The DAFM has launched its new Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) with a budget of €370m for five years.
Under the On-farm Capital Investment Scheme known as TAMS 3, there will be ten individual schemes.
There are a range of new improvements to the TAMS scheme, including increased grant aid rates, investment ceilings, new investments, and new support categories.
This includes an enhanced grant rate of 60% compared to a lower rate of 40% in TAMS II in respect of investments under the Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment, Organic Capital Investments and Farm Safety Investments.
TAMS will open for receipt of applications on a phased basis by scheme.
TAMS 3
The ten schemes are as follows:
- Animal Welfare, Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS) at 40% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling.
- Tillage Capital Investment Scheme (TCIS) at 40% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling.
- Pig and Poultry Capital Investment Scheme (PPIS) at 40% grant rate, with a €500,000 investment ceiling.
- Dairy Equipment Scheme (DES) at 40% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling.
- Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS) at 60% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling.
- Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (WFCIS) at 60% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling.
- Organic Farming Capital Investment Scheme (OCIS) at 60% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling.
- Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme (FCIS) at 60% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling.
- Solar Capital Investment Scheme (SCIS) at 60% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling that is separate from other schemes.
- Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment Scheme (LESS) at 60% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling that is separate from other schemes.
New investments
Moreover, there will be a wide range of new investments included under the TAMS 3 schemes, including the following:
- Cattle Underpasses;
- Farm Roadways;
- Bovine Fencing;
- Health and fertility monitoring systems;
- Automatic Drafting System;
- Milk recording equipment;
- Backup PTO generator;
- Upgrade of water supply on farms with solar and nose pumps;
- Pasture management machinery, including soil aerators. Also, mulchers to deal with encroaching scrub, instead of burning, are to be included;
- Equine Housing;
- Equine Training Facilities;
- Equine Fencing;
- New investments around lighting, drinkers, and ventilation for the poultry sector;
- Investments to assist the potato sector around storing and handling are to be included, along with handling equipment for other crops;
- Biomass storage and handling equipment is to be included to support renewable energy;
- A range of pesticide reduction equipment is being included for the tillage sector, including interrow cultivators, and weather stations.
€90,000/holding
Under TAMS 3, the ceiling for investment will be reset to €90,000 per holding for the scheme’s duration. This means every farmer who benefitted under TAMS 2 can reapply in full under the new scheme.
In addition, the ceiling for investment for the pig and poultry strand of support will increase to €500,000.
Along with the solar panels, the Low Emissions Slurry Spreading (LESS) equipment will continue to have its own standalone investment ceiling.
Opening date
Tranche 1 of the scheme will open on Wednesday, February 22nd, with solar panels on farms as the first available investment.
To encourage the purchase of solar investments reducing dependence on fossil energy by farmers, the solar scheme will be ring-fenced with its own investment ceiling of €90,000 and will be grant aided at the enhanced rate of 60%.
The other investments will become available on a phased basis during Tranche 1, which will close on June 16th, 2023.
Next to follow after solar will be Animal Welfare, Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS) by mid-March, and the remaining schemes will be open for applications on a phased basis by the end of May.
The scheme does not operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and all applications will go through a ranking and selection process after the closing date.
McConalogue comments
According to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, McConalogue, TAMS will continue in a “much bigger and better” way than previously.
He said the scheme will continue to support productive farming and help ensure that we remain a “modern and futureproofed” sector.
“We are also using TAMS to align more with our climate and sustainability goals through renewable energy, low emission spreading equipment and higher grant rates for organic farmers.”
“It will also be a driver of our priorities on increasing the number of young farmers and women farmers and improving farm safety. with higher grant rates for all of these.”
At a time of rising energy costs, the minister outlined that he has prioritised the introduction of the solar investments first, which will be open from next Wednesday.
In addition to the higher grant rates, he has also increased the size of the available investments from 12kW to 62kW.
The scheme will enable every farmer to generate their own power for their dwelling and holding and will help to achieve a more sustainable rural economy, assisting farmers in reducing energy costs on their holdings.
Hackett comments
Meanwhile, Minister of State Pippa Hackett outlined that she has secured an increase to a rate of 60% grant aid under the Organic Capital Investment Scheme for 2023.
This comes on the back of an “unprecedented” demand for entry into the DAFM’s Organic Farming Scheme.
She branded the 60% grant aid rate under the Organic Capital Investment Scheme as a “further demonstration” of the DAFM’s commitment to ensuring that organic farmers receive the “necessary” support to upgrade their infrastructure.
“We are committed to reaching our target of 10% of our agricultural area land farmed organically by 2030, and this increased grant rate is an important step along that journey,” she outlined.
Farm safety
On the increased rate for the Farm Safety Scheme, Minister of State with special responsibility for farm safety Martin Heydon commented that if we are to make farms safer places, farmers must be supported to invest in physical safety infrastructure.
The new higher farm safety grant rate of 60% in TAMS 3, he commented, will allow farmers to reduce the risk on their farms by availing of options such as:
- Replacing old slats;
- Installing a better handling unit;
- Improved calving areas;
- Upgrading their farmyard lighting.
The minister commented: “Iwould encourage all farmers to seriously look at these investments as part of our efforts to reduce the number of fatal and serious incidents on farms.”
“In addition, for the first time under TAMS, equine breeders will have the opportunity to invest in important infrastructure for their farms, including housing, training facilities, and fencing.”
“This will help make the breeding and handling of horses safer for farmers and animals. It will be a real game-changer for small breeders who are at the heart of the sector.”
“It is anticipated that the first tranche for all schemes will close on June 16th, 2023,” the minister commented.
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