The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) paid out over €2.5 million under the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS) this week.

TAMS provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holding.

The latest data, published by the department, shows that €2.56 million was issued under TAMS 3 this week.

This means that DAFM has now paid out €88.2 million to farmers under TAMS 3 across 9,997 claims.

There has been over 33,300 applications approved across all tranches of TAMS 3 so far, with 12,098 payment claims submitted to the department.

This week also saw a further €1,600 issued to farmers under TAMS 2.

Meanwhile, the department paid out an additional €410,000 under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).

This brings the total payments issued for the agri-environmental scheme to €515.5 million.

Almost €50,000 was allocated under the 2024 Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) and Areas of Specific Constraint (ASC).

This brings the total payments under these measures to €249.2 million to 99,368 farmers.

On Wednesday (August 13), Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon confirmed that the 2025 Beef Welfare Scheme is now open for applications.

The objective of the scheme is to further increase the economic efficiency of and enhance animal health and husbandry on suckler farms.

The payment rates for the Beef Welfare Scheme are as follows:

Action 1 – Meal Feeding (mandatory): the rate of payment is €35 per eligible calf up to a maximum of 45 eligible calves;
Action 2 – Vaccination (optional): The rate of payment is €15 per eligible calf up to a maximum of 45 eligible calves;
Action 3 – Faecal Testing / Forage Testing (optional): The rate of payment is €25 per eligible calf up to a maximum of 45 eligible calves.

Applications must be lodged online through the Agfood.ie online portal before the closing date of September 24, 2025.