Cattle fencing and roadways get green light in €370m farm investment scheme

60pc grant rate for farm safety and solar projects
Question marks remain over dairy investments and dribble bars

Cattle fencing is on the list of farm investments eligible for TAMS 3

Farm roadways are included. Photo: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

Some of the key TAMS 3 tillage investments

Cattle fencing is on the list of farm investments eligible for TAMS 3

Farm roadways are included. Photo: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

Some of the key TAMS 3 tillage investments

Cattle fencing is on the list of farm investments eligible for TAMS 3

Ciaran Moran and Niall Hurson

February 21 2023 02:30 AM

Cattle fencing, farm roadways and calving cameras have all been confirmed as eligible investments under the new TAMS 3 farm investment scheme.

However, some dairy equipment investments are expected to be subject to restrictions, while support for dribble bars remains in doubt.

The Department of Agriculture published its list of investments eligible for grant-aid support under TAMS 3 last week, with a scheme budget of €370m to run to 2027.

Under TAMS 3, the ceiling for investment will be reset to €90,000 per holding for the duration of the scheme. This means every farmer who benefitted under TAMS 2 can reapply in full under the new scheme.

Along with solar panels, low emissions slurry spreading (LESS) equipment will continue to have its own standalone investment ceiling.

An enhanced grant rate of 60pc has been confirmed for the Organic Capital Investment Scheme for 2023, women farmers and solar investments.

It has also been confirmed that a new higher farm safety grant rate of 60pc will allow farmers to reduce the risk on their farms by availing of options like replacing old slats, installing a better handling unit or calving area, or upgrading their
farmyard lighting.

The grant rates are:

40pc for general on-farm investments;
60pc for young farmers and women farmers;
60pc for organic farmers/farm safety equipment/investments delivering specific environmental/climate benefits;
60pc for low emission slurry spreading equipment.

It was confirmed yesterday that Tranche 1 of the scheme would open tomorrow, with solar panels on farms as the first available investment.

The other investments will become available on a phased basis during Tranche 1, which will close on June 16. Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, said TAMS would continue to support productive farming and help ensure the sector remains modern and future-proofed.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

The Department of Agriculture estimates farmers will, on average, draw down €5,500 under the scheme, based on the experience of TAMS 2.

Farm roadways are included. Photo: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

In its CAP Strategic Plan, the Department said it anticipates 8,500 investments of grant aid less than €5,000, some 7,500 investments between €5,000-€20,000 and 4,000 investments of more than €20,000.

The new scheme will see a greater focus on automation and labour-saving on farms.

It is anticipated that digital tillage applications, EID tag readers, computer information systems, heat detection systems, ear tags and pedometers are set to be eligible for grant aid.

The modernisation of animal-housing facilities — or the construction of new ones on farm — will again be grant aided.

Investments that benefit the environment are also set to receive support, such as nutrient storage facilities and precision farming equipment; for example, low disturbance tillage equipment.

It provides further support for precision grass measurement equipment, rainwater harvesting and storage, solar panels, heat recovery units, heat pumps, biomass boilers, ventilation and insulation, which decrease energy pressure on farms and improve water quality.

However, funding for milking parlours and robots remains uncertain.

While robotic milkers will be grant-aided, the Farming Independent understands support will be limited to just one robot, and those who have received previous grant support for robots will not be supported for another.

Meanwhile, milking parlour investments are also set to be restricted to more ‘family-sized’ dairy units of no more than 120 cows, except for young farmers and partnerships.

Former Macra president and Cavan dairy farmer Thomas Duffy is currently transitioning from a parlour to robotic system and drew down for a new robot during a previous TAMS tranche.

“We have a 100-cow herd and were hoping that we would be treated the same in the new scheme for another robot,” he said.

“I understand there will now be a recognition for prior investment in the new scheme. This is an entirely new rule with no premise. This will lead to us being artificially limited to one robot and 70 cows. We’re operating without any clarity currently, which is affecting our ability to make plans for investment.”

Concerns have also been raised that dribble bars will no longer be eligible for grant aid, however it’s understood while they are not on the current list, dribble bars may be added in future subject to a test of their environmental credentials.

The new farm-building scheme will launch after a year of rampant inflation in construction cost. Farm-building suppliers have estimated that the cost of building an average farm shed has risen by 50pc since 2020.

According to the CSO, over the past two years, the price of readymix concrete has increased by 25pc, while the price of precast concrete has increased by 35pc.

The cost hikes have forced the Department of Agriculture to hike the reference costs for certain investments twice in the past 12 months.

For more information on TAMS 3, click here.