Nearly 300 applications have been made to complete carbon audits and Integrated Land Management Plans.

One hundred and sixty farmers have applied to receive support for a carbon audit up to £500, since the grant aided scheme was announced last autumn. It is open to any business registered in Scotland with IACS.

Carbon audits are designed to identify the type, extent and source of emissions from the farm and identify areas where they can be reduced.

Areas to look at include fossil-fuel use; on-farm manufactured inputs; animal digestion byproducts; soil cultivation, and changes in land use and vegetation.

SAC Consulting research has shown reducing the amount of time the tractor and feeder wagon are running by 15 minutes per day can reduce fuel usage by up to 600 litres, equating to an annual fuel-bill reduction of £450 or 1.9t of CO2.

Businesses must pay additional costs and the full VAT element; the grant is paid directly to the advisory business the farmer selects to conduct the audit.

ILMPs

Similarly, 132 applications and approvals have been made for Integrated Land Management Plans (ILMPs), which offer a cross-compliance assessment and support in identifying cost-saving opportunities.

Up to £1,200 is made available for ILMPs, which are completed by an independent business advisor.

Specialist advice on improved farm efficiency may receive funding of up to 50% of the costs, up to a maximum of £500 funding per plan.