The 2023 Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) application round will open for applications on 30 January 2023. 

There changes to the 2023 funding scheme, some elements of previous years are no longer available.

Click on this link for more information and guidance on how to apply: Agri-Environment Climate Scheme

The following elements WILL NOT be available in the 2023 application round:

• Improving Public Access (IPA)
• Pond Creation
• Muirburn and Heather Cutting
• Restoring Drystone or Flagstone Dykes
• Bracken Treatment (mechanised and chemical)

The option for Creation of Hedgerows will be limited to 500 metres per application.

In 2022 over £14million was shared out to 680 rural businesses and projects which fulfilled the aims of the scheme to  protect the environment and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Rural Affairs Secretary in the Scottish Government Mairi Gougeon said:

“AECS continues to play a significant role in making Scotland a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

“Our £14 million of support will help hundreds of farmers, land managers and world-class producers to thrive, while backing our climate change agenda and our response to the biodiversity crisis.

“The £5 million in additional support we are announcing today will also help improve the management of slurry and digestate on farms, helping to reduce harmful ammonia emissions.”

The area cap will be suspended for the conversion to, and maintenance of, organic farmland for AECS 2023 applications.

To simplify application and administrative procedures, ATF (Agricultural Transformation Fund) support for slurry storage will be accessed using the existing slurry storage option which is available under AECS. The £5 million fund will extend the available support to all areas, other than Nitrate Vulnerable Zones.