Through TAMS 3, I believe we have delivered a hugely exciting scheme that will deliver for farmers, for the entire agri-food sector and the wider rural economy over the next number of years. I have assigned €370m for TAMS between 2023 and 2027 with a strong focus on supporting this as well as subsequent generation of farmers. There are, as the Deputy will be aware, exciting new developments for dairy farmers including higher grant aids of solar panels as well as a range of labour saving items.
TAMS 3 is a hugely exciting scheme with approximately 100 new investment items available to farm families compared to TAMS 2. There are now in the region of 300 investment items in TAMS 3.
For applications under the Dairy Equipment Capital Investment Scheme, Women Farmers Capital Investment Scheme and Organic Capital Investment Scheme, applicants may apply for up to 10 milking units in a herringbone parlour, or one robotic milking machine, if they have less than 120 cows on average over the year preceding the making of an application.
For applicants under the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS) and also for registered farm partnerships involving a young farmer, the limit on cow numbers for the preceding year is set at 160 dairy cows. For those applicants under the YFCIS who have between 121 and 160 cows, there will be a requirement that they may not increase cow numbers for five years following payment of grant-aid on the milking machine. I can also confirm that the limit relates only to the milking machine investments and does not apply to any other investments under any of the 10 Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS 3) that are being put in place. Over 78% of dairy herds will remain eligible to apply for milking machine investments under the 120 cow ceiling, based on 2021 data and the average dairy herd has 90 dairy cows.
The dairy cow numbers for TAMS 3 are to be calculated in the same manner as for Nitrates. A dairy cow is counted as a dairy cow from when she first calves until she leaves the holding. The calculations are based on the average daily cow numbers for the year preceding application.
