The grant aid for pig farmers just announced under TAMS II has been welcomed by pig producers, but they want the €80,000 investment lifted to €300,000 and have already asked this of Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney.

Tight cashflow has seen necessary investment in pig units tail off, says IFA Pigs Committee chair Pat O’Flaherty.

“The new scheme will allow producers improve their facilities without expanding output.”

Funding will be fully taken up, he says.

“Farmers will borrow for the 60% – that is the way they usually operate and the banks are generally quite supportive.”

But the investment ceiling is too low.

“Pig units are very capital-intensive. For example, upgrading to a new feed system would typically cost €120,000 to €150,000.”

At a meeting with Minister Coveney last week, he asked that the investment ceiling be lifted to the €300,000 that operated for the former grant scheme for loose housing.

On the investment items eligible for grant aid, O’Flaherty said that upgrades to feed systems will be of interest to most pig farmers: “More efficient feeding would reduce energy use. For example, a producer who now feeds manually could apply to install a computerised wet feed system.”

Upgrading the energy efficiency of buildings could also help many producers.

“The big energy cost is running the heat pads in farrowing houses, which the pigs lie on. These are generally heated directly by electricity or via hot water, which is heated by gas or oil.”

Grant aid for installing an energy-efficient boiler would be beneficial where pads are heated by hot water.

Installation of water meters will be of interest to a smaller numbers of farmers.

“Bigger units have them already, including on their farm wells. That is required by the EPA.”