Nutrient Importation Storage Scheme
A new dedicated Nutrient Importation Storage Scheme has been announced to sit alongside the existing ten schemes available under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMSIII).
The aim of the scheme is to encourage farmers to build additional slurry storage capacity and ensure greater flexibility in the importation and use of organic nutrients. The scheme will offer 70% grant supports with its own dedicated investment ceiling of €90,000 per holding or €160,000 per holding for partnership applications. Farms importing slurry will be required to have a whole farm stocking rate of less than 150 kg.N/Ha, to ensure capacity to spread the imported slurry.
Investment items will be limited to circular slurry stores, geo membrane lined stores and manure pits to ensure the facility will continue to be available for slurry importation. Eligible applicants must have a contract in place to import nutrients, which must state the volume of organic fertilisers to be imported.
Terms and conditions of the Nutrient Importation Storage Scheme, together with the application form, are available on the Department’s website at gov – Nutrient Importation Storage Scheme (www.gov.ie).
Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment Scheme (LESS)
Amendments have also been announced to the terms and conditions of the LESS scheme to retrospectively allow access for all applicants farming at a stocking rate of less than 170 Kg.N/Ha. As a result of this, all applications received from the 1st of January 2024 will become eligible for LESS investments.
Fencing Watercourses
Changes have also been announced to the rules surrounding the permanent fencing of watercourses, which will also allow this investment to be available for all farmers. At present temporary fencing is the minimum required when livestock are on land next to a watercourse. The provision of the higher specification of TAMS fence, which typically has a life duration of at least 15 years, is considered a higher environmental standard than is required under current regulations and the changes to the rules will encourage all farmers to invest in water quality protection on their land.
Learn more about the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) here.