TAMS 3 Opens

TAMS provides funding for capital investments on farms and will be in place for five years with a budget of €370m. It will include 10 schemes.

Solar panels on farms will be the first available investment.

The first tranche of the new Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) will open on Wednesday (February 22) with solar panels on farms being the first available investment.

TAMS provides funding for capital investments on farms and will be in place for five years with a budget of €370m. It will include 10 schemes. 

In addition to the solar panels, the other investments will become available on a phased basis during tranche one which will close on June 16.

Next to follow will be the Animal Welfare, Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS) by mid-March and the remaining schemes will be open for applications on a phased basis by the end of May.

The scheme does not operate on a first come first served basis and all applications will go through a ranking and selection process after the closing date.

Range of Changes

There is a range of changes to the TAMS scheme including increased grant aid rates, investment ceilings, new investments, and new support categories. 

This includes an enhanced grant rate of 60% compared to a lower rate of 40% in TAMS 2 in respect of investments for low emission slurry spreading equipment, organic capital investments, and farm safety investments.

“TAMS will continue to support productive farming and help ensure that we remain a modern and futureproofed sector,” Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said. 

“We are also using TAMS to align more with our climate and sustainability goals through renewable energy, low emission spreading equipment, and higher grant rates for organic farmers. 

“It will also be a driver of our priorities on increasing the number of young farmers and women farmers and improving farm safety with higher grant rates for all of these.” 

Solar Investments

In order to encourage the purchase of solar investments reducing dependence on fossil energy by farmers, the solar scheme will be ringfenced with its own investment ceiling of €90,000 and will be grant-aided at the enhanced rate of 60%.

“At a time of rising energy costs, I have prioritised the introduction of the solar investments first which will be open from next Wednesday,” Mr McConalogue continued.

“In addition to the higher grant rates, I have also increased the size of the available investments from 12kW to 62kW. The scheme will enable every farmer to generate their own power for their dwelling and holding and will help to achieve a more sustainable rural economy, assisting farmers in reducing energy costs on their holdings.”

Under TAMS 3, the ceiling for investment will be reset to €90,000 per holding for the duration of the scheme. 

This means every farmer who benefitted under TAMS 2 can reapply in full under the new scheme. In addition, the ceiling for investment for the pig and poultry strand of support will increase to €500,000. 

Along with the solar panels, low emissions slurry spreading equipment will continue to have its own standalone investment ceiling.

Organics

On the increased rate for the Organic Capital Investment Scheme, Minister of State Pippa Hackett commented: “We have seen unprecedented demand for entry into our Organic Farming Scheme and the 60% grant aid rate under the Organic Capital Investment Scheme is a further demonstration of our commitment to ensuring that organic farmers receive the necessary support to upgrade their infrastructure. 

“We are committed to reaching our target of 10% of our agricultural area land farmed organically by 2030, and this increased grant rate is an important step along that journey.” 

On the increased rate for farm safety, Minister of State Martin Heydon said that if farms are to be made safer places, farmers must be supported to invest in physical safety infrastructure. 

“The new higher farm safety grant rate of 60% in TAMS 3 will allow farmers to reduce the risk on their farms by availing of options like replacing old slats, installing a better handling unit or calving area, or upgrading their farmyard lighting,” Mr Heydon said.

“I would encourage all farmers to seriously look at these investments as part of our efforts to reduce the number of fatal and serious incidents on farms.”

In addition to the changes above, there will be a range of new investments included under the TAMS 3 schemes, including:

• Cattle underpasses; 
• Farm roadways; 
• Bovine fencing; 
• Milk recording equipment;
• Backup PTO generator;
• Biomass storage and handling equipment;
• A range of pesticide reduction equipment for the tillage sector.

(Source – Irish Examiner – Farming – Kathleen O Sullivan – 20/02/2023)

TAMS 3 Funding For Solar Panels Will ‘Help Meet Appetite’ For Renewable Projects In Farming

TAMS will be in place for five years with a budget of €370m. 

Funding for solar panels on farms in the new Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) will help to “meet the appetite” in the farming community for renewable projects, Ifac has said.

The farming, food, and agribusiness specialist professional services firm has welcomed Monday’s announcement of funding for capital investments on farms.

The first tranche of TAMS 3 will open on Wednesday (February 22) with solar panels on farms being the first available investment.

TAMS will be in place for five years with a budget of €370m. It will include 10 schemes.

A Welcome Move

Ifac’s head of farm support Philip O’Connor said that this week’s opening is a “very welcome move” for Irish farmers.

“Tranche one of the scheme will be music to the ears of many of our clients and farmers all across the country who are committed to farming sustainably and eager to take climate action,” Mr O’Connor said.

“We know this because last week our fifth annual farm report, containing the views of 1,160 Irish farmers, revealed that both spiralling input costs and climate action to meet Ireland’s climate targets are very much front of mind.” 

“Our report confirmed that more than half [52%] of Irish farmers say the biggest barrier to adopting renewable projects is the level of financial investment required coupled with the low returns, and over half [54%] are concerned about their electricity and gas costs at home.

“This announcement about this targeted scheme for solar will help to meet the appetite in the farming community for farmer-developed renewable projects and help farmers to proactively tackle rising energy costs and generate their own power.”

Mr O’Connor added that this will have a positive long-term impact on the sector overall, rural Ireland, and the environment.

Investment Ceiling And Enhanced Grant Aid Rate

In order to encourage the purchase of solar investments reducing dependence on fossil energy by farmers, the solar scheme will be ringfenced with its own investment ceiling of €90,000 and will be grant-aided at the enhanced rate of 60%.

“At a time of rising energy costs, I have prioritised the introduction of the solar investments first which will be open from Wednesday,” Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said.

“In addition to the higher grant rates, I have also increased the size of the available investments from 12kW to 62kW. 

“The scheme will enable every farmer to generate their own power for their dwelling and holding and will help to achieve a more sustainable rural economy, assisting farmers in reducing energy costs on their holdings.”

Under TAMS 3, the ceiling for investment will be reset to €90,000 per holding for the duration of the scheme.

This means every farmer who benefitted under TAMS 2 can reapply in full under the new scheme. 

In addition to the solar panels, the other investments will become available on a phased basis during tranche one which will close on June 16.

(Source – Irish Examiner – Farming – Kathleen O Sullivan – 20/02/2023)