A controversial decision to disallow grant aid on dribble bar slurry equipment in favour of grant-aiding trailing shoe technology is causing consternation among farmers and machinery manufacturers.

The move to only allow grant aid on trailing shoe equipment is to be part of the new TAMS terms and conditions, the Irish Farmers Journal understands.

Trailing shoe equipment is heavier, less suitable for some farms and more expensive than dribble bar attachments, although it is believed that the Department of Agriculture is planning a higher 60% grant rate to compensate for the price difference.

The On Farm Capital Investment Scheme will see calving cameras, milk recording equipment and slurry separators among almost 100 new items eligible for the new TAMS scheme, the Irish Farmers Journal understands.

Addition

The contentious addition of a 120-cow herd size limit on milking equipment is expected to be included by the Department, with a higher 160-cow limit for partnerships and young farmers.

Also expected to be eligible for grant aid in the new scheme are several items aimed at tillage farmers, such as beet cleaners, seed potato stores, harvest weed seed control and de-stoning machines.

Cattle underpasses, on-farm roadways and soil aerators are set to be included, as are weather stations, solar fencing systems, back-up PTO generators and automatic drafting systems.

A silage bale slice and plastic remover for a loader and a 1t bag filler are expected to be included.

Environmental

Farm investments eligible for funding under the scheme will have an environmental component, the Department of Agriculture’s John Muldowney told the Irish Farmers Journal CAP information meeting in Mullingar last week.

“Going through it, one of the biggest challenges we had was to try and ensure all the investments had a green element.”

When asked on the possibility of a shear grab being included, the official stated that machinery items such as the grab could be viewed as a productivity investment, rather than an environmental one.

The first tranche of the new scheme is expected to open over the coming weeks.

Department ‘still working’ on final decision on slurry equipment

The drive to address ammonia emissions to maximum effect is behind the Department of Agriculture’s potential move to drop grant aid for dribble bar LESS equipment.

Speaking at the Irish Farmers Journal CAP information meeting in Mullingar last week, John Muldowney said: “We are still working through the details on what finally will be accepted.

"There is a big difference in terms of ammonia reduction between dribble bar and trailing shoe, so given the targets that are there we are trying to maximise out the ammonia reduction gains that are there.

“For Ireland, ammonia emissions in terms of the options are limited, we don’t have long winter storage, so getting at spreading reduction emissions is key and how to maximise that reduction,” he continued.

“Dribble bars will still be qualified as LESS under nitrates regulations no matter what, but the question is how far we will go to support it,” he added.

The new investment scheme has yet to open, which Muldowney put down in part to the expansion of the equipment list.

“The big challenge that we have with TAMS list is [that] TAMS 2 had a list of maybe 350 sub-investment lines and we are probably bringing that within the range of 450,” Muldowney said.