Since the opening of the TAMS Tillage Capital Investment Scheme, the Irish Farmers Journal has received a number of queries about how the scheme works. TAMS II is new phenomenon to most tillage farmers and it requires some thought to ensure you are getting the best outcome for your farm.

Below, some of the more common questions that have been popping up in relation to the scheme are outlined.

We have briefly answered these questions in the hope of clarifying how it works.

What is covered under the tillage scheme?

The full list of items covered in the tillage scheme is available on the Department’s website and can be found via this link: https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmerschemespayments/tams/tillagecapitalinvestmentscheme/. The main items covered are:

  • Replacement of a hinged door/sheeted gate with a new sliding or roller door.
  • Retrofitting roof-light with safety cages.
  • Wiring/rewiring existing agricultural building.
  • Yard lights (min 200W equivalent, either metal halide or LED).
  • Grain store.
  • Rainwater harvesting equipment.
  • GPS machinery control.
  • Sprayers.
  • Minimum disturbance tillage (PTO driven equipment not permitted).
  • Heavy Cambridge roller/furrow press.
  • Grain treatment equipment including dryers.
  • Potato harvesting equipment.
  • Full GPS section control for your fertiliser spreader.
  • Wheel changing equipment.
  • What is the grant rate?

    For general applicants, the grant rate is 40% grant aid to the €80,000 investment ceiling, excluding VAT. This means that farmers would be entitled to a total grant of €32,000 if their investment exceeds €80,000. The specific tillage investments are now included in the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS). Eligible young farmers will be entitled to 60% grant aid to the €80,000 investment ceiling (a total of €48,000 grant aid if an investment exceeds the investment ceiling). For farmers in a registered farm partnership, the investment ceiling doubles to €160,000 and the rate of grant aid is paid depending on each partner’s eligibility. Equipment must be new and be purchased rather than leased.

    Who is eligible?

    The scheme is open to farmers who have a minimum of 15ha of eligible crops declared under the Basic Payment Scheme, or equivalent, in the year of application or the previous year. Applicants must also have a Department identifier such as a herd number or a BPS number.

    How do I go about applying?

    Applications for TAMS II must be made online (manual applications by post, fax, email, etc, will not be accepted). Clients will require access to the Department’s online services prior to applying for TAMS II schemes. Details for access can be found at: http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/agfoodinformationpages/

    When is the closing date?

    TAMS is broken up into a series of three-month tranches to allocate expenditure over the RDP period from 2015 to 2020. We are now in the seventh tranche of TAMS II, which is due to close for applications on 30 June. The next tranche will open for applications immediately after the seventh tranche closes.

    What do I need to apply?

    The documents needed at the application stage vary depending on what you are applying for. For example, a grain store will likely need full planning permission attached while a disc will obviously not need planning and the application should be more straightforward.

  • Copies of drawings and farm building layout plan.
  • Farmyard layout plan.
  • A copy of a company’s Companies Registration Office certificate and memorandum and articles of association or one document constitution.
  • Grant of full and final planning permission including conditions or declaration of exemption including maps, where applicable.
  • Copies of drawings on which planning permission or declaration of exemption including maps was obtained.
  • In certain cases an engineer’s report may be required. This report may be requested before an application is approved under the scheme.
  • The Department says applications that do not have all the required supporting documentation uploaded at time of submission will be deemed ineligible and will be rejected. However, where farmers may have accidently left out some documents, there may be a second chance to supply this documentation. The Department says following an administrative check, the applicant will be requested to rectify any deficiencies in the application and supporting documentation which were uploaded at the time of submission.

    What is the minimum investment rate?

    The minimum investment per application is €2,000, excluding VAT.

    Do I need a registered consultant to make an application on my behalf?

    No, a farmer can make a TAMS II application online themselves. Many farmers building sheds go through a consultant because they have the facilities for drawing up plans and making a planning application to the local county council.

    Does the scheme cover ventilation systems in existing stores?

    Ventilation systems may only be applied for with new grain stores. It is not part of the TAMS Tillage Scheme to grant-aid ventilation systems in existing grain stores.

    What happens after I apply?

    When the tranche closes, applications are assessed and ranked in each tranche to keep expenditure within budget.

    When this ranking and assessment is carried out, approvals are issued to start work.

    The time it takes to receive approval after the tranche closes has ranged widely in the past. Some applications can take four to seven months to receive approval, while others can take longer. Once farmers receive approval, they must carry out the investment and make a separate online payment claim.

    How long do I have to make an investment after I receive approval?

    Depending on the type of investment, farmers must complete the work either within six or 12 months from the date of issue of approval to the completion of investment and submission of payment claim.

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    Special focus: TAMS for tillage