Organic farmers are set to be able to avail of significant grant aid for key equipment under the new Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS II).

The grant is due to be opened shortly.

The Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association (IOFGA) has published a detailed list of what will be items eligible and the amount of grant aid available on each item.

Grant aid is likely to stay at 40% although it has not been confirmed while young trained farmers would be eligible for 60% under the scheme.

There has been significant interest in organic farming in Ireland. Some 850 farmers have applied for the new organic scheme this year, with 58% of those being new entrants.

Items available under Organics Capital Investment Scheme include:

Organic equipment / Machinery

· Straw chopper (per) item €13,459.00

· Topper (mounted) (per) linear metre €848.00

· Topper (trailed) (per) linear metre €1,357.00

· Mower linear (per) metre €2,879.00

· Haybob (per) item €2,996.00

· Slurry pump/agitator (per) item €3,712.00

· Loader (front-mounted) (per) item €5,956.00

· Dung fork (per) linear metre €555.00

· Dung spreader (per) m3 €921.00

· Seeders – tractor mounted (per) linear metre €4,229.00

· Harrow – tractor mounted (per) linear metre €834.00

· Disc cultivator (per) linear metre €1,450.00

· Two-wheeled tractor with detachable rotary tiller horse power (per) (HP) €420.00

· Laser guidance weeder hoe system (per) linear metre €2,303.00

· Mulcher (trailed) (per) linear metre €2,303.00

· Grain dryer tonne per hour output €8,062.00

· Grain cleaner tonne per hour output €296.00

· Insect netting (per) m2 €0.50 · Bird and hail netting (per) m2 €0.42

Organic Structures

· Replace slats with slabs for organic cattle houses (per) m2 €57.10

· Organic free range laying hen house (fixed) (per) m2 €264.20

· Organic free range broiler house (fixed) (per) m2 €191.70

· Permanent fencing of organic poultry run (per) linear metre €12.40

· Pig kennels (per) m2 €57.00

· Permanent pig fencing (per) linear metre €6.15

· Hay/straw store (per) m2 €89.90

· Polytunnel m2 (per) €37.00

· Concrete floor (per) m2 €24.60

· Irrigation system (per) m2 €2.50

· Grain store (per) m2 €211.30

· Ventilation system for grain store (per) m2 €13.00

· Grain bin / meal bin (per) m3 y = 68.51x + 2202

· Potato store (per) m2 €202.50

· Ventilation system for potato store (per) m2 €23.10

· Produce store (per) m2 €202.50 Rain Water Harvesting

· Filters designed for flow from up to 200m2 roof area (per) item €311.60

· Filters designed for flow between 201m2 and 500m2 roof area (per) item €425.00

· Covered drains uPVC 150mm (per) linear metre €8.06

· Covered drains uPVC 225mm (per) linear metre €8.60

· Covered drains uPVC 150mm under existing concrete (per) linear metre €22.09

· Covered drains uPVC 225mm under existing concrete (per) linear metre €24.80

· Manholes (including cover) (per) item €222.58

· Round gutter (including all brackets stop-ends, outlets and fixing) (per) linear metre €17.58

· Box gutter (including all brackets stop-ends, outlets and fixing) (per) linear metre €18.68

· Rain water downpipes (including offsets toes and fixing) (per) linear metre €19.78

· Sumps (including cover) (per) item €222.58

· Sump pump (per) item €397.19

· UV treatment (per) item €1,555.00

· Chlorination treatment (per) item €1,750.00

· Water meter (per) item €181.25