The first tranche of the new Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) III will open on Wednesday 22 February, with enhanced grant aid for solar panels on farms the first available investment.
The solar scheme will be ring-fenced with its own investment ceiling of €90,000 and will be grant aided at the higher rate of 60%, the Department of Agriculture has announced.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has said that this money has been ring-fenced in order to encourage the purchase of solar investments, reducing dependence on fossil energy by farmers.
This tranche which opens on Wednesday also includes enhanced grant aid of 60% for investments under low emissions slurry spreading (LESS) equipment, organic capital investments and farm safety investments.
Applications
Following solar, applications will open for 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.
Commenting on the changes to the new scheme, Minister McConalogue said it will continue to support productive farming and help ensure that we remain a modern and future-proofed sector.
"We are also using TAMS to align more with our climate and sustainability goals through renewable energy, low emissions 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.”
Solar
The Minister announced that along with the enhanced grant aid, 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," he said.
Under TAMS III, the ceiling for investment will be reset to €90,000 per holding for the duration of the scheme.
This means every farmer who benefited under TAMS II 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, LESS equipment will continue to have its own standalone investment ceiling, the Minister explained.
Organics
The unprecedented demand for entry into the Organic Farming Scheme and the 60% grant aid rate under the Organic Capital Investment Scheme is a further demonstration of the Government's commitment to ensuring that organic farmers receive the necessary support to upgrade their infrastructure, Minister of State Pippa Hackett said.
"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 said.
Farm safety
With the increased rate for the Farm Safety Scheme, farmers will be able to avail of funding to replace old slats, install better handling units or calving areas and upgrade their farmyard lighting, according to Minister of State with special responsibility for farm safety Martin Heydon.
"The new higher farm safety grant rate of 60% in TAMS III will allow farmers to reduce the risk on their farms by availing of options like these.
"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."
Equine
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," Minister Heydon said.
It is anticipated that the first tranche for all schemes will close on 16 June 2023.
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.
Read more
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The first tranche of the new Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) III will open on Wednesday 22 February, with enhanced grant aid for solar panels on farms the first available investment.
The solar scheme will be ring-fenced with its own investment ceiling of €90,000 and will be grant aided at the higher rate of 60%, the Department of Agriculture has announced.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has said that this money has been ring-fenced in order to encourage the purchase of solar investments, reducing dependence on fossil energy by farmers.
This tranche which opens on Wednesday also includes enhanced grant aid of 60% for investments under low emissions slurry spreading (LESS) equipment, organic capital investments and farm safety investments.
Applications
Following solar, applications will open for 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.
Commenting on the changes to the new scheme, Minister McConalogue said it will continue to support productive farming and help ensure that we remain a modern and future-proofed sector.
"We are also using TAMS to align more with our climate and sustainability goals through renewable energy, low emissions 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.”
Solar
The Minister announced that along with the enhanced grant aid, 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," he said.
Under TAMS III, the ceiling for investment will be reset to €90,000 per holding for the duration of the scheme.
This means every farmer who benefited under TAMS II 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, LESS equipment will continue to have its own standalone investment ceiling, the Minister explained.
Organics
The unprecedented demand for entry into the Organic Farming Scheme and the 60% grant aid rate under the Organic Capital Investment Scheme is a further demonstration of the Government's commitment to ensuring that organic farmers receive the necessary support to upgrade their infrastructure, Minister of State Pippa Hackett said.
"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 said.
Farm safety
With the increased rate for the Farm Safety Scheme, farmers will be able to avail of funding to replace old slats, install better handling units or calving areas and upgrade their farmyard lighting, according to Minister of State with special responsibility for farm safety Martin Heydon.
"The new higher farm safety grant rate of 60% in TAMS III will allow farmers to reduce the risk on their farms by availing of options like these.
"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."
Equine
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," Minister Heydon said.
It is anticipated that the first tranche for all schemes will close on 16 June 2023.
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.
Read more
TAMS III: dribble bars dropped, dung spreaders, bale slices and aerators in
New TAMS list contains many shocks and surprises
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