Latest news with #StatutoryInstrument
Irish Examiner
14-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
New scheme offers 60% support for nutrient storage
The new 60% Nutrient Storage Investment Scheme effectively doubles the overall grant funding available, said Seamus Nolan, Teagasc's Scheme Support Unit Specialist, in a recent Dairy Edge podcast. Prior to this, farmers in general would have been eligible for only a 40% slurry storage grant, although young trained farmers, women farmers, and organic farmers were already eligible for a 60% grant. The new scheme came into effect in January, 2025, as part of TAMS 3, the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes. 'Those nutrient storage investments that are covered are manure pits, mass concrete tanks, circular slurry stores, and geomembrane-lined stores," Mr Nolan explained. Sub-investments are similarly supported (related slats, etc). However, farmers must already have enough slurry storage before they can apply. 'All nutrient storage investments, or animal housing, are deemed nitrates-related investments, so in order to be eligible, you have to be nitrates-compliant currently, in order to apply," said Mr Nolan. 'The Department assesses your current storage. As part of the application, you have to submit your current storage facilities on the farm, and they assess you on the basis of the most recently completed winter, in terms of livestock. For people who are over 100 kilos of organic nitrogen stocking rate from January 1, 2025, they must have storage for all animals on the holding for the most recently completed winter. If you're less than 100 kilos, so you're more extensive, you can use what's called 'reduced storage' to comply. Essentially you can say that a number of animals are out-wintered', Mr Nolan explained. 'If you apply, and you're deemed to be not eligible, there is a good possibility that you will be cross-reported, and you will get a farm inspection on the basis of it," he cautioned. Slurry storage space Currently, slurry storage space is calculated on the basis of 0.33 cubic metres excretion per cow per week. 'That is being reviewed. The chances are that is going to increase. It probably won't increase until the new Statutory Instrument is produced. That will potentially be in 2026," he said. 'If you're tight on storage now, when the new figures come in, you're going to be extra tight. You're probably going to be short. It's a good time to review what storage you have on the farm. 'Any new facilities that you are designing, or capacity, should be based potentially on those new figures that will come into force. A farmer might do their figures now and they might say 'I'm okay, I don't need to apply for anything', but bear in mind, you're compliant now with the current regulations, but the chances are you won't be compliant in maybe 12 months' time. Bear in mind as well that normally when the Department introduces new regulations in terms of the storage, they will give farmers approximately 12 months to become compliant. 'Whether we talk about a 20% buffer based on the current figures, or we work off the new figures, it's 20% over and above the current figures, no matter what way you look at it," he said. He advised calculating storage at 20 to 25% in excess of the current requirements. '20 to 25% over your current storage should leave you reasonably safe', he said. He advised farmers to contact their own advisor, who will be knowledgeable about the current specifications. Much depends on the future plan for the farm, when calculating future nutrient storage capacity. If there is a plan to increase the herd in a year or two, that should be factored in when planning to avail of the new nutrient storage grant. 'An individual farmer has a €90,000 ceiling at 60% for the nutrient storage element, and they also have a €90,000 ceiling, assuming they have no other investments taking place, to put the shed over the tank, and that will be available at 40% for the ordinary farmer, or at 60% for the young farmer, or the woman farmer or an organic farmer. A registered farm partnership will qualify for double the €90,000 available for the nutrient storage scheme," said Mr Nolan. Even if a farmer has drawn down TAMS 3 funding already, the new nutrient storage scheme is separate, and the farmer is eligible up to the full €90,000. 'If they had applied for a tank prior to this nutrient storage scheme coming into place, that tank would have been approved under their existing €90,000 ceiling, so that would not come out of the nutrient storage scheme ceiling, because it was applied for BISS application." Drawings submitted for tanks or housing should fully comply with DAFM specifications. Planning applications Mr Nolan highlighted that planning applications must be made when constructing slurry tanks, so preparation needs to start in good time. 'Any kind of a structure at all under the Department's TAMS scheme requires either full and final planning permission at the time of application, or a declaration of exemption. Both of those have to come from the local authority." Usually planning permission, rather than an exemption, will be required. That process will take at least three months, if there are no objections, or no additional information is sought. 'I can go ahead and apply for TAMS once I have planning permission, but that application for TAMS will not be processed until the TAMS tranche closes. That tranche doesn't close until September', Mr Nolan explained. 'At the minute, you're talking about, I'd say, five months potentially, at a minimum, before you have approval, after the tranche date closes." Depending on the scale of take-up of the grant, contractors may be busy and not readily available, once grants have been approved. The DAFM is currently reviewing nutrient storage grant costings, given the significant increase in many component prices, and new reference costings will come into force towards the end of 2025. 'Those costs won't be backdated, if you already have an application in the system."
Agriland
01-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Merchants Alliance seeks ‘urgent' meeting with Heydon
Merchants Alliance Ireland has claimed that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, is yet to respond to requests to meet with the alliance. The alliance represents the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS), Irish Licensed Merchants Association (ILMA), and Acorn Independent Merchants. This includes over 550 agri-business outlets, and more than 4,000 employees across Ireland. Merchants Alliance Ireland are hoping to meet with Minister Heydon regarding the proposed Statutory Instrument (SI), which it claims will reclassify all anti-parasitic veterinary medicines as prescription-only medicines (POM). It has warned that many of these businesses face 'imminent closure' unless the minister suspends the SI, and engages with the sector directly. The alliance said: 'We are deeply disappointed by the minister's apparent unwillingness to meet. His decision to proceed with this SI, as currently drafted, will effectively legislate hundreds of licensed merchants and co-operatives out of existence within weeks.' Merchants Alliance Ireland The alliance claims that despite multiple requests to meet the minister, no meeting has been granted. It also said that no new prescribing guidance has been issued by the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) or the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). According to the alliance, the National Veterinary Prescription System (NVPS) remains largely unused by the veterinary community. It believes this further compounds the 'operational paralysis' facing merchant outlets. 'The minister appears to be ignoring some five years of constructive engagement and reasonable proposals to retain a fair and balanced supply chain,' the alliance said. 'Instead, this SI rewards fear-mongering and effectively hands veterinary interests a near-monopoly on vital animal health products.' According to the alliance, the reclassification of anti-parasitics to POM status will mean licensed retailers can no longer legally supply these essential products unless directly prescribed by a veterinarian. It said: 'This will not just be a blow to our businesses, it is an attack on rural commerce and farmer livelihoods. Farmers will ultimately pay the price through reduced access, reduced service, and increased costs. 'Merchants Alliance Ireland is urgently seeking a meeting with Minister Heydon to convey our sincere and urgent concerns for a reassessment of how anti-parasitics are regulated under EU legislation in an Irish context. 'We have requested very respectfully to meet the minister and await a concrete reply. As it stands, the minister's plan risks irreparable damage to Ireland's rural economy and agricultural infrastructure,' it added.
