To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on his Department’s plans to promote the use of low emission farm machinery such as slurry spreading equipment.

My Department has promoted the uptake of a range of technologies including Low Emissions Slurry Spreading Equipment (LESSE) under the Farm Business Improvement Scheme-Capital (FBIS-C). Over £2m of grant aid was paid out in the first two tranches of FBIS-C for LESSE, and almost 1,500 Letters of Offer have been accepted under Tier 1 Tranche 3 offering just under £10m in grant aid for investment in LESSE and other ammonia mitigating equipment.

Following the strong response to the Expression of Interest stage for the second tranche of FBIS Capital Tier 2, information sessions will shortly be held for eligible applicants, ahead of the scheme opening later in October. Tier 2 is designed to support larger investments that will enable transformational change in farm businesses across all sectors, which may include the use of low emission farm machinery, through projects costing over £30,000 (subject to an overall grant limit of £250,000).

My Department is also developing an investment measure as part of the overall package within the Future Agricultural Policy Framework for Northern Ireland to help drive innovation, productivity and better environmental outcomes.

My Department has developed a comprehensive ammonia strategy which I am actively considering. Achieving even greater uptake of low emissions slurry spreading equipment and other ammonia reducing technologies will be an integral part of the ammonia reduction element of the strategy.