Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has said that he is changing the criteria regarding the grant-aiding of robotic milking machines under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS).
The minister is proposing that farmers will be allowed apply for more than one robotic milking machine under the scheme.
The minister made this announcement while addressing the Macra Rally in Naas, Co. Kildare, today (Saturday, October 26).
In a question and answer session with Macra members, the minister said he was makin this change to TAMS for reasons of economic viability for farmers.
He said that the issue had come up in his discussions with young farmers, and as a result he would change the eligibility criteria for the grant-aiding of robotic milking machines under the TAMS Dairy Equipment Scheme.
The Dairy Equipment Scheme is one of the 10 schemes that make up TAMS, and provides grant aid at a rate of 40% of the cost of investments, up to an investment ceiling of €90,000.
The change will allow the cap, preventing farmers from applying for more than one robotic milking machine between TAMS 2 and TAMS 3, to be removed.
The minister told Maca members that allowing a second milking machine to be supported across TAMS 2 and TAMS 3 acknowledges the labour-saving benefit of new technologies to farmers.
As well as announcing the change under TAMS, the minister also said that he had tasked his department with considering if multi-annual supports under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) schemes, such as the Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) can be changed to allow access for new entrants throughout the period of Ireland’s current CAP Strategic Plan.
The minister said he has given that task to his department at a recent request of Macra.
Minister McConalogue also told the Macra Rally that the new Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming will adopt an “objective, evidence-based approach” to examining all the factors involved in generational renewal.
He said he has asked the commission “engage closely” with stakeholders, including Macra.
This year’s Macra Rally coincides with the organisation’s 80th anniversary.