Many farmers are used to the rejection letter from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) regarding their Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS) application, but what are the main reasons for these rejections?

Teagasc Mayo recently held a webinar where scheme support specialist, Séamus Nolan discussed the common errors in the TAMS applications.

Nolan noted that many errors are quite small, something farmers may not even realise is an error until they receive a rejection.

Some more of the errors Nolan discussed included farmers getting their application, but not receiving the full amount.

TAMS errors

One of the main errors being made in applications is applicants applying under the wrong scheme or entity.

E.g., a young farmer applying for a bulk tank may lose out on an additional 20% of grant aid by applying through the Dairy Equipment Scheme (DES) rather than the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS).

Nolan highlighted that once the application has being submitted under DES which has a grant rate of 40%, the department is unable to move the application to YFCIS which has a grant rate of 60% despite its eligibility.

Other farmers have issues when paying; using the incorrect bank account is one of the most common problems, especially farmers who are in registered farm partnerships, joint ventures, or companies.

These types of business setups have also had issues applying for grants when claiming for fixed investments by submitting incorrect ownership or lease documents.

It is highly recommended to speak to your advisor before making any payments to ensure you are using the correct account to pay.

Another issue farmers often have with payment is not achieving the minimum investment of €2,000 in their application, which results in an automatic rejection.

A lot of rejections are as a result of incorrect dimensions or not meeting minimum specifications on structures.

So make sure you are double checking all requirements under the tranche you are applying in.

Nolan outlined that a lot of applications are also rejected as the applicant never submitted their Card A, a notice of commencement for pouring concrete.

Other applications have being rejected for expenditure before submitting the application, which can sometimes be a delay in paperwork so it is important not to buy something the same day you apply for the grant.

Remember, any farmer can apply for TAMS, but it is important all details are meticulous to ensure approval, which is why the majority of farmers apply through their advisor.