The tillage TAMS may have been a long time in gestation, but its arrival is no less welcome for that. The €26m fund should go a long way to satisfying initial demand for approved items.

Grant aid is available on investment up to €80,000, at 60% for qualifying young farmers and 40% for all other farmers. The scheme opens now and will close on 30 June.

Farmers will be satisfied that the wishlist of items requiring grant aid for the beleaguered tillage sector have, at first sight, all been included.

Key among them is a wide range of min-till cultivators and drills. Cambridge rollers and furrow presses are included for their capacity to reduce the use of pesticides.

Precision farming equipment is well represented. Hi- tech steering control, both new and retrofit, are approved, as are combine yield monitors. GPS control for mounted and trailed sprayers is on the list, as is section control, both new and retrofit for sprayers and fertiliser spreaders. A wide range of grain storage and drying equipment is included, as are grain crimpers and mills. Potato harvesting equipment is also included.

Safety first

Some farm safety items, namely wheel changing and pumping crates, and roller doors, are also included in the list of eligible items. Wiring and lighting are also included as safety items.

Minister Michael Creed commended the scheme to farmers: “I would encourage all tillage farmers to examine the provisions of TAMS II” he said. “I am confident that this new measure will provide a strong platform for investments on tillage holdings.”

Tillage Scheme List of Investment Items

Rain Water Harvesting

  • Header tank to allow quick fill of water into sprayer / bowser
  • Mobile water tanker to fit onto existing trailer
  • Mobile water tanker
  • Mass concrete tank for rainwater harvesting
  • Precast concrete tank for rainwater harvesting
  • Non concrete tanks for rainwater harvesting
  • Filters designed for flow from up to 200m2 roof area
  • Filters designed for flow between 201m2 and 500m2 roof area
  • Filters designed for flow from 2500m2 to 3000m2 roof area
  • Covered Drains uPVC 150mm
  • Covered Drains uPVC 225mm
  • Covered Drains uPVC 150mm under existing concrete
  • Covered Drains uPVC 225mm under existing concrete
  • Manholes (including cover)
  • Round Gutter (including all brackets stop-ends, outlets and fixing)
  • Box Gutter (including all brackets stop-ends, outlets and fixing)
  • Rain Water Downpipes (including offsets toes and fixing)
  • Sumps (including Cover)
  • Sump Pump
  • UV treatment
  • Chlorination treatment
  • Water Meter
  • GPS Machinery Control

  • Tractor Steering Control with min 200mm accuracy - new machine
  • Tractor Steering Control with min 200mm accuracy – retrofit
  • Yield Monitors for combine
  • Sprayers

  • Mounted sprayer with electronic control
  • Mounted sprayer with GPS control
  • Trailed sprayer with electronic control
  • Trailed sprayer with GPS control
  • Full GPS section Control for sprayers - retrofit
  • Self-propelled sprayer
  • Minimum disturbance tillage (PTO driven equipment not permitted)

  • Disc stubble cultivator - trailed
  • Disc stubble cultivator - mounted
  • Tine stubble cultivator- Trailed
  • Tine stubble cultivator- mounted
  • Seed broadcaster to mount on cultivator
  • Combined tine and disc cultivator - trailed
  • Combined tine and disc cultivator - mounted
  • Min till tine and disc drill - trailed
  • Min till tine and disc drill - mounted
  • Min till tine and disc drill - trailed, seed and fertilizer
  • Direct drill
  • Strip till drill
  • Strip till drill - seed and fertiliser
  • Pesticide reduction

  • Heavy Cambridge Roller / furrow press
  • Grain Storage

  • Grain Store, ambient bulk store
  • Under floor Ventilation System
  • On floor Ventilation System
  • Pedestal Ventilation System
  • Grain store concrete A-segment dividers
  • Doorway grain retainer - steel
  • Ancillary concrete (max 16m width)
  • Grain treatment Equipment

  • Grain dryer – Batch, direct heat only
  • Grain dryer – Batch - indirect heat only
  • Grain dryer - Continuous flow - direct heat only
  • Grain dryer - Continuous flow - indirect heat only
  • Grain elevator / augers (not for grain dryers)
  • Grain mill (roller/crimper)
  • Liquid treatment applicator
  • Powder treatment applicator
  • Potato Harvesting

  • Intake web 1 row
  • Main web 1 row
  • Intake web 2 row
  • Main web 2 row
  • Separator segments / dolmens
  • Fertilizer Spreaders

  • Full GPS Section control for Fertilizer spreader
  • Wheel Changing Equipment

  • Wheel changing crate
  • Wheel pumping crate – manual pumping
  • Wheel pumping crate – fully automatic
  • Safety Items

  • Roller Doors
  • Sliding Doors
  • Retrofitting roof lights with Safety Cages
  • Wiring/Rewiring existing Agricultural Building
  • Yard Lights
  • Read more

    The Dealer: tillage TAMS to open 'in weeks'