Only a third of applicants to the new capital grant scheme in NI were successful, according to figures released by Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir.

At Stormont on Tuesday, Minister Muir revealed that 1,415 letters of offer were sent to successful applicants under the Sustainable Farming Investment Scheme.

DAERA previously stated that 4,253 applications were received in the first round of the scheme, and 521 of these were for low emission slurry spreading equipment (LESSE).

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The department figures show that applications for 40% grant funding for equipment and technology averaged £11,410 for LESSE and £9,618 for non-LESSE applications.

Minister Muir told MLAs that the 1,415 successful grant applications equated to “just over £15m”, so the available budget for the first round of the scheme has been fully allocated.

“There was a lot of interest in the Sustainable Farming Investment Scheme. Our ambition is stunted only by our budget, frankly. I thank farmers for their interest in the scheme,” he said.

He also pointed out that on receiving notification from DAERA, successful applicants have 28 days to accept letters of offer through the online scheme portal.

Fivemiletown

On Tuesday, Minister Muir was also asked for an update on the external review into the cull 51 cattle by DAERA on a farm outside Fivemiletown at the end of June.

“We hope to get that work completed and to publish both the report and the departmental response to it in the next number of weeks,” he told MLAs.

The review is being carried out by former Irish chief vet Dr Martin Blake and Minister Muir said “a significant number of people” had come forward with information.

DAERA’s handling of the cull was widely criticised and it led the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) to call for Minister Muir, DAERA permanent secretary Katrina Godfrey and NI chief vet Brian Dooher to resign.

Despite that, Minister Muir confirmed he continues to engage with the UFU. He said he had “a constructive meeting” with UFU representatives last week and spoke to its president John McLenaghan on Monday.

Threats

In particular, Minister Muir said he appreciated that “many people” have contacted him to condemn threats and abuse which were directed at him and his officials following the cull.

“The president of the UFU was clear in his condemnation of those threats and of homophobia, misogyny and sectarianism. We all need to unite against all that and say that it is wrong,” he said.