merrion street

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed has today announced the commencement of approvals of over 2,090 applications under the most recent Tranche of TAMs scheme. These applications were received under Tranche 12 which closed on 7 December 2018 and represent the fourth highest number of applications to date by tranche to date. The estimated value of all applications received in Tranche 12 is €30.5m.

The Minister commented

I am delighted with the continued interest in the suite of seven measures available under the TAMS scheme. There are now over 22,900 applications received under the scheme to date including over 2,000 applications in the latest tranche. Over €103m has been paid out to farmers so far under the Scheme with weekly payments currently averaging over €1.2m.

The Minister has also announced the extension of meal bins as an eligible investment for all sectors in the list of items available under TAMS II with immediate effect. The current tranche of TAMS II opened on 8 December and will close on 5 April 2019. Meal bins can be applied for now using the online application system. The TAMS II system of penalties for late submission of payment claims has also been revised with increased flexibility and graduated penalties introduced for late submission.

Commenting on these changes, the Minister commented

In response to requests to make meal bins available to all sectors, particularly after the fodder challenges faced by farmers in 2018, I have decided to extend their provision to all sectors with immediate effect. This will be of particular interest to the beef and sheep sectors. We have also favourably reviewed the penalty situation for late submission of payment claims and my Department will be in direct contact with farmers impacted by these changes in the coming weeks.

Note for Editors:

• Farmers are reminded that if they have an existing approval under TAMS to check the relevant dates on their approval letters and to ensure that payment claims are submitted within the relevant deadline. Claims can be submitted to the online system as soon as the approved work is completed to allow for the prompt payment of claims. 
• Full details of the TAMS II measures are available on the Departments website at : https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmerschemespayments/tams/
• TAMS Division can be contacted by phone on 0761 064452

Update on implementation of the TAMS scheme
January 2019

• The TAMS II Scheme continues to generate significant interest amongst farmers with over 17,800 approvals now issued to participants. 
• Payment claims for completed approved works have been submitted and paid to over 7,000 participants. In value terms this has resulted in payments of over €103m issuing to date, over €5.6m of this issuing last December alone. Approvals will continue to issue and payment claims submitted paid on an ongoing basis during 2019. 
• Over 8,900 farmers have a TAMS II approval for which they have not yet submitted a payment claim. Approvals since Tranche 6 are being issued for 6 months for mobile equipment and 12 months for fixed investments. The Department is strongly encouraging all farmers with outstanding approvals to examine their approval letter and to be mindful of when their approval will expire. 
• The penalty regime for the late submission of payment claims has been revised. The Department will be in direct contact with those impacted by this change in the coming weeks.
• In response to requests Meal Bins for all sectors are now included in the current Tranche closing on 5 April 2019.

Dates for future Tranches :  Tranche 14 – closing 5 July 2019

                                             Tranche 15 – closing 4 October 2019

                                             Tranche 16 – closing 12 January 2020

Expenditure under each of the seven measures under the Scheme up to 31 December 2018 is as follows:

Top Ten Most Popular Investment items (by number of applications) across all TAMS II Measures are as follows:

1. Mass Concrete Tank- Square or Rectangular Tank
2. Animal Housing - Roofed feed passage
3. Sheep Fencing - Sheep Mesh with 1 Strand of Wire
4. Milk Storage and Cooling - Internal Bulk Tank Volume (incl Auto Washer and compressor)
5. Milking Machine - Cluster Units (New Machine or extension)
6. Animal Housing - Slatted Area
7. Mobile Slurry Tanker with attachment – Slurry Tanker
8. Sheep Fencing - Gateway
9. In Parlour Meal Feeding System - Meal Troughs
10. In Parlour Meal Feeding System - Individual cow Meal Feeders, with augers

Top Five Most Popular Investment Items per Measure (by number of applications):
Animal Welfare Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWSNS):
1. Sheep Fencing - Sheep Mesh with 1 Strand of Wire
2. Sheep Fencing – Gateway
3. Mass Concrete Tank - Square or Rectangular Tank
4. Animal Housing - Roofed feed passage
5. Animal Housing - Slatted Area

Dairy Equipment Scheme (DES):
1. Milk Storage and Cooling - Internal Bulk Tank Volume (including Auto Washer and compressor)
2. Milking Machine - Cluster Units (New Machine or extension
3. In-Parlour meal feeding system - Individual cow Meal Feeders with Augers
4. In-Parlour meal feeding system - Meal Troughs
5. Batch / multi place Meal Feeders, with augers

Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment Scheme (LESS):
1. Mobile Slurry Tank with Attachment - Slurry tanker
2. Mobile Slurry Tank with Attachment - Trailing shoe attachment with macerator
3. Mobile Slurry Tank with Attachment - Dribble bar spreader attachment
4. Retrofit dribble bar to existing tanker - Retrofit dribble bar
5. Umbilical System - Base pump, hose reel and fittings


Organic Capital Investment Scheme (OCIS):
1. Mower
2. Loader (Front-Mounted)
3. Dung Spreader
4. Dung Fork
5. Haybob

Pig and Poultry Investment Scheme (PPIS):
1. Energy Efficiency Upgrade Poultry House - Energy efficient lighting for broiler houses
2. Disease reduction facilities for existing poultry houses - Drinker system for poultry broiler house
3. Energy Efficiency Upgrade Poultry House - Indirect heating system
4. Medicine Dispenser Units - Fixed in Water medicine dispenser for poultry unit
5. Solar panels for electricity production

Tillage Capital Investment Scheme (TCIS):
1. Minimum disturbance tillage (PTO driven equipment not permitted) - Disc stubble cultivator – mounted
2. GPS Machinery Control - Tractor Steering Control with min 200mm accuracy – retrofit
3. Fertilizer spreader - mounted with full GPS control
4. Pesticide reduction - Heavy Cambridge Roller / furrow press
5. Sprayers - Trailed sprayer with GPS control Minimum disturbance tillage (PTO driven equipment not permitted) - Seed broadcaster to mount on cultivator

Young Farmers’ Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS):
1. Mass Concrete Tank - Square or Rectangular Tank
2. Animal Housing - Roofed feed passage
3. Animal Housing - Slatted Area
4. Milking Machine - Cluster Units (New Machine or extension)
5. Milk Storage and Cooling - Internal Bulk Tank Volume (including Auto Washer and compressor).