1 Decide what you really need on your farm
For the bigger investments in TAMS II such as buildings and specialised equipment farmers shouldn’t rush into making an application. They should take time to consider what they really need rather than what they want. This can be a very significant investment for your business and decisions should not be taken on a whim. The investment should also generate a return.
2 Can you afford it?
Once you are sure you know what you need on your farm, you then have to consider whether you can afford to make the investment. As it stands, farmers have to pay for the investment in full before they will receive grant money. This can put significant pressure on finances and requires careful planning, especially where big developments are being undertaken. Farmers should do a full costing for the investment and make sure that a contingency sum is put in place in case any aspect of the building work goes over budget.
3 Planning permission
Planning permission or a declaration of exemption is required for a number of the eligible investments. Where planning is required, evidence of full planning permission, revised planning where required or declaration of exemption for the proposed works must accompany the application. Notification of a decision to grant planning permission will not be sufficient. Regardless of the extent of the proposed developments, the maximum planning fee is €300. Fees for the retention of unauthorised structures are three times the normal rate, subject to a maximum of €900. Architect and engineer fees are not included here and can be substantial. Development contributions may also be payable depending on the scale of the development and exemption limits that apply in your county. The scale of contributions, conditions and limits can vary from county to county.
4 Other documents
Some investments require detailed drawings showing internal dimensions. The Department’s costings are based on internal dimensions only. Planning permission drawings are not always a suitable replacement because they sometimes only include external dimensions. Fixed investments not requiring planning permission or detailed drawings require a farmyard layout plan to a scale of 1:500. The main purpose of the sketch is to show the location of all the existing and proposed structures. Education certificates are required if you are looking to apply for the Young Farmers Scheme. If you are in a company, you have to give a certificate of association/memorandum of association.
5 Choosing a scheme
If you qualify as a young farmer, you should apply under the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme where grant rate is 60%. To qualify you must be between 18 and 40 on the date of setup, have been set up for the first time within five years of application, complete education within three years of approval (otherwise grant rate will be 40%). If you are an organic producer with a licence, you should apply under the Organic Capital Investment Scheme. Under the organic scheme it’s likely there will be fewer applicants, so you will have a better chance of a successful application. There are also specific investments in each scheme that are not available under other schemes. All the scheme details are on the Department’s website www.agriculture.gov.ie.
6 Make an application
Applications must be submitted online through agfood.ie. Applicants who wish to apply online or through their agents must be registered for online services (OLS) with the Department. Instructions for registration can be found at www.agfood.ie, or you can contact agfood online services helpline in the Department’s Portlaoise office on Locall 1810 252 118 or 0761 064 424 or email agfood@agriculture.gov.ie. The paperwork to accompany the application can either be posted or a pdf version can be attached to the online application. On the online system farmers have to provide full costings for their proposed investments.
7 Complete the works
Once approved, make the investment.
If all the information is correct and there are no issues with the application, the Department will issue notice of approval. Applications are only ranked and assessed once the tranche closes. Its probably best to budget over four months or longer from the time the tranche closes to recieving approval. You currently have three years from the date of approval to complete the work. Only a sample of the works will be inspected. Where there is a Card A requirement, it means the concrete structure being built needs reinforcing. The farmer has to give at least five days’ notice ahead of pouring concrete on the final fix of steel reinforcement so the Department can inspect that reinforcing was carried out properly.
8 Payment
When all the work is completed, applicants then make a payment claim online containing a number of documents. To make a claim, firstly the dimensions of the work actually completed will have to be listed. The receipts for work carried out, tax clearance, education certificates (if applying under the YFCIS), proof that all the investment items have a CE mark, evidence of ownership of land or leasehold, farm safety statement and evidence of completion of a safety course in the last five years unless a farmer has completed the Green Cert in the past five years, etc will also have to be provided. Cash receipts will not be accepted. Once all this paperwork is correct, the Department will issue grant aid payment for the approved investment item/s.