A total of 778 applications have been received to date for the Dairy Equipment Scheme in TAMS II, the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney has announced.
The first tranche of this scheme closed on October 16, 2015.
“All applications received will be examined and approvals will commence when all of the required checks have been undertaken,” the Minister said.
The Minister announced that an indicative allocation of €50m was being made available under the terms of the Dairy Equipment Scheme over the full RDP period to 2020.
The first tranche to the Dairy Equipment Scheme has a budget €4.16m.
The total allocation for the various on-farm investment schemes planned under TAMS II, including the Dairy Equipment Scheme, is €395m over the course of the programme.
The Dairy Equipment Scheme is co-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and is open to all farmers who meet the general eligibility criteria, offering a standard rate of aid of 40%.
The specific areas of investment will include milking machines, milk cooling and storage equipment, water heating and in-parlour feeding systems.
The first tranche of applications ran for three months and subsequent tranches will open regularly under the scheme and which will continue to invite applications until 2020.
The Dairy Equipment Scheme is open to farmers who:
- Own or have leasehold title to the site on which it is proposed to carry out the development subject to (ii) below.
- (ii) Have a minimum of 5ha which have been declared under the Basic Farm Payment Scheme/Area Aid/Integrated Administration and Control System in the year of application or preceding year.