Farmers wanting European grants to update their farms queued outside Department of Agriculture offices in Northern Ireland overnight determined to be among the first in line when the doors are thrown open this morning.
Hundreds are hoping to get money from the EU rural development programme designed to help improve animal welfare and farm efficiency.
In scenes more reminiscent of the January sales, they settled down for the night outside offices in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Newry and Downpatrick Co Down, Omagh, Co Tyrone, Coleraine, Co Derry, Ballymena,Co Antrim and Armagh city.
They were hoping for cash for such things as robotic floor cleaners to remove the daily grind of scrubbing cattle shed floors, mechanical feeders, computerised ID systems - and even cow mattresses to keep their cattle comfortable.
However, with only £6 million on offer, many farmers are set to lose out and it is going to be a case of first come, first served.
The funding package will allow only around 1,200 farmers to benefit from the maximum grant award, and will leave many thousands of farming families with nothing.
The first come, first served system has been criticised by many farmers who say those who cannot leave their farms lose out.
However it is understood a small number of postal applications - picked at random - will also be accepted by the department.
PA