confirm this.  While SAB approval is independent of planning permission, the evidence you submit will be assessed by the appraisal team in a manner consistent with its processes relating to planning consent.

Some applications for construction with drainage implications which require approval by the SAB may not require planning permission from the local planning authority (for example, permitted development less than 100 square metres). It should, therefore, not be assumed that the absence of a requirement for planning permission would negate the need for SAB approval.

• all other consents, licences and permissions have been granted, where required
• compliance with minimum standards and legislative requirements regarding the environment, hygiene, animal welfare and all relevant health and safety standards

Appraisal of the full application

The full application will be appraised in accordance with the Scheme Guidance and eligibility rules. It will be subject to full due diligence (where required), appraisal and eligibility checks and only at that point will a final decision be taken to offer a grant or reject the application. There is no guarantee that a project proposal will be approved for a grant. We will aim to complete the appraisal of the application within 90 days of the application submission deadline. If you delay replying to requests for further information this will extend the time taken to complete appraisal of your application.

The information provided will be assessed against the following rating criteria from which a decision can be taken about the award of grant to the project:

• High: The applicant has provided robust and detailed responses against all of the evidence requirements
• Medium: The applicant has provided satisfactory and detailed responses against most of the evidence requirements
• Low: The applicant has provided potentially incomplete or insufficient responses against one or more of the evidence requirements

The quality threshold is a rating of Medium across all categories.

Please note, we recommend you follow the guidance carefully in order to provide the information requested with the application.

Appraisal Outcome and Contract Offer

There are two possible outcomes from full application appraisal:

1. Your project is not approved for an award. You will be informed of the reasons why your application was not successful via your RPW Online account. You may apply again with the same project should further application windows be made available (amending and improving the application if you wish).
2. Your project is eligible and is approved for an award. A contract will be issued to you setting out the terms and conditions of the award via your RPW Online account which you will be asked to accept within 30 days as agreement that you accept the terms and conditions therein. The contract will also provide you with the authority to start work. You will need to accept or decline the offer of contract within 30 days. Failure to accept the contract within 30 days will lead to the contract being withdrawn.

We will issue a reminder via your RPW Online account prior to the acceptance deadline date.

Full details of when your contract must be accepted and when items must be purchased and claimed for will be in the contract.

If you accept your offer of a contract, you will also be required to complete a delivery profile to confirm the month and year in which you intend to submit your claim for each investment item approved on your contract.

If, after being selected, you decide not to proceed with your contract or fail to accept the offer of a contract within the time permitted, you may not be able to apply for Nutrient Management Investment under any subsequent rounds. If you decide to withdraw from the contract prior to completing the work or if you do not complete all the work approved in your contract, you may not be able to apply under any subsequent rounds.

Starting Work

You must not start work until you have been offered your contract. If you do start work, the Welsh Government may reject the work started or terminate the contract and recover payments made.

The Nutrient Management Investment Scheme is subject to a range of relevant legislation (see Section K). The Welsh Government and the applicant / recipient must act in accordance with that legislation.

The offer of a Nutrient Management Investment grant is made subject to terms and conditions, which will be set out in full in your contract and include those set out below. The contract will commence from the date the contract is issued. Failure to meet the terms and conditions of the award could result in the cancellation of your award and / or the recovery of sums already paid, or a reduction of the amount of grant payable.

Conditions:

The award is made on the basis of statements and declarations made by you or your representatives in the application form and the claim form and any subsequent correspondence. The making of false or misleading statements is an offence.

You must not begin any work on the project without first obtaining written authority to do so from the Welsh Government. You must have bought the equipment and contacted RPW via RPW Online by the claim deadline within the contract offer. If you have not contacted RPW within that time, the grant offer will be automatically rejected.

The Welsh Government may need to update the rules and conditions to take account of changes to the UK’s legislative requirements, including the Government of Wales Act 2006.

You must meet any legal obligations imposed and UK law.

No alterations may be made to the project, including the location of the activity, without the written approval of the Welsh Government.

You agree to abide by any changes following notification by the Welsh Ministers.

Equipment purchased with grant aid may not be disposed of, transferred or sold during the project and for five years from the contract end date without the prior written consent of the Welsh Government. The grant awarded must be re-paid in full.

You are required to read and understand the relevant scheme rules and guidance notes.

You have given details that are true, accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge and belief on the applications and any supporting documentation.

You acknowledge that neither Welsh Government nor any adviser appointed by Welsh Government shall be responsible for any advice given, including without limit any advice given in relation to the applications and that you are solely responsible for all business decisions undertaken.

You are required to comply with the rules on eligible costs as detailed in the Scheme Guidance Notes.

Projects should be completed within the timetable agreed with Welsh Government. You should not deviate from this without prior written agreement from Welsh Government.

Claims must be submitted via the RPW Online Grants Claim application and be supported by all supporting documents as required by the scheme.

Grant can only be paid on expenditure that has been defrayed, that is, on payments that have cleared from a bank account.

All items must be purchased in accordance with the Welsh Government Competitive Tendering and Procurement requirements.

You undertake to meet any obligations in relation to obtaining planning permission, where necessary.

You must confirm that none of the items covered by the application are replacements under an insurance claim.

You must provide confirmation that no other public funding has been sought. If it is found that you have received public funding from another source your claim may be rejected, payments may be recovered, and penalties may be applied.

Records concerning the application and claim for this grant, including all original invoices and any other related documents, must be retained for at least five years after the project end date.

You must undertake to meet any statutory obligations such as Health and Safety; employment; hygiene; environmental management and protection; animal or crop health and welfare that apply during the time of this project.

You must allow representatives of Welsh Government, the Auditor General for Wales, or their representatives to access and inspect land and any relevant equipment. On request, you must provide them with information and / or access to original documentation in relation to the project.

The information provided in the application and any supporting documentation is subject to the requirements of the Welsh Government’s Code of Practice on Public Access to Information, the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

You should be aware that, if successful, the Welsh Government reserve the right to publish the name of your business or company, the amount of grant you were awarded and a summary of your project.

The information provided in the application is subject to the Privacy Notice. The Privacy Notice explains the Welsh Government’s processing and use of your personal data and your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

You must follow the Welsh Government guidance and requirements for Competitive Tendering & Procurement Technical Guidance Notes via the following:

• Competitive Tendering and Public Procurement - Technical Guidance Notes
• Competitive Tendering and Public Procurement - Register and Record

Claims

The Nutrient Management Investment scheme is only available to claim using the Grants Claim page on your RPW Online account. Payments will be made following the successful validation of your claim. Claims will only be paid when the Welsh Government is satisfied the relevant expenditure has taken place and that the work has been completed in accordance with the contract. Payment will be made by electronic transfer to your bank account.

To receive a Nutrient Management Investment payment, you must:

• Have accepted a Nutrient Management Investment scheme contract within 30 calendar days of the offer date and adhere to all the requirements.
• Ensure that you have only purchased items listed in your contract after you have been offered a contract.
• Ensure that you have purchased all of the items listed in your contract.
• Ensure all items are purchased in accordance the Welsh Government Competitive Tendering and Procurement requirements.
• Ensure all items purchased are on the premises at the time you submit your claim.
• Submit evidence of planning permission and SuDS approval if required.
• Submit the claim using the Grant Claim page on your RPW Online account after your contract is issued, by the claim deadline 31^st March, with all supporting documentation.

We will issue a maximum of 2 reminders for any outstanding claims via your RPW Online account prior to the claim submission deadline.

A claim is not considered valid unless it has been submitted via the RPW Online Grants Claim page with all supporting documentation.

You can submit your claim at any time once the investment has been completed.

Requests for extensions to the claim deadline can only be accepted in exceptional circumstances and must be explained and received in writing via your RPW Online account before the claim deadline.

No extensions will be granted beyond 31 March 2025.

Supporting Documentation at Claim

You must submit the following with your claim:

• Evidence of defrayment of expenditure for all claimed items.
• Invoices for all claimed items.
• A geo-tagged photograph of the item / items on your premises.

Where evidence cannot be provided, the claim will be rejected.

Invoices must clearly display the word ‘invoice’ on the document and include the following:

• a unique identification number
• your company name, address, and contact information
• the invoicing company name and address
• a clear description of what you are being charged for
• the date the goods or service were provided (supply date)
• the date of the invoice
• the amount(s) being charged
• VAT amount if applicable
• the total amount owed

Defrayment should be evidenced by bank statements. If the value of the transaction does not match the invoice value (for instance if you have bought non project items from the same supplier) a breakdown of the whole payment with supporting invoices will be required.

If making payments by cheque, then a scan or photograph of the written cheque, before it is presented to the supplier, will be required in addition to the bank statement.

A geo-tagged photograph includes location information within the photograph data. Most mobile phones with an internet connection and a camera will record GPS coordinates automatically. They also record the date and time the photograph was taken.

Detailed guidance on the geo-tagged photographs required and how to submit geo-tagged photographs specific to Nutrient Management Investment scheme will be available on the Welsh Government website at the claim stage.

You can submit the invoices and evidence of defrayment by scanning them and sending them via “My Messages” in your RPW Online account.

Incorrect claims and penalties

It is your responsibility to make sure the claim submitted is eligible and accurate, it is only for defrayed expenditure (the money has gone from your bank account), all the items and costs are eligible, and the claim is submitted on time.

All of the items approved must have been purchased after the contract has been offered.

Your claim is incorrect if:

• You have bought investment items before the contract is offered.
• You have not bought all of the items listed in the contract.
• You have bought items that are of the wrong kind or do not meet the specification.
• You have not submitted a claim and supporting documents by the claim deadline.
• Not all of the items claimed are present on your holding at a visit to your premises.

You must claim for all of the items listed in your contract.

If all items are not claimed, the claim will be rejected.

Where we find that items purchased do not meet the specification, payments will be reduced to the amount of items purchased to the required specification.

If the amount of ineligible items is determined to be more than 10% of the eligible costs, an amount equivalent to the value of ineligible items will be deducted from your payment.

For example:

A customer claims the following Nutrient Management Investment items worth a total £49,000 on one claim.

In example 1, the total amount claimed is £49,000 but the Under-floor storage and transfer / flow channels, worth £3,000, does not meet the specification. The value of the ineligible item is £3,000. As the value of the ineligible item is less than 10% of the eligible costs (£46,000), the total payment due will be £46,000.

In example 2, the total amount claimed is £49,000 but the Roofing for existing yards worth £6,000, does not meet the specification. The value of the ineligible item is £6,000. The value of the ineligible item, £6,000, will be deducted from the original claim of £49,000, leaving a remaining amount of £42,000. As the value of the ineligible item is more than 10% of the eligible costs (£42,000), an amount equivalent to the value of ineligible item, £6,000, will also deducted from the remaining amount. The total payment due will be £36,000.

It is essential, if you have any doubts about anything you need for your contract, you request written confirmation of its eligibility, before you incur the costs.

Offences

Regulation 13 of the Rural Development Programmes (Wales) Regulations 2014 (No. 3222 (W.327)) establishes criminal offences and penalties in relation to certain aspects of rural development funding.  That Regulation and those offences are applicable to the Nutrient Management Investment Scheme.  Examples of offences include knowingly or recklessly providing false or misleading information in relation to rural development funding, obstructing an inspector or official, and refusing to provide information when requested to do so.

Legislation Changes (Including Changes in Interpretation)

Legislation may change from time to time, and you will be required to abide by any changes to the scheme rules following notification from the Welsh Government.

Changes to Scheme Rules or Contract

We may need to make changes to the scheme rules and/or your contract for a number of reasons. For example, we may need to update the management conditions to take account of the latest scientific advice, amend scheme rules to take account of any changes to legislation. We will publicise changes on the Welsh Government website and where necessary contact you directly.

Controls

The Welsh Government must enforce the Nutrient Management Investment Scheme rules.

Your claim may be selected for a visit to verify the realisation of the investment before the payment is made to you or it may be selected for a visit after the payment has been made.

All the details in your application, the details in your claim and the declarations that you made in submitting the application and claim will be checked.

The Welsh Government and the specialist control bodies will try to ensure that visits cause you the minimum of disruption, but some checks require visits to be unannounced, which means it may not be possible to give you notice. You may be subject to more than one visit during a calendar year.

If you refuse to allow a visit or obstruct an officer or fail to give reasonable assistance, your claim may not be paid, we may recover payments and you may be prosecuted.

Monitoring

It is a requirement that all grant awards are monitored and the effect of the grant on the business is evaluated following completion.

You must allow officials from Welsh Government, or their representatives, to inspect the items purchased within this five-year period.

Site visits will be made on a percentage of the projects approved within five years following final completion (Project End Date) to ensure the applicant still has and is using the equipment purchased with the grant and that the business is performing as expected.

It will be a requirement of the grant award that equipment purchased with the aid of a grant must be kept in situ, operational and in good repair, and used for the same purpose as set out in the original application, for at least five years from the date of completion of the project as set out in the contract. This is to ensure the longevity of the project and to guarantee primary producers a lasting share of the project’s benefits.

Record keeping

You must keep all records and information you need to evidence that you have provided complete and accurate information and have complied with your undertakings for five years.

You will also be required to:

• Supply to the Welsh Government any information about your Nutrient Management Investment contract and supply that information within the period determined by the Welsh Government.
• Make available to the Welsh Government, its authorised persons or its agents, records, accounts, receipts, and other information including access to computer data relating to your Nutrient Management Investment contract.  Permit the Welsh Government to remove any such document or record to take copies or extracts from them.

Appeals procedure

There are no grounds for appeal at the EoI stage.

The ‘Independent Appeals Process for Rural Grants and Payments’ allows you to request a review if you feel the Welsh Government has not reached a correct decision according to the rules of the scheme.  

The appeals process consists of two stages:

• Stage 1: review by RPW
• Stage 2: review by an Independent Appeals Panel (if you are dissatisfied with the Stage 1 response).

The Independent Panel make recommendations to the Welsh Ministers, who take the final decision, which concludes the process.

There is no charge for Stage 1 of the process, but there is a charge at Stage 2 – £50 for a written hearing or £100 for an oral hearing.  These charges are repaid in full if the Stage 2 appeal is either partially or fully successful.

Appeals, including supporting evidence, must be submitted via RPW Online within 60 days of the date of the letter outlining the decision you wish to appeal against.

We welcome receiving appeals in Welsh and will respond to any correspondence in Welsh. This will not lead to a delay in processing your appeal.

Further details of the appeals process and how to submit an appeal using the online appeal form, can be obtained from the Customer Contact Centre or our website at: Rural grants and payments appeals.

Complaints procedure

Complaints will be dealt with under the Welsh Government’s procedure on Complaints. Further advice on how to make a complaint can be obtained from the Complaints Advice Team:

Welsh Government
Crown Buildings
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

Tel: 03000 251378

E-mail: complaints@gov.wales

Website: Complaints about Welsh Government

You may also choose to contact the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales:

1 Ffordd yr Hen Gae
Pencoed,
CF35 5LJ

Tel: 0300 790 0203

Website: Ombudsman

How we will handle any personal data you provide in relation to your grant application or request for grant funding.

The Welsh Government provides a wide range of grant schemes to help deliver our policies and create a fairer, more prosperous Wales.

The Welsh Government will be data controller for any personal data you provide in relation to your grant application or request for grant funding. The information will be processed as part of our public task (i.e. exercising our official authority to undertake the core role and functions of the Welsh Government) and will help us assess your eligibility for funding.

Before we provide grant funding to you, we undertake checks for the purposes of preventing fraud and money laundering, and to verify your identity. These checks require us to process personal data about you to third party fraud prevention agencies.

If we, or a fraud prevention agency, determine that you pose a fraud or money laundering risk, we may refuse to provide the grant funding you applied for, or we may stop providing existing grant funding to you.

A record of any fraud or money laundering risk will be retained by the fraud prevention agencies, and may result in others refusing to provide services, financing or employment to you.

In order to assess eligibility, we may also need to share personal information relating to your application with:

• Natural Resources Wales
• Animal and Plant Health Agency
• Veterinary Medicine Directorate
• Welsh Local Authorities
• Food Standards Agency Wales
• DEFRA
• Other UK Government Agriculture Offices
• Regulatory authorities, such as HM Revenue and Customs, Local Authorities, Health and Safety Executive and the Police.

We may also share your information with organisations which deliver training, knowledge transfer and innovation advice and support on behalf of the Welsh Government for the purposes of appropriate targeting of support.

Your information, including your personal information, may be the subject of a request by another member of the public. When responding to such requests the Welsh Government may be required to release information, including your personal information, to fulfil its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environmental information Act 2004 or the Data Protection Act 2018.

The Welsh Government will publish details of the amounts paid to Rural Support beneficiaries. Data will be published for all beneficiaries on a searchable website and will include the name and locality of the farmer/land manager and details of the amounts and schemes for which subsidy has been paid. However, for those receiving less than the equivalent of £1,250 in subsidies the name will be withheld. The data will be published annually on 31 May and remain available for two years from the date it is published. The information will be available on the Defra website at: https://cap-payments.defra.gov.uk/

We will keep personal information contained in files in line with our retention policy. If successful in your application, then your personal data will be kept for 7 years after the date when you, as grant recipient, are free from all conditions relating to the grant awarded and all payment have been made. If you are unsuccessful, your details will be kept for one year after the date you provided them.

Under the data protection legislation, you have the right:

• to access the personal data the Welsh Government holds on you
• to require us to rectify inaccuracies in that data
• to (in certain circumstances) object to or restrict processing
• for (in certain circumstances) your data to be ‘erased’
• to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who is the independent regulator for data protection.

For further details about the information the Welsh Government holds and its use, or if you want to exercise your rights under the GDPR, please see contact details below:

Data Protection Officer
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
CARDIFF
CF10 3NQ

Email: dataprotectionofficer@gov.wales

The contact details for the Information Commissioner’s Office are:

2nd Floor, Churchill House
Churchill Way
Cardiff
CF10 2HH

Telephone: 0330 414 6421

Website: https://ico.org.uk/

Should you have any queries regarding this privacy statement please contact the RPW Customer Contact Centre.

Privacy notice: Welsh Government grants

The Nutrient Management Investment Scheme delivers against a range of Government commitments and objectives, these are listed below along with the legislation and governance that applies.

The Nutrient Management Investment Scheme is governed by Retained EU Law (REUL) Council Regulations No. 1305/2013, 1303/2013 and 1306/2013, Implementing Regulation No. 808/2014 and No. 809/2014 and Delegated Regulation 640/2014 and 807/2014 (all as amended from time to time).

The retained EU Law is implemented in Wales through the following domestic law (all as amended from time to time), including by the Agricultural Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2021/400 (W.129):

• The Rural Development Programmes (Wales) Regulations 2014/3222 (W.327)
• The Common Agricultural Policy (Integrated Administration and Control System and Enforcement and Cross Compliance) (Wales) Regulations 2014/3223 (W.328)

Funding support for farmers, land managers and associated rural sectors over the next 3 years in response to four Welsh Government strategic objectives which are:

• Fostering the competitiveness of agriculture;
• Contributing towards the sustainable management of natural resources as set out in Part 1 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016;
• Ensuring climate resilience;
• Achieving a balanced territorial development of rural economies and communities including the creation and maintenance of employment

In addition, there are three cross cutting objectives for the Nutrient Management Investment Scheme:

• Climate change mitigation and adaptation
• Innovation
• Environment

Your project will contribute to these cross cutting objectives. 

Your project will contribute towards the Welsh Governments cross cutting themes of:

• Equality of opportunity and Gender mainstreaming
• Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion
• Welsh Language

In addition, applications for the Nutrient Management Investment scheme will address the strategic and thematic objectives of the Welsh Government.

Activities will address at least one of the following Welsh Government priorities:

(1)  Fostering knowledge transfer and innovation in agriculture, forestry, and rural areas;

(2)  Enhancing farm viability and competitiveness of all types of agriculture in all regions and promoting innovative farm technologies and the sustainable management of forests;

(3)  Promoting food chain organisation, including processing and marketing of agricultural products, animal welfare and risk management in agriculture;

(4)  Restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems dependent on agriculture and forestry;

(5)  Promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift towards a low carbon and climate resilient economy in the agriculture, food, and forestry sectors;

(6)  Promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas.

World Trade Organisation and Subsidy Control

1.    Subsidies provided under this scheme are considered to be payments under an environmental programme, which fall within the scope of Annex II of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) and have been classified as ‘green box’.

2.    As such, these subsidies are exempt from the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) and the interim UK subsidy control regime.

Enquiries – Customer Contact Centre

For all enquiries, please contact the RPW Customer Contact Centre.

Enquiries can be submitted via RPW Online at any time.

Access to Welsh Government offices for people with disabilities or special needs

If you have any special needs which you feel are not met by our facilities, contact the Customer Contact Centre on 0300 062 5004. Welsh Government officials will then endeavour to make arrangements to accommodate your requirements.

Welsh Government Website

For all of the latest Agricultural and Rural Affairs information, visit the Welsh Government’s website. By visiting the website, you can also sign up to receive the Rural Affairs e-newsletter which delivers the latest news directly to your e-mail inbox.

Gwlad

The Gwlad e-newsletter is the Welsh Government’s e-newsletter for farm and forestry businesses and all those involved with agriculture and rural Wales.  It contains news stories, guidance, and information in an accessible, easy-to-read format.  To keep informed and up to date with all the latest agriculture news and developments in future we would encourage you to sign up to receive the Gwlad e-newsletter. You can do this either at Welsh Government announcements or at Subscribe to farming and forestry news (Gwlad).