Macra has criticised the omission of construction costs for new milking parlours under the new Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS).
The Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) yesterday (Monday, February 20) published details of TAMS 3, including the Dairy Equipment Scheme (DES), which details the eligible items and the reference costs.
Tranche 1 of the €370 million scheme will open on Wednesday (February 22) with solar panels on farms being the first available investment. Other investments will become available on a phased basis during Tranche 1 which will close on June 16.
The president of Macra, John Keane, said that the decision not to include building costs for new dairy parlours in the scheme will come as a “major blow” for young farmers starting out in the dairy sector.
“It comes as no surprise unfortunately that the construction costs are not covered under the new TAMS 3.
“We have seen a consistent disregard for young farmer supports from the department over the past few years.
“Under the last Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) construction costs were eligible for new milking parlours for those qualifying under the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme but the new scheme appears not to cover this cost for young farmers,” Keane said.
TAMS
The Macra president called on Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue to urgently review the new TAMS.
Keane said that farmers who availed of grant aid for robotic milking equipment under the previous TAMS are “also excluded” from the new scheme.
“This compares to those who availed of support for solar installation under TAMS 2 are eligible once more under TAMS 3.
“At a time when labour is in short supply and the associated benefits for data collection and management garnered by using robots we see the minister excluding farmers who availed of support previously for robotic milking equipment,” he said.
“This move is grossly unfair to these farmers as there was no indication in the previous TAMS that any investment under the last CAP would affect future access,” Keane added.