Tilskudd til spesielle miljøtiltak i jordbruket (SMIL)

SMIL (Special Environmental Measures in Agriculture) is a Norwegian grant program that provides funding for environmental measures in agricultural operations. The program aims to promote natural and cultural heritage values in agricultural landscapes and reduce pollution from farming activities, beyond what can be expected through ordinary agricultural practices. The program supports four main types of initiatives: pollution reduction measures (such as hydroengineering improvements, catch basins, and plant protection measures), preservation of natural and cultural heritage in agricultural landscapes (including biodiversity conservation, cultural monument maintenance, and landscape management), environmental measures beyond normal farming operations that involve extra effort and special costs, and planning and facilitation projects that organize and prepare for implementing concrete environmental measures. Projects can be single initiatives or larger collaborative efforts involving multiple actors and properties. The funding is administered at the municipal level, with each municipality setting its own application deadlines, priorities, and guidelines based on local environmental goals and strategies developed in dialogue with county governors and local agricultural organizations.