There is no prospect that larger cattle farms already legally required to use Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment (LESSE) will be able to avail of grants for these items under the new Sustainable Farming Investment Scheme (SFIS).
On enquiry, a DAERA spokesperson confirmed it has been a requirement since 1 February 2022 for all holdings with an average in any calendar year of 200 or more cattle livestock units (LUs) to use low emission slurry spreading methods.
“This is set out in the Nutrient Action Programme (NAP) Regulations (NI) 2019, which came into operation on 11 April 2019. The SFIS cannot provide grant support for investments which are already a statutory requirement,” said the spokesperson.
A farmer who contacted the Irish Farmers Journal pointed out that he is over 200 LUs and has been using contractors to spread slurry.
However, contractors are already under pressure in the spring and this situation is likely to get worse, given that an estimated 6,000 extra farms will have to use LESSE in the coming years.
Under the latest NAP proposals, farm businesses with more than 100 cattle LUs will have to switch to LESSE from February 2028, extending to those with more than 75 LUs from February 2029 and those with more than 50 LUs from February 2030.
“The wet spring this year was a good example – contractors were under severe pressure to get around their customers and often going on when ground conditions were less than ideal. Someone with their own equipment can act in a more timely manner, with less risk to the environment. Surely there is a good case to be put forward,” said the farmer.
The SFIS application window is open for six weeks to 11.59pm on Thursday 3 September 2026.
Successful applicants to the first round of funding for the new £40m Sustainable Farm Investment Scheme (SFIS) will receive a Letter of Offer from the department, which will set out the exact date by which equipment is bought and a valid claim submitted. This letter of offer must be accepted within 28 days of issue.
In the case of Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment (LESSE), farmers will have 270 days from the date on the letter to purchase the items and submit a claim. For non-LESSE items, this reduces to 180 days.
It is possible to get an extension to the final claim submission date, although this is only considered “in exceptional circumstances” and supporting evidence may be required.
Invoices must not be dated before the letter of offer and farmers can only claim for items when they have been paid for in full and cleared their bank account.
In-use
Each item should be installed and ready for operational use by the claim date. Although, in practice, it might not be possible to fit some items until livestock are turned out of sheds next spring. If a pre-payment inspection has been done, a follow-up might take place to confirm the item is in operation.
Grant-aided equipment must be retained for five years from submission of the claim and inspections can be done at any stage over this period to check for compliance.