The proposed 70% Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) grant aid for slurry storage facilities would be available to all farmers, regardless of the sector.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) confirmed that all farmers who have a contract in place to import slurry from other producers could avail of the grant.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue previously said that he will seek measures to provide aid in the construction of slurry storage capacity under Budget 2024.
Slurry storage
The minister intends to engage with the European Commission on potential changes to TAMS 3, which could support the provision of additional slurry storage facilities for farmers importing slurry.
“The proposed grant aid of 70% would be available to all farmers, regardless of the sector, that have a contract in place to import slurry from other producers,” DAFM confirmed to Agriland.
TAMS 3 measures are being developed to support farmers in improving water quality through investment in on-farm nutrient storage and in the context of the nitrates derogation changes.
From the start of 2024, most of the country will see the nitrates derogation cut from 250kg of organic nitrogen (N) per hectare to 220kg N/ha due to poor water quality.
‘Win-win’
Minister McConalogue described measures to increase on-farm slurry storage capacity as a “win-win”, which will particularly provide “very strong” support for the dairy sector.
There is a “significant potential” to achieve a more efficient use of nutrients by providing the infrastructure to enable farmers, who could use more nutrients, to receive and store them, he said.