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National Farm Safety Week is a timely reminder that the best investment on any farm is one that helps you get home safely at the end of the day. As part of this year's National Farm Safety Week, I've been helping farmers identify and source equipment available under the TAMS Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme that can reduce risk and improve day-to-day safety on farms. The photos below highlight some of the practical investments currently available, including equipment des

With fertiliser, slurry and organic manures becoming increasingly valuable, knowing exactly what nutrients are available on your farm is more important than ever. A good Nutrient Management Plan can help you: ✅ Make better use of slurry and farmyard manure ✅ Reduce unnecessary fertiliser costs ✅ Improve grass growth and utilisation ✅ Ensure compliance with Department of Agriculture requirements ✅ Plan future stocking rates and investments with confidence At Alicia Temple Agri

A few important reminders for anyone considering an NPI application: Tranche 1 ACRES participants: This is your final opportunity to apply for NPIs before your current ACRES contract ends. Bracken Strimming and Bracken Mechanical are not available under the 2026 NPI Annual Works Plan. If bracken is an issue on your farm, contact your CP Team as it may be dealt with through an ACRES Landscape Action instead. Do not begin any work before receiving your NPI Approval Letter. Any

A one-year scheme designed to support farmers in improving flock performance and animal welfare on farm. Complete 2 mandatory (Category A) actions (can vaccinate ewes for Clostridial or Bluetongue) Choose 1 optional (Category B) action 2026 National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) Payment will be per eligible Breeding Ewe and payment for full scheme compliance will be up to €13 per ewe where a farmer has selected and delivered two Category A actions and one Category B action.

What you get paid for: €12 per breeding ewe per year. This is a reference number based on your last 3 census returns. To stay in the scheme, you must: Submit your BISS application every year Submit your sheep census on time If you don’t do these → you won’t get paid Actions you must complete You must pick and complete at least 2 welfare actions Select 1: Lameness control Dosing/parasite control (faecal egg counts) Mineral feeding Meal feeding lambs & Select 1: Scanning ewes F

The application window for BISS 2026 is now open. The closing date for applications is Friday, 15 May 2026. Over the coming weeks, farmers will be receiving a BISS information pack in the post containing their maps and land details for 2026. Farmers can apply for all elements of Direct Payments (BISS, Eco-Schemes, Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers, Protein Aid, National Reserve, transferring of entitlements) online. Get in touch to submit your application ahead

Ireland has just introduced new planning exemptions that make life easier for farmers by allowing certain farm structures to be built without full planning permission , reducing red tape, cost and delay. These changes are part of updated Exempted Development Regulations signed into law in December 2025, after not having been substantially updated for about 25 years. Here’s what the new planning exemptions mean for farmers: 🐄 1. Larger Animal Housing Permitted Without Full

A new grant is available under TAMS 3 Farm Safety to help with replacement of existing farm shed roofs. 🔹 Grant rate: 60% (within the €90,000 TAMS ceiling) 🔹 Purpose: Replace old or unsafe shed roofs to improve farm safety and storm resilience 🔹 Scheme: Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme 📄 Planning is essential Before applying, farmers must have either: ✔ Full planning permission granted (with stamped drawings), or ✔ A Section 5 Declaration of Exempted Development from

The Organic Farming Scheme has just been announced for 2026, and here's what you need to know; Scheme Overview: · 5-year contract · Scheme opens 19 th November 2025, closes 12 th December 2025 · Contract start date is the 1 st of January 2026 Who Can Apply: · Must be an active farmer , registered with DAFM’s Organic Unit and an Organic Control Body (OCB) · Must hold an organic licence before applying or by the contract start date. · Minimum

In the face of rising energy costs and increasing pressure to reduce carbon footprints, Irish farmers are turning to an increasingly bright solution: solar power. Thanks to the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3), installing solar panels on farm buildings like sheds and stables is now more accessible — and affordable — than ever. What Is the TAMS Solar Scheme? The TAMS 3 Solar Capital Investment Scheme (SCIS) was launched by the Department of Agriculture to su

Riparian buffer zone – Area: management (which includes mowing or mulching) is permitted after 31 August and before 15 January. Riparian buffer strip/zone: cutting (offtake removal or topping) is not permitted between 1 March and 31 August annually. Brassica fodder stubble: sown by 15th of September each year Catch crops: sown by 15th of September each year Environmental Management of Arable Fallow: 31st of March (cultivation), 15th September (catch crop) Low Input

The National Farm Safety Measure 2025 opened for applications on 23rd July. It provides a financial contribution to participating farmers for a maximum of four PTO shaft covers. The grant aid is at a rate of 60% subject to a maximum eligible cost of €100 per PTO shaft cover. Please note that the closing date for submitting expressions of interest and payment claims has been extended to Friday, 21st November 2025. Ensure that the PTO shaft covers meet the standards set out in

With the closed period for spreading farmyard manure fast approaching, every dry day counts. The Belmac 4.5m³ side discharge dung spreader has been busy this week, tackling heavy loads and leaving a clean, even finish behind. The closed period for applying FYM will commence on the 1st of November, with application of FYM prohibited until 31st of January. Once the closed period kicks in, spreading FYM will be off the cards until the new year to protect watercourses and soil he

The final date for submission of closing stock of fertiliser on farms and premises is Wednesday, 15 October 2025. Declaration of closing stock is a straightforward process whereby farmers, or their agents, can log on to myagfood.ie. In cases where there are no stocks of fertiliser on hand, it is simply a matter of ticking a box to declare a nil stock return. Where there is fertiliser present, the declaration should include the type of fertiliser and the quantities being held.

Weighing Schemes - Reminder Suckler Carbon Efficiency Scheme: Each live calf must be unweaned and weighed with its dam on the applicants holding on the same day; Where a calf dies before five months of age or its dam, this must be recorded on AIM and the 80% does not include such a pair; All calves being submitted for weighing must have been born in the herd within each scheme year; All calves being submitted for weighing must be eligible for the scheme. They must be out a su

𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫...

The objective of the National Beef Welfare Scheme (NBWS) is to further increase the economic efficiency of and enhance animal health and...

Since the opening of TAMS3, there has been a lot of interest regarding the Farm Capital Investment Scheme. Rate of Payment Grant aid is...

In 2023, grants will vary between €4,000 to €30,000. A grant award will not be any more than 75% of the cost of the works with a maximum...

SCEP is an agricultural scheme which aims to provide support to beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national...