The number of applications approved under tranche 1 of the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) was just below 3,500 as of last Friday (January 26).

According to figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) 3,488 applications have now been approved, out of 8,203 applications.

Of the total number of applications, 434 have been rejected and 202 have been withdrawn, leaving 4,079 that are classified as in progress.

In-progress applications will be ultimately either approved, or rejected (if not withdrawn) over time, with the bulk of them likely to be approved.

The Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme (FSCIS) has seen the most approvals to date, with 1,072 out of 2,050 applications (with 240 rejected and 53 withdrawn).

However, this scheme did not receive the most applications. That was the Animal Welfare and Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS), which generated 2,494 applications.

Of these, 618 have been approved, with 94 rejected, 69 withdrawn, and 1,713 in progress.

The third-highest number of approvals as of the latest update is 493 for the Organic Capital Investment Scheme (OCIS), out of 928 applications.

The scheme with the lowest number of approved applications is the Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (WFCIS), with only 10 approvals so far, out of 259 applications. This figures is unchanged from the department update the previous week.

The full list of schemes with the most recent numbers of approvals is outlined below:

SchemeApplicationsRejectedWithdrawnIn progressApproved
Animal Welfare Nutrient Storage Scheme2,494 94691,713618
Dairy Equipment Scheme2354416166
Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme2,050240 536851,072
Low Emission Slurry Spreading55121150488
Organic Capital Investment Scheme9282919387493
Pig & Poultry Investment Scheme49001633
Solar Capital Investment Scheme7511214461264
Tillage Capital Investment Scheme4452917100 299
Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme25913722910
Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme441118277145
Total8,2034342024,079 3,488
Source: DAFM

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

There is an indicative budget of €370 million available for the period 2023-2027, and all investments must be linked to climate, environment or animal welfare.

The deadline for tranche 2 of TAMS 3, which had been extended, closed for applications on January 19.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has stated that tranche 3 of the scheme will close for applications on Friday, April 12.