The new TAMS II Dairy Equipment Scheme has been launched with €50m in grant aid for the years 2015 to 2020. It is open to all farmers who meet the TAMS II general eligibility criteria and offers the standard TAMS II grant rate of 40%.
The online application system is expected to go live next week. The first tranche of applications will then run for three months, closing in early October. It will be followed by second and subsequent tranches. The scheme will close for applications on 31 December 2020.
The scheme was launched this week by Ministers Simon Coveney and Tom Hayes on the farm of Tom Walsh in Co Cork. It is the second TAMS II scheme to be launched under the new Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. It follows the Young Farmers’ Capital Investment Scheme, which pays a grant rate of 60%.
“I am delighted to announce the opening of this very important scheme which will directly support the development of modern and forward-looking dairy-enterprises on farms across the country,” Minister Coveney said. “I want to ensure that farmers have access to the most up-to-date technology to enable them compete in the modern dairy sector and to bring the highest quality product to market.
Minister Hayes said: “The specific areas of investment will include milking machines, milk cooling and storage equipment, water heating and in-parlour feeding systems. All applications must be made online, either by the farmer or by an adviser authorised to act on his or her behalf. The facility for farmers and advisers to rapidly link via SMS texting is now available.”
Minister Coveney said he would be making further announcements in coming weeks on the launch of the remaining TAMS II schemes, including the new Low Emission Slurry Spreading Scheme, which is also being prioritised for early opening.
The total allocation for the various on-farm investment schemes planned under TAMS II is €395m over the course of the programme.
Reaction
IFA president Eddie Downey has welcomed the launch of the scheme as part of TAMS II. It will be an important element of the investment needed on dairy farms in the years ahead, he said. “All other TAMS schemes must open without further delay. This includes TAMS for all other farmers.”
IFA Rural Development chairman Flor McCarthy has lobbied for inclusion of additional items for grant aid under TAMS II including sheep fencing, silage slabs and walls, grain storage, underpasses and farm roadways, and slurry and litter storage for grain farms.
40% grant rate for dairy equipment
The TAMS II Dairy Equipment Scheme will pay qualifying applicants a 40% grant rate. The scheme is subject to a ceiling in the form of a maximum eligible investment, which is €80,000 per holding. In the case of a joint application by two or more partners under a registered partnership the ceiling doubles to €160,000. The minimum amount of investment which is eligible for approval under the scheme is €2,000 per application.
The scheme is open to farmers who:
Own or have leasehold title to the site on which it is proposed to carry out the development. Have a minimum of 5ha which have been declared under the Basic Payment or similar scheme in the year of application or preceding year. Grant aid per investment item will be calculated on the basis of the lowest of the following amounts:
The Department’s reference costings applicable at the date of approval.The total of the invoices marked ‘paid’, net of VAT, together with costs of own contribution in terms of
labour and machinery, deemed to be eligible by the Department.The cost of the investment proposed by the applicant. Grant aid will not be paid for secondhand materials or equipment or work carried out by contractors who do not comply with the tax clearance requirements. Planning permission or a declaration of exemption from the relevant local authority is required for external bulk milk tanks, milk silos and ice builders at the time of application.
Applications must be submitted online through www.agfood.ie.
Applications for aid will be assessed on the following criteria in order of priority:
Age of the applicant.Applicants who, on the date of application, have not received payment under the TAMS II Dairy Equipment Scheme.The proposed cost of the project by the applicant as set out on the application form. Applicants will be given preference where the proposed costs are lower than the Department’s reference costs.Size of the holding/enterprise.Any part of a holding in an Area of Natural Constraint. The list of eligible investment items is:
Milking machine equipment – machines can be in new or existing buildings. The list of eligible items is: • New milking machines (including the replacement of existing machine by a new machine).
• Extensions of existing machines (excluding upgrades).
• Auto washer for milking machine.
• Rotary milking machines.
• Robotic milking machines (including meal feeder and milk buffer tank).
• Heat transfer units to take heat from compressors and heat water.
• Water heaters.
Milking machine equipment - The list of eligible items includes but is not limited to: • Wash line, milk line, vacuum line, vacuum pump, milk pump, pulsators, swing over arms, milk indicator, automatic cluster removers, milk filter and vacuum regulator.
It excludes the following items:
• All stall work (rump rails, head rails, automatic bailing etc), mangers, feeders, meal bins, concrete work and building work.
Milk storage/ancillary cooling equipment – the list of eligible items includes and is limited to: • Bulk milk tanks including auto-washer and compressor. However, grant aid will not be paid on the retro-fitting of an auto-washer or compressor or on an existing tank.
• Milk silos including auto washer and compressor.
• Ice builder.
• Plate cooler.
In-parlour feeding system
• Batch /multi place meal feeders.
•Individual cow meal feeders.
• Meal troughs.
The new TAMS II Dairy Equipment Scheme has been launched with €50m in grant aid for the years 2015 to 2020. It is open to all farmers who meet the TAMS II general eligibility criteria and offers the standard TAMS II grant rate of 40%.
The online application system is expected to go live next week. The first tranche of applications will then run for three months, closing in early October. It will be followed by second and subsequent tranches. The scheme will close for applications on 31 December 2020.
The scheme was launched this week by Ministers Simon Coveney and Tom Hayes on the farm of Tom Walsh in Co Cork. It is the second TAMS II scheme to be launched under the new Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. It follows the Young Farmers’ Capital Investment Scheme, which pays a grant rate of 60%.
“I am delighted to announce the opening of this very important scheme which will directly support the development of modern and forward-looking dairy-enterprises on farms across the country,” Minister Coveney said. “I want to ensure that farmers have access to the most up-to-date technology to enable them compete in the modern dairy sector and to bring the highest quality product to market.
Minister Hayes said: “The specific areas of investment will include milking machines, milk cooling and storage equipment, water heating and in-parlour feeding systems. All applications must be made online, either by the farmer or by an adviser authorised to act on his or her behalf. The facility for farmers and advisers to rapidly link via SMS texting is now available.”
Minister Coveney said he would be making further announcements in coming weeks on the launch of the remaining TAMS II schemes, including the new Low Emission Slurry Spreading Scheme, which is also being prioritised for early opening.
The total allocation for the various on-farm investment schemes planned under TAMS II is €395m over the course of the programme.
Reaction
IFA president Eddie Downey has welcomed the launch of the scheme as part of TAMS II. It will be an important element of the investment needed on dairy farms in the years ahead, he said. “All other TAMS schemes must open without further delay. This includes TAMS for all other farmers.”
IFA Rural Development chairman Flor McCarthy has lobbied for inclusion of additional items for grant aid under TAMS II including sheep fencing, silage slabs and walls, grain storage, underpasses and farm roadways, and slurry and litter storage for grain farms.
40% grant rate for dairy equipment
The TAMS II Dairy Equipment Scheme will pay qualifying applicants a 40% grant rate. The scheme is subject to a ceiling in the form of a maximum eligible investment, which is €80,000 per holding. In the case of a joint application by two or more partners under a registered partnership the ceiling doubles to €160,000. The minimum amount of investment which is eligible for approval under the scheme is €2,000 per application.
The scheme is open to farmers who:
Own or have leasehold title to the site on which it is proposed to carry out the development. Have a minimum of 5ha which have been declared under the Basic Payment or similar scheme in the year of application or preceding year. Grant aid per investment item will be calculated on the basis of the lowest of the following amounts:
The Department’s reference costings applicable at the date of approval.The total of the invoices marked ‘paid’, net of VAT, together with costs of own contribution in terms of
labour and machinery, deemed to be eligible by the Department.The cost of the investment proposed by the applicant. Grant aid will not be paid for secondhand materials or equipment or work carried out by contractors who do not comply with the tax clearance requirements. Planning permission or a declaration of exemption from the relevant local authority is required for external bulk milk tanks, milk silos and ice builders at the time of application.
Applications must be submitted online through www.agfood.ie.
Applications for aid will be assessed on the following criteria in order of priority:
Age of the applicant.Applicants who, on the date of application, have not received payment under the TAMS II Dairy Equipment Scheme.The proposed cost of the project by the applicant as set out on the application form. Applicants will be given preference where the proposed costs are lower than the Department’s reference costs.Size of the holding/enterprise.Any part of a holding in an Area of Natural Constraint. The list of eligible investment items is:
Milking machine equipment – machines can be in new or existing buildings. The list of eligible items is: • New milking machines (including the replacement of existing machine by a new machine).
• Extensions of existing machines (excluding upgrades).
• Auto washer for milking machine.
• Rotary milking machines.
• Robotic milking machines (including meal feeder and milk buffer tank).
• Heat transfer units to take heat from compressors and heat water.
• Water heaters.
Milking machine equipment - The list of eligible items includes but is not limited to: • Wash line, milk line, vacuum line, vacuum pump, milk pump, pulsators, swing over arms, milk indicator, automatic cluster removers, milk filter and vacuum regulator.
It excludes the following items:
• All stall work (rump rails, head rails, automatic bailing etc), mangers, feeders, meal bins, concrete work and building work.
Milk storage/ancillary cooling equipment – the list of eligible items includes and is limited to: • Bulk milk tanks including auto-washer and compressor. However, grant aid will not be paid on the retro-fitting of an auto-washer or compressor or on an existing tank.
• Milk silos including auto washer and compressor.
• Ice builder.
• Plate cooler.
In-parlour feeding system
• Batch /multi place meal feeders.
•Individual cow meal feeders.
• Meal troughs.
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