The full list of items that are eligible for the new phase of the Tier 1 grant scheme in Northern Ireland has been published.

The scheme, which provides up to 40% grant funding for equipment and machinery costing between £5,000 to £30,000, opens for applications on Monday. The closing date is Friday 4 December at 4pm.

The third phase of Tier 1 has a budget of £7.5m and 210 items are eligible for grant funding.

If the scheme is over-subscribed, as it was in the previous two tranches, submissions will be ranked on a points-based score, which is given to each application.

Earlier this week, the Irish Farmers Journal revealed that successful applicants from the first and second tranche of Tier 1 will be able to apply again.

However, new applicants to the scheme, or applicants who were unsuccessful in previous tranches, will receive an extra five selection criteria points.

Eligible items

Eligible items are banded, with 46 points available for top-priority band one items, which relate to reducing ammonia emissions. This includes low emission slurry spreading equipment and slurry scrapers.

There are 40 points available for band two items, such as fertiliser sowers and automatic calf feeders.

Band three items have 34 points and include livestock trailers and ventilation systems. There are 28 points available for band four items, such as feed bins and diet feeders.

Value for money points

Up to 39 points are available for the all-important “value for money” criteria, where points are given for applying for grant funding below DAERA’s reference price for each item.

Five points are also available for young farmers under 40 and another five points are given to applicants with a level II qualification in agriculture.

The full list of eligible items is available here.