Irish sow farmers can apply for funds to convert to group housing

08-12-2011 | Pigs | Sows & Boars | News

It has been reported that sow farmers in Ireland will be able to apply for funding in order to convert to group housing by 2013. This comes as Simon Coveney, the Irish minister for agriculture, food and the marine, has again opened the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS), a subsidy programme.

The subsidy programme came to a temporary halt in June this year due to being unsure regarding the budgetary situation.

According to Convey, funding will be available in 2012 so that schemes – poultry and pig welfare, dairy equipment, sheep handling and rainwater harvesting schemes, as well as the bio-energy scheme – can be reopened.

Provided in funding will be €1,312 million in 2012, €1,144 million in current and €168 million for capital expenditure.

In June when the subsidy programme was suspended Convey stated, “I could not defend a situation in which farmers go to the time and expense of preparing and submitting applications, in the expectation that grant aid would be forthcoming for their project, when there was a question mark over the availability of funding. A comprehensive review of all expenditure is under way in my department to ensure maximum effectiveness and efficiency in schemes and service delivery. Pending the outcome of the review, I have taken the decision to temporarily suspend new TAMS applications so that farmers will know where they stand in terms of the availability of funds for next year.”