Maize growers looking to protect fields after the harvest can claim £200 per hectare from South East Water this month.
The drinking-water only company has near-doubled funding for seeding fields with grass.
Maize is generally sown mid-April time and harvesting is carried out towards the end of September or into October, and used to produce winter feed for cattle and dairy cows.
If fields are left bare over winter, heavy rain can wash soil particles and farm chemicals into local rivers and aquifers. These are not only the source of local drinking water supplies but are also home to a range of flora and fauna.
As well as sowing grass after harvest, farmers can claim £75 per hectare to grow a mix of cover crops over the winter period.
The firm says these measures allow farmers to hold moisture and sediment within the soil and improve the quality of the land, while protecting the environment at the same time.
Catchment Advisor Tom Abbotts said: “To help farmers after a difficult year, we’ve increased our post-maize grass funding from £110 to £200 per hectare for any species of grass sown post-harvest.
“With harvest over, now is the perfect time to think about winter field cover to protect against soil erosion and nutrient leaching.
“We know this has been an extremely challenging growing season with a drought declared in the south east, but it’s not too late for farmers to protect their fields before winter.”
He added that farmers in its priority catchment areas can access up to £20,000 per year for farm infrastructure improvements, land management and free water efficiency audits.
“Looking ahead to next spring, we also offer £160 for sowing grass alongside the maize or £280 for herbal leys – made up of a mix of grass, herbs and edible crops,” he said.
This is part of a series of measures to protect multiple water sources from diffuse pollution, before the water is abstracted and turned into drinking water for South East Water’s 2.3 million customers.
The full list of funding is available at southeastwater.co.uk/grants, the closing date is Monday, October 31.
