Grant aid is now available for farmers thinking of upgrading

HELP is at hand for farmers considering upgrading their facilities or certain equipment in teh form of the TAMS II grant scheme.

TAMS II stands for the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme and actually comprises of six individual schemes. The initiative first opened in June 2015 and is set to run until December 2020.

This scheme is co-funded by the EU and the national exchequer under the Rural Development Programme (2014-2020) with a total allocation of over €395m over its duration.

TAMS II aims to provide farmers with grant aid to improve and/or build a specific range of farm buildings or purchase equipment that may benefit their farm businesses.

TAM II compromises of six individual schemes which include:

1. Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS).

2. Dairy Equipment Scheme (DES).

3. Organic Capital Investment Scheme (OCIS).

4. Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment Scheme (LESS).

5. Pig and Poultry Investment Scheme (PPIS).

6. Animal Welfare Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS).

According to the Department of Agriculture, the scheme presents farmers with investment opportunities that allow for the development of Irish agriculture.

The benefits of TAMS II range from the construction of new animal housing, the provision of nutrient storage facilities and the ever-important safety elements along with a more environmentally friendly approach to slurry spreading.

Farmers considering entering TAMS II need to make an investment of at least €2,000 to be eligible for grant aid under this scheme. According to the Department of Agriculture, grant aid will only be paid on approved, completed and eligible expenditure.

Under TAMS II, individual farmers can apply for grant aid of 40% on investments up to a ceiling of €80,000, this is a maximum individual payment of €32,000.

For those farmers in a registered farm partnership with the Department of Agriculture, they can avail of grant aid to the value of €160,000.

This applies to applications with two or more eligible partners.

Partnerships containing one qualifying young farmer grant aid will be paid at 60% on the first €80,000 and 40% for the remaining balance.