UPDATE: The closing date for the Department of Agriculture‘s Dairy Equipment Scheme is this Thursday, 29 August, and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) has noted the last instalment is “undersubscribed”.

The Chairman of the ICMSA’s Farm Services and Environment Committee, Patrick Rohan, has called on local department offices across Ireland to issue confirmation immediately to successful Dairy Equipment Scheme applicants. Urging farmers to consider applying to the scheme, Rohan said the scheme is an excellent opportunity for farmers to get grant aid for milking machines and milk storage equipment.

“The most recent tranche closed on 31 May 2013 with a total of 548 applicants amounting to a grant value of €6.1m. But the most recent tranches have been undersubscribed and therefore funding is available for all eligible applicants. The crucial point here is for the local department offices to inform successful applicants immediately and without delay to allow farmers to plan for work to be carried out over the winter months to ensure parlours are up and running again for the spring period,” said Rohan in a statement to AgriLand this morning.

The Dairy Equipment Scheme provides an opportunity for farmers to get grant aid for milking machines and milk storage equipment.   The maximum amount of investment eligible for grant-aid under the Scheme for milking machine equipment is €40,000 per holding and for cooling, refrigeration and storage equipment is €25,000 per holding.

A copy of the Application form and Terms and Conditions of the Scheme are below.The rates of grant-aid payable under the Scheme as a percentage of approved Reference Costings/Receipts/ Applicant’s Proposed Costs are as follows

 

 Type of Investment

 

  Rate
Milking Machine equipment – machine units whether in new or existing buildings, units to include and be costed to include any additional piping, pumps etc within the unit cost.Items to include and be limited to:

1. New machines (including the replacement of existing machine by a new machine);

2. Extensions of existing machines (excluding upgrades);

3. Auto washer for milking machine;

4. Rotary milking machines;

5. Robotic milking machines;

6. Heat transfer units to take heat from compressors and heat water;

7. Water heaters.

 

Milking machine equipment includes: wash line, milk line, vacuum line, vacuum pump, milk pump, pulsators, clusters, swing over arms, milk indicator, automatic cluster removers, milk filter, vacuum regulator.

 

It excludes the following items: all stall work, (rump rails, head rails, automatic bailing etc.), mangers, feeders, meal bins, concrete work, building work.

 

 

  

40%
Milk storage equipment and ancillary cooling equipment- to be costed on a per volume basis.

 

Items to include and be limited to:

1. Bulk milk tanks incorporating auto washer and compressor. However grant-aid will not be paid on the retro-fitting of an auto washer on an existing tank;

2. Milk silos including auto washer and compressor;

3. Ice builder;

4. Plate cooler.

5. Replacement compressor.

 

 

 40%

This story was update at 12.30pm with further information on the grant scheme

Image O’Gorman Photography

 

 

DAIRY