Tranche 26 of the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS II) opened for applications on 9 April 2022. Approved investments will be subject to revised reference costs introduced for tranche 26.

The increase in costings ranges in the main from 5% to 15% with a handful of items not changed or increasing by a lower rate than 5%.

The previous revision to reference costs was introduced in July 2021 and also ranged in the main from 5% to 15%.

The tables detail the most recent change in the reference cost (numerical and percentage), the actual cost and the previous percentage change in July 2021.

Farm organisations say the reference costs do not reflect recent upward surges in the price of materials with timber and steel particularly exposed and experiencing more than a doubling in the cost of materials over the last 12 to 18 months.

Farm organisations are also calling on the Department of Agriculture to introduce a continuous review process with cost changes adopted on a regular basis.

They are also calling for the Department to implement these costings for tranche 25, which closed for applications on 8 April 2022.

Minister Charlie McConalogue has previously stated in the Oireachtas when pushed on this debate that “it is open to applicants to withdraw an existing application and submit a new application should they wish to do so”.

Sheep equipment

The cost of most sheep equipment has increased by 15%.

This change was long overdue with most equipment and mountain sheep fencing missing out on a cost increase in the previous tranche.

The exception to this is for PDA EID tag readers and management software and EID tag readers and associated software with the reference costs remaining at €1,820 and €710, respectively.

Tranche 26

Tranche 26 of TAMS II opened on 9 April and will remain open until 1 July. Details for tranche 27 have not been announced yet and a similar situation has been in place over the last year.

The number of applications submitted in each tranche has slowed in the last few tranches, while the backlog that had existed for much of 2021 has not returned meaning that all eligible applications have been approved in recent tranches.

Higher funding

Pig and poultry farmers will be able to avail of a higher investment ceiling under tranche 26 with the total funding per applicant increasing from €80,000 to €200,000.

Grant aid will continue to be paid at a rate of 40% of expenditure (based on the lower of reference costs or the actual spend) and 60% for young trained farmers excluding VAT.