The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has warned that “joint ventures” do not qualify for the TAMS 3 Woman Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (WFCIS).
But while the department has warned about the eligibility of joint ventures it has confirmed that a registered farm partnership can qualify for the scheme.
The first tranche for all TAMS 3 schemes is anticipated to close in mid-June with applications then undergoing a ranking and selection process.
The TAMS 3 Woman Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (WFCIS) is expected to open “shortly” DAFM officials confirmed in a webinar this week.
The WFCIS will be available to female farmers at a 60% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling.
Scheme eligibility
The new scheme will be open to eligible female farmers who are aged between 18 and 66.
According to Dr Robert Leonard from DAFM setting the age cap at 66 is “trying to encourage women in farming at that younger age”.
A female director in a company is eligible to apply to the scheme, but DAFM has detailed that a company secretary cannot apply.
In order to qualify for the TAMS 3 scheme women farmers must have been in a farm enterprise in 2022 and if they are on the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) then they are also eligible to apply.
However DAFM officials also warned that if women farmers had only joined the business last year they must have a green cert application to apply to the TAMS 3 scheme.
During the latest webinar officials also detailed that farmers must meet their legal minimum slurry storage before applying and the fodder beat is not included in the arable beat system.
The Women in Agriculture Stakeholder group have advised that if any women farmer is effected by potential gaps in the scheme, they should contact the group via social media.
How to apply
Access to the TAMS 3 application can be gained through the ‘ag food’ website.
Applicants themselves can apply directly or with the help of an agent.
DAFM has stressed that once the form has been submitted, it can not be changed although it will be possible to request some changes to sub investments after submission.
One other element to be aware of is that if farmers have had a DAFM partnership that is dissolved they must contact the department partnership registration section in Dublin.
According to DAFM full planning permission must be granted and submitted before the application process.
Any TAMS 3 applicant will also have to submit drawings stamped by the local authority, conditions and decisions.
When submitting maps, they must be A3 size or smaller and documents must be less than 10 megabytes.
The department has confirmed there is a “slight backlog” with advisor authorisation forms, but anyone who is on the system before the deadline will be accommodated.