Looking into the Department of Agriculture specification for machines under TAMS, some controversial decisions have been made. Most notably the 700mm clearance requirement for cultivation equipment – it essentially rules out 90% of the discs on the market today.
All machines must be fitted with appropriate road lighting for road use. For fertiliser spreaders, weight cell machines or machines with similar rate controls are eligible. The wording in the specification suggests that the global positioning system (GPS) must be exclusive to the fertiliser spreader. The wording also suggests that the GPS unit must be capable of controlling the spreading rate and width. The width control is common with many section control machines working already, but rate-controlled GPS is not all that common yet.
Tractor steering control
All GPS shall be of proprietary manufacture. The GPS steering control may be fitted to either a new tractor or retrofitted to an existing tractor.
The units shall be able to control the location of the tractor to within a distance of 200mm of the intended location. Systems with higher accuracy are permitted. The system shall be able to automatically guide the tractor along the correct path down the field parallel to the previous pass at the required distance. It is not required to be able to turn the tractor on the headland.
The GPS steering control unit shall include a display screen, GPS receiver, control unit and tractor steering control. The tractor steering control shall be either a steering wheel spinner system or connect directly into the tractor’s power steering system.
A steering wheel spinner is a unit that is connected to the steering wheel of the tractor and causes the steering wheel to turn.
For systems connected directly to the power-steering system, the steering wheel will not rotate during operation.
The control unit shall be able to record the path of the tractor and be able to link to external devices to upload relevant data, such as the path of the tractor and field details.
Lightbar systems or systems that do not control a tractor to within 200mm of the intended location are not acceptable for grant-aid.
Yield monitors for combine
All yield monitors for combines shall be of proprietary manufacture. The yield monitor systems may be fitted to either a new combine or retrofitted to an existing combine.
The units shall be able to record the location of the combine to within a distance of 200mm of the actual location and record the mass of grain being harvested. Systems with higher accuracy are permitted.
The yield monitor unit shall include a display screen, GPS receiver and control unit.
The control unit shall be able to record the path of the combine, width of cutting head and be able to link to external devices to upload relevant data, such as the path of the combine, field shape and dimensions, crop yield.
Sprayers
All sprayers shall be fully compliant with the European standard EN ISO 16119-2:2013 and also EN ISO 4254 and shall be fully CE marked. The CE mark shall be shown on the sprayer identification plate. In addition, all sprayers shall have the following elements:
Electronic control from within the cab.Hydraulic boom height control.Wash tank with minimum 10% capacity of main tank.Clean water hand wash tank of minimum 15l capacity.Chemical induction bowl with container wash.Internal rinsing nozzle for cleaning the inside of the spray tank after spraying is completed.Minimum of three boom segments.The actual overall volume of the tank shall exceed the nominal volume by at least 5 %.All GPS-controlled sprayers shall have boom segments not exceeding 3m and, at the end of each boom, the segments shall not exceed 750mm (three nozzles) in length. The GPS shall be capable of turning individual sections on and off during operation to prevent overlap of spraying.
The GPS unit shall be able to record the path of the sprayer to within 200mm of the actual location and the control unit shall be able to record and upload information on application rates and locations to external devices.
It is strongly recommended that all sprayers are fitted with triplet nozzle holders and low-drift nozzles. All sprayers shall be fitted with suitable road lighting.
GPS for fertiliser spreaders
All GPS shall be of proprietary manufacture or exclusive to the manufacturer. The GPS shall be an integral part of the new fertiliser spreader.
The unit shall be able to control the rate of fertiliser application and the width of spread of the fertiliser to both left and right independently. In addition, the system shall control the turning on and off of the fertiliser spreader when approaching and leaving a headland.
The unit shall be able to undertake all controls while the fertiliser spreader is in operation in the field. The GPS units may be fitted to either trailed or mounted fertiliser spreaders.
The GPS shall include a display screen, GPS receiver, control unit and weighing system on the fertiliser spreader. The units shall have at least four nominal application widths, which can be switched between while in motion.
The control unit shall be able to record the location and path of the fertiliser spreader to within a distance of 200mm of the actual location and record the application rate and spreading width across the field. Systems with higher accuracy are permitted.
The system shall be able to upload relevant data to external devices so that a record of the fertiliser application rate and location may be made.
Minimum disturbance tillage
The use of PTO-driven cultivation equipment is not permitted for grant-aid under any aspect of the minimum disturbance tillage investments.
Tine and disc cultivators shall be designed so that following one pass with the machine, the full required cultivation has been completed.
Disc stubble cultivators
All discs shall be suitable for primary cultivation. Systems designed for secondary cultivation are not permitted.
There shall be a minimum of two rows of discs fitted to each machine, with a minimum clearance of 700mm between the underside of the frame and the lowest point of the discs. Each disc stubble cultivator shall be fitted with a packer at the back of the machine.
Discs shall be heavy discs capable of deep cultivation. Light discs are not permitted. The disc stubble cultivators may be either mounted or trailed. All cultivators shall be fitted with suitable road lighting.
Tine stubble cultivator (trailed and mounted)
All tines must be suitable for primary cultivation. Systems designed for secondary cultivation are not permitted. Tines shall be heavy tines capable of deep cultivation. Light tines are not permitted.
There shall be a minimum of three rows of tines fitted to each machine, with a minimum clearance of 700mm between the underside of the frame and the lowest point of the tines.
Each tine stubble cultivator shall be fitted with a packer at the back of the machine. The tine stubble cultivators may be either mounted or trailed. All cultivators shall be fitted with suitable road lighting.
Combined tine and disc cultivator (trailed and mounted)
All discs and tines must be suitable for primary cultivation. Systems designed for secondary cultivation are not permitted. Tines and discs shall be capable of deep cultivation. Light tines or discs are not permitted.
The tines and discs shall be the same as for the individual tine or disc cultivators. There shall be a minimum of three rows of discs / tines (minimum two rows discs and one row tines) fitted to each machine, with a minimum clearance of 700mm between the underside of the frame and the lowest point of the tines / discs. Each combined tine and disc stubble cultivator shall be fitted with a packer at the back of the machine.
Combined tine and disc cultivators shall be designed so that following one pass with the machine, the full required cultivation has been completed. The tine and disc stubble cultivators may be either mounted or trailed.
All cultivators shall be fitted with suitable road lighting.
Seed broadcaster to mount on cultivator
These are to be used to establish green cover following on from primary cultivation. They shall be mounted on a cultivator. The units must be able to be controlled directly from the cab of the tractor.
Min till tine and disc drill (trailed and mounted)
All discs and tines must be suitable for primary cultivation. Systems designed for secondary cultivation are not permitted. Tines and discs shall be capable of deep cultivation. Light tines or discs are not permitted.
The tines and discs shall be the same as for the individual tine or disc cultivators.
There shall be a minimum of three rows of tines / discs (minimum two rows discs and one row tines) fitted to each machine, with a minimum clearance of 700mm between the underside of the frame and the lowest point of the tines / discs.
Each min till tine and disc drill shall be fitted with a packer at the back of the machine. Combined tine and disc drills shall be design so that following one pass with the machine, the full required cultivation has been completed.
The min till tine and disc drill may be either mounted or trailed. All drills shall be fitted with suitable road lighting. The min till tine and disc drill may be designed to place just seed or seed and fertiliser into the seed bed.
Direct drill
Direct drills shall be designed to place seed into the soil causing minimum disturbance to the soil surface. There shall be a minimum clearance of 700mm between the underside of the frame and the lowest point of the tine / disc coulters.
Each direct drill shall be fitted with a packer at the back of the machine to compact the soil around the seed – the packer is not required to be continuous, and may be designed to run individually behind each coulter.
All direct drills shall be fitted with suitable road lighting. The direct drill may be designed to place just seed or seed and fertiliser into the seed bed.
Packers – strip till drill
Strip till drills shall be designed to cultivate only the narrow strip of soil where the seed is to be placed. There shall be a minimum clearance of 700mm between the underside of the frame and the lowest point of the tine coulters.
Each strip till drill shall be fitted with a packer at the back of the machine to compact the soil around the seed – the packer is not required to be continuous, and may be designed to run individually behind each coulter.
All strip till drills shall be fitted with suitable road lighting. Suffolk coulters are not permitted on any seed drill for strip till work. The strip till drill may be designed to place just seed or seed and fertiliser into the seed bed.
Heavy Cambridge roller/furrow press for pesticide reduction
All rollers shall be of steel rings, designed to compact the seedbed in order to control leather jackets.
All rings in both furrow presses and Cambridge rollers shall be a minimum of 500mm diameter. Both heavy Cambridge rollers and furrow presses are acceptable for grant-aid. Rollers with paddle type levelling systems are not covered by the scheme.
Grain mill (roller/crimper)
Grain mills may be either fixed or mobile and shall be designed to roll or crimp grain. Each mill shall consist of an intake hopper, roller/crimper and discharge auger.
Grain mills may be either electrically powered or driven directly from a tractor PTO.
Liquid treatment applicator
The liquid applicator shall be attached to a grain mill and apply the liquid treatment immediately after rolling of the grain. The system shall be designed to thoroughly mix the liquid and grain. The system shall include a meter to record the rate of application of the liquid to the grain.
Powder treatment applicator
The powder applicator shall be attached to a grain mill and apply the powder treatment immediately after rolling of the grain. The system shall be designed to thoroughly mix the powder and grain.
Grain elevator/augers (not for grain dryers)
These may be either fixed or mobile, and shall be electrically driven.
Potato harvesting
Only webs and separator segments / dolmens suitable for lifting salad potatoes shall be grant-aided.
For all webs, the maximum spacing between the centres of the bars shall not exceed 35mm and the bars in the webs shall be at least 10mm diameter. The webs shall be for either single-row or two-row harvesters. All webs shall be of proprietary manufacture.
Separator segments/dolmens may be spiral or plain. They shall be sized and spaced to retain salad potatoes. All separator segments/dolmens shall be of proprietary manufacture.
Suitable road lighting
All trailed equipment being grant-aided shall be fitted with full lighting systems, including side lamps, rear lamps, stop lamps, indicators and number plate lighting. The lighting may be provided by a fixed lighting board on the machine. The lighting is required at all times and not only during lighting up hours.
All trailed equipment shall also be fitted with a marker lamp on their right-hand side if, when coupled to an agricultural tractor, the overall length of the combination is more than 10 metres.
All mounted equipment that blocks the lighting and reflectors on the tractor to which they will be mounted shall be equipped with full lighting systems as set out above.
Wheel changing crate
This is a crate for lifting a wheel to remove/replace on to an axle. The system shall be designed to securely hold the wheel, and remove the need for manual lifting. The system shall be adjustable so that it can move a range of wheel sizes.
Wheel pumping crate - manual pumping
This is a cage into which a wheel may be placed for inflation. The cage shall be a steel frame and suitably sized for the tyres that need to be inflated. Doors at the ends are optional.
Wheel pumping crate - fully automatic
This is a cage into which a wheel may be placed for inflation. The cage shall be a steel frame and suitably sized for the tyres that need to be inflated. The cage shall have doors at both ends and be covered over the top. It shall be designed so that a wheel may be rolled into and out of the cage.
The unit shall be fitted with a control system that will enable the automatic inflation of the tyres to the required pressure. The control system shall be designed so that it inflates the tyre in stages to give time for the pressure in the tyre to equalise.
The fittings on the unit shall be designed so that the operator does not need to remain in the area of the cage during the inflation of the tyre.
Looking into the Department of Agriculture specification for machines under TAMS, some controversial decisions have been made. Most notably the 700mm clearance requirement for cultivation equipment – it essentially rules out 90% of the discs on the market today.
All machines must be fitted with appropriate road lighting for road use. For fertiliser spreaders, weight cell machines or machines with similar rate controls are eligible. The wording in the specification suggests that the global positioning system (GPS) must be exclusive to the fertiliser spreader. The wording also suggests that the GPS unit must be capable of controlling the spreading rate and width. The width control is common with many section control machines working already, but rate-controlled GPS is not all that common yet.
Tractor steering control
All GPS shall be of proprietary manufacture. The GPS steering control may be fitted to either a new tractor or retrofitted to an existing tractor.
The units shall be able to control the location of the tractor to within a distance of 200mm of the intended location. Systems with higher accuracy are permitted. The system shall be able to automatically guide the tractor along the correct path down the field parallel to the previous pass at the required distance. It is not required to be able to turn the tractor on the headland.
The GPS steering control unit shall include a display screen, GPS receiver, control unit and tractor steering control. The tractor steering control shall be either a steering wheel spinner system or connect directly into the tractor’s power steering system.
A steering wheel spinner is a unit that is connected to the steering wheel of the tractor and causes the steering wheel to turn.
For systems connected directly to the power-steering system, the steering wheel will not rotate during operation.
The control unit shall be able to record the path of the tractor and be able to link to external devices to upload relevant data, such as the path of the tractor and field details.
Lightbar systems or systems that do not control a tractor to within 200mm of the intended location are not acceptable for grant-aid.
Yield monitors for combine
All yield monitors for combines shall be of proprietary manufacture. The yield monitor systems may be fitted to either a new combine or retrofitted to an existing combine.
The units shall be able to record the location of the combine to within a distance of 200mm of the actual location and record the mass of grain being harvested. Systems with higher accuracy are permitted.
The yield monitor unit shall include a display screen, GPS receiver and control unit.
The control unit shall be able to record the path of the combine, width of cutting head and be able to link to external devices to upload relevant data, such as the path of the combine, field shape and dimensions, crop yield.
Sprayers
All sprayers shall be fully compliant with the European standard EN ISO 16119-2:2013 and also EN ISO 4254 and shall be fully CE marked. The CE mark shall be shown on the sprayer identification plate. In addition, all sprayers shall have the following elements:
Electronic control from within the cab.Hydraulic boom height control.Wash tank with minimum 10% capacity of main tank.Clean water hand wash tank of minimum 15l capacity.Chemical induction bowl with container wash.Internal rinsing nozzle for cleaning the inside of the spray tank after spraying is completed.Minimum of three boom segments.The actual overall volume of the tank shall exceed the nominal volume by at least 5 %.All GPS-controlled sprayers shall have boom segments not exceeding 3m and, at the end of each boom, the segments shall not exceed 750mm (three nozzles) in length. The GPS shall be capable of turning individual sections on and off during operation to prevent overlap of spraying.
The GPS unit shall be able to record the path of the sprayer to within 200mm of the actual location and the control unit shall be able to record and upload information on application rates and locations to external devices.
It is strongly recommended that all sprayers are fitted with triplet nozzle holders and low-drift nozzles. All sprayers shall be fitted with suitable road lighting.
GPS for fertiliser spreaders
All GPS shall be of proprietary manufacture or exclusive to the manufacturer. The GPS shall be an integral part of the new fertiliser spreader.
The unit shall be able to control the rate of fertiliser application and the width of spread of the fertiliser to both left and right independently. In addition, the system shall control the turning on and off of the fertiliser spreader when approaching and leaving a headland.
The unit shall be able to undertake all controls while the fertiliser spreader is in operation in the field. The GPS units may be fitted to either trailed or mounted fertiliser spreaders.
The GPS shall include a display screen, GPS receiver, control unit and weighing system on the fertiliser spreader. The units shall have at least four nominal application widths, which can be switched between while in motion.
The control unit shall be able to record the location and path of the fertiliser spreader to within a distance of 200mm of the actual location and record the application rate and spreading width across the field. Systems with higher accuracy are permitted.
The system shall be able to upload relevant data to external devices so that a record of the fertiliser application rate and location may be made.
Minimum disturbance tillage
The use of PTO-driven cultivation equipment is not permitted for grant-aid under any aspect of the minimum disturbance tillage investments.
Tine and disc cultivators shall be designed so that following one pass with the machine, the full required cultivation has been completed.
Disc stubble cultivators
All discs shall be suitable for primary cultivation. Systems designed for secondary cultivation are not permitted.
There shall be a minimum of two rows of discs fitted to each machine, with a minimum clearance of 700mm between the underside of the frame and the lowest point of the discs. Each disc stubble cultivator shall be fitted with a packer at the back of the machine.
Discs shall be heavy discs capable of deep cultivation. Light discs are not permitted. The disc stubble cultivators may be either mounted or trailed. All cultivators shall be fitted with suitable road lighting.
Tine stubble cultivator (trailed and mounted)
All tines must be suitable for primary cultivation. Systems designed for secondary cultivation are not permitted. Tines shall be heavy tines capable of deep cultivation. Light tines are not permitted.
There shall be a minimum of three rows of tines fitted to each machine, with a minimum clearance of 700mm between the underside of the frame and the lowest point of the tines.
Each tine stubble cultivator shall be fitted with a packer at the back of the machine. The tine stubble cultivators may be either mounted or trailed. All cultivators shall be fitted with suitable road lighting.
Combined tine and disc cultivator (trailed and mounted)
All discs and tines must be suitable for primary cultivation. Systems designed for secondary cultivation are not permitted. Tines and discs shall be capable of deep cultivation. Light tines or discs are not permitted.
The tines and discs shall be the same as for the individual tine or disc cultivators. There shall be a minimum of three rows of discs / tines (minimum two rows discs and one row tines) fitted to each machine, with a minimum clearance of 700mm between the underside of the frame and the lowest point of the tines / discs. Each combined tine and disc stubble cultivator shall be fitted with a packer at the back of the machine.
Combined tine and disc cultivators shall be designed so that following one pass with the machine, the full required cultivation has been completed. The tine and disc stubble cultivators may be either mounted or trailed.
All cultivators shall be fitted with suitable road lighting.
Seed broadcaster to mount on cultivator
These are to be used to establish green cover following on from primary cultivation. They shall be mounted on a cultivator. The units must be able to be controlled directly from the cab of the tractor.
Min till tine and disc drill (trailed and mounted)
All discs and tines must be suitable for primary cultivation. Systems designed for secondary cultivation are not permitted. Tines and discs shall be capable of deep cultivation. Light tines or discs are not permitted.
The tines and discs shall be the same as for the individual tine or disc cultivators.
There shall be a minimum of three rows of tines / discs (minimum two rows discs and one row tines) fitted to each machine, with a minimum clearance of 700mm between the underside of the frame and the lowest point of the tines / discs.
Each min till tine and disc drill shall be fitted with a packer at the back of the machine. Combined tine and disc drills shall be design so that following one pass with the machine, the full required cultivation has been completed.
The min till tine and disc drill may be either mounted or trailed. All drills shall be fitted with suitable road lighting. The min till tine and disc drill may be designed to place just seed or seed and fertiliser into the seed bed.
Direct drill
Direct drills shall be designed to place seed into the soil causing minimum disturbance to the soil surface. There shall be a minimum clearance of 700mm between the underside of the frame and the lowest point of the tine / disc coulters.
Each direct drill shall be fitted with a packer at the back of the machine to compact the soil around the seed – the packer is not required to be continuous, and may be designed to run individually behind each coulter.
All direct drills shall be fitted with suitable road lighting. The direct drill may be designed to place just seed or seed and fertiliser into the seed bed.
Packers – strip till drill
Strip till drills shall be designed to cultivate only the narrow strip of soil where the seed is to be placed. There shall be a minimum clearance of 700mm between the underside of the frame and the lowest point of the tine coulters.
Each strip till drill shall be fitted with a packer at the back of the machine to compact the soil around the seed – the packer is not required to be continuous, and may be designed to run individually behind each coulter.
All strip till drills shall be fitted with suitable road lighting. Suffolk coulters are not permitted on any seed drill for strip till work. The strip till drill may be designed to place just seed or seed and fertiliser into the seed bed.
Heavy Cambridge roller/furrow press for pesticide reduction
All rollers shall be of steel rings, designed to compact the seedbed in order to control leather jackets.
All rings in both furrow presses and Cambridge rollers shall be a minimum of 500mm diameter. Both heavy Cambridge rollers and furrow presses are acceptable for grant-aid. Rollers with paddle type levelling systems are not covered by the scheme.
Grain mill (roller/crimper)
Grain mills may be either fixed or mobile and shall be designed to roll or crimp grain. Each mill shall consist of an intake hopper, roller/crimper and discharge auger.
Grain mills may be either electrically powered or driven directly from a tractor PTO.
Liquid treatment applicator
The liquid applicator shall be attached to a grain mill and apply the liquid treatment immediately after rolling of the grain. The system shall be designed to thoroughly mix the liquid and grain. The system shall include a meter to record the rate of application of the liquid to the grain.
Powder treatment applicator
The powder applicator shall be attached to a grain mill and apply the powder treatment immediately after rolling of the grain. The system shall be designed to thoroughly mix the powder and grain.
Grain elevator/augers (not for grain dryers)
These may be either fixed or mobile, and shall be electrically driven.
Potato harvesting
Only webs and separator segments / dolmens suitable for lifting salad potatoes shall be grant-aided.
For all webs, the maximum spacing between the centres of the bars shall not exceed 35mm and the bars in the webs shall be at least 10mm diameter. The webs shall be for either single-row or two-row harvesters. All webs shall be of proprietary manufacture.
Separator segments/dolmens may be spiral or plain. They shall be sized and spaced to retain salad potatoes. All separator segments/dolmens shall be of proprietary manufacture.
Suitable road lighting
All trailed equipment being grant-aided shall be fitted with full lighting systems, including side lamps, rear lamps, stop lamps, indicators and number plate lighting. The lighting may be provided by a fixed lighting board on the machine. The lighting is required at all times and not only during lighting up hours.
All trailed equipment shall also be fitted with a marker lamp on their right-hand side if, when coupled to an agricultural tractor, the overall length of the combination is more than 10 metres.
All mounted equipment that blocks the lighting and reflectors on the tractor to which they will be mounted shall be equipped with full lighting systems as set out above.
Wheel changing crate
This is a crate for lifting a wheel to remove/replace on to an axle. The system shall be designed to securely hold the wheel, and remove the need for manual lifting. The system shall be adjustable so that it can move a range of wheel sizes.
Wheel pumping crate - manual pumping
This is a cage into which a wheel may be placed for inflation. The cage shall be a steel frame and suitably sized for the tyres that need to be inflated. Doors at the ends are optional.
Wheel pumping crate - fully automatic
This is a cage into which a wheel may be placed for inflation. The cage shall be a steel frame and suitably sized for the tyres that need to be inflated. The cage shall have doors at both ends and be covered over the top. It shall be designed so that a wheel may be rolled into and out of the cage.
The unit shall be fitted with a control system that will enable the automatic inflation of the tyres to the required pressure. The control system shall be designed so that it inflates the tyre in stages to give time for the pressure in the tyre to equalise.
The fittings on the unit shall be designed so that the operator does not need to remain in the area of the cage during the inflation of the tyre.
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