The TAMS II farm building grant scheme for young farmers is as welcome as sunshine in a wet May. A 60% grant is a great leg up for a young person starting down the road of farming. The Department is operating the scheme in a sensible manner with the following criteria: the tranche system will spread the funding out between now and 2020; for larger structures, it is insisting on proof of planning or exemption; it will rightly insist that full specifications are followed, most notably for reinforcing steel in underground tanks. These rules benefit farmers.

Application is online only, hopefully allowing speedy processing. The first application tranche closes at the end of August. Building and investment work could be under way by October. Some contractors are concerned that cuts in milk prices and static farm incomes will reduce uptake of the grant aid. However, prices and incomes are cyclical and will increase, while the TAMS schemes will be in operation for the next six or seven years.

It’s unfortunate that there are few items for young tillage farmers in the YFS. It is open to them to build slurry stores for imported livestock slurry. However, the Department should add more focused items.