THE Department of Agriculture has today [Monday] published initial details of the €370 million Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme [TAMS].

TAMS provide grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holding. This is the first time that the equine sector has been included in the scheme.

Tranche 1 of the five-year scheme will open this Wednesday [February 22nd] with solar panels on farms the first available investment. The other investments will become available on a phased basis during Tranche 1, which will close on June 16th.

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 enhanced grant-rate of 60% compared to a lower rate of 40% in TAMS II in respect of some investments, including farm safety.

Minister McConalogue said: "TAMS continues to be a hugely beneficial scheme for farmers, and I am delighted that it will continue in 2023 in a much bigger and better way than previously.

"TAMS will continue to support productive farming and helping 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.”

In order 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 Minister added: “At a time of rising energy costs, I have prioritised the introduction of the solar investments first which will be open from next Wednesday. In addition to the higher grant rates, I have 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”.

Under TAMS 3, the ceiling for investment will be reset to €90,000 per holding for the duration of the scheme.

On the increased rate for the Farm Safety Scheme, Minister of State with special responsibility for farm safety Martin Heydon said: “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 will allow farmers to reduce the risk on their farms. I would 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 the animals. It will be a real gamechanger for small breeders who are at the heart of the sector.”

Horse owners can apply for TAMS funding under the categories listed above. They will be included under the Animal Welfare tranche which is due to open for applications in mid-March. Full terms and conditions will be available at that stage

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.

Among the areas eligible for support under the TAMS 3 schemes are:

• 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.

The full range of investments and the Reference Cost Documents are also be available here

Email: tams@agriculture.gov.ie

Call: 053 9114181 (10am to 12.30pm & 2pm to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday excluding public holidays)