Under GLAS, nearly 5,000 farmers choose low emission slurry spreading (LESS) as one of their priority actions in the scheme. The use of low emission technologies improves utilisation efficiency of slurry compared to the traditional splash-plate. If a farmer chose this action they were required to spread all of their slurry on the farm using band spreading, injection systems or trailing shoes.

In the autumn farmers will receive forms that must be returned to the Department which outline the spreading method used, the volumes of slurry spread and the dates when they were spread. Farmers are paid €1.20/m3 up to a maximum of €5,000 cap on the scheme.

Additionally changes to the nitrates action plan mean that anybody who is granted a derogation in 2018 is required to spread half of their winter slurry before 15 June.

Any slurry spread after this must be spread using low emission slurry spreading equipment. In 2017, 7,000 farmers were granted an application with similar numbers expected for 2018.

TAMS funding

Through the LESS equipment scheme the investment ceiling is €40,000, with a general applicant able to get 40% grant aid. This is completely independent to the €80,000 investment ceiling which applies to the rest of the TAMS. Again, a young farmer can receive grant aid of 60% when applying through the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS).

The minimum investment which must be made through the scheme is €5,000 per application. A slurry tank is eligible for investment but only when it is purchased along with a low-emission spreading attachment.

Attachments

The trailing shoe attachment is only eligible when purchased with the slurry tanker. It must be able to part the grass and place the slurry directly onto the soil, rather than on top of the grass.

Again, a shallow injection attachment must also be purchased with a tanker and it must place slurry below ground level, directly into the soil. A dribble bar attachment, also known as a band spreader, can be purchased without a tanker unlike the previous two attachments. It is the only attachment which can be retrofitted to an existing tanker. General dribble bars are not required to cut a slit in the ground.

However, a system that cuts a slit on the ground but places the slurry on top of the ground such as a slurry spike, are classified as dribble bar systems.

If purchasing an umbilical system through TAMS the farmer is required to purchase the base pump, hose reel and fittings. One of the spreader attachments must also be purchased while the option exists to purchase up to 500m of lay-flat hose.

For any of the spreading attachments the reference cost is based on the spreading width of the attachment.

Due to increased pressure from farmers on engineering companies for low emission equipment the approval period had to be extended from six months.

A farmer now has 12 months from their approval date to submit a payment claim through the scheme.