# TAMS 3 Women Farmer scheme: who gets the 60% rate and what it is worth

*Published 2026-10-26 by FarmAI Ireland*

The TAMS 3 Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme pays 60% grant aid instead of the standard 40%, on investments up to €90,000. On a shed at the ceiling, that is €54,000 back instead of €36,000. You qualify if you are over 18 and under 67, recorded as female with DAFM and named on the herd number. You also need 5 hectares under BISS and a Green Cert, or 36 months to get one.

**Checked 26 October 2026.** The rules below come from the DAFM terms and conditions dated 7 March 2026. Costs are from the reference list dated 5 September 2025. Selection numbers are from the TAMS 3 statistics table updated 20 October 2026.

## What is the TAMS 3 Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme?

It is one of the 11 schemes inside TAMS 3. DAFM calls it the [WFCIS](https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/services/women-farmer-capital-investment-scheme/). It uses much the same investment list as the general animal welfare scheme. That means sheds, slatted areas, calf houses, slurry tanks, milking equipment, meal bins, grain stores and more. The difference is the rate. The general scheme pays 40%. This one pays 60%, up to the same €90,000 ceiling.

2026 is the [UN International Year of the Woman Farmer](https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-years). In Ireland, the [CSO counted 18,101 female farm holders in 2020](https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-coa/censusofagriculture2020-preliminaryresults/demographicprofileoffarmholders/), 13.4% of the total. Mayo had the highest share at 16.0% and Monaghan the lowest at 10.4%. The scheme has been open since 2023, so the year changes nothing in the rules. It is a fair moment to check whether you are leaving money behind.

## Who qualifies for the 60% rate?

The [terms and conditions](https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/280687cc/TAMS_3_WFCIS_Terms_and_Conditions_7_March_2026.pdf) set out the test. You must:

- be more than 18 and under 67 on the day you submit the application
- be recorded as female on DAFM's customer system, called CCM
- own, or hold a lease on, the site where the work will happen
- have at least 5 hectares declared under BISS in the year of application or the year before
- for tillage items, have 15 hectares of eligible crops instead; for pigs and poultry, 20 production units
- be named on the herd number for the holding
- hold one of the courses listed in Annex J, or an equivalent, when you apply
- or, at the latest, complete that course within 36 months of DAFM approval

That last point carries the money. Annex J is the Green Cert family. It lists the Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture and the older FETAC and Teagasc equivalents, including the specific purpose certificates in farming. Miss the 36-month window and DAFM pays the claim at 40%, not 60%. No extensions are allowed, even for force majeure. The [TAMS 3 FAQ](https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/tams-3-frequently-asked-questions.pdf) adds one useful detail. DAFM can pay 40% first and the balance once the course is done inside the 36 months.

Two more rules. You can qualify for one holding only under this scheme. And you, or your nominated herd keeper, must have done the half-day Farm Safety Code of Practice course. It must be within the five years before you apply or claim. The terms accept the Level 6 Green Cert in place of the half-day course.

The terms also say the herd must have submitted a BPS application in the 2022 reference year. If you took on the herd number after 2022, ask your advisor or the TAMS section how that clause applies to you. Do that before you build an application around the 60% rate.

## How is it different from the Young Farmer scheme?

Both pay 60% up to €90,000. The [Young Farmer scheme](https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/services/young-farmer-capital-investment-scheme/) is for farmers over 18 and under 41 who set up for the first time within the five years before applying. The women's scheme has no set-up clock and runs to age 67. A woman under 41 who set up recently could fit both. The terms settle one case. A registered partnership between a qualifying young farmer and a qualifying woman farmer must apply under the women's scheme. That is the only way both get 60% on the full ceiling.

| | Women Farmer scheme | Young Farmer scheme |
|---|---|---|
| Age on application | Over 18, under 67 | Over 18, under 41 |
| Set-up rule | None | First set up within the last five years |
| Rate | 60% up to €90,000 | 60% up to €90,000 |
| Training | Annex J course, or within 36 months of approval | Same |
| Partnership ceiling | €160,000 | €160,000 |

## What if you farm with someone else?

This is where most of the questions land.

**Joint herd number.** An application quoting a joint herd number is treated as made with the consent of everyone named on it. If you are the woman named on a joint number and you meet the other tests, you can apply.

**Farming with others, outside a registered partnership.** You sign the Annex K declaration. It states that you exercise effective and long-term control over decisions on management, benefits and financial risk, alone or jointly with the others.

**Registered farm partnership with one qualifying woman.** The ceiling rises to €160,000. DAFM pays 60% on the first €90,000 and 40% on the balance. That is a maximum grant of €82,000. One woman in the partnership can only ever attract 60% on €90,000, across all applications and claims. Swapping partners later does not reset it.

**Registered farm partnership with two or more qualifying women.** 60% on the full €160,000, a maximum grant of €96,000.

**Company.** Any woman farmer the application relies on must be a director holding at least 20% of the shares.

Joint ventures outside the register are not eligible unless every applicant meets the eligibility rules.

## What is 60% worth against 40%?

DAFM pays its percentage on the lower of your invoices and the [reference cost](https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/a02fc1cc/TAMS_3_Investment_List_Reference_Cost_Master_3_for_publication_-_Correction_Pneumatic_Seed_Broadcaster_1.pdf), never on the quote. The reference costs below are from the 5 September 2025 list, which applies to applications submitted since 6 September 2025. They are before VAT, and VAT is not grant-aided.

**A slatted shed.** Bovine slatted area is costed at €277.72 per square metre. A 324 square metre shed comes to €89,981, right at the ceiling. At 40% the grant is €35,992. At 60% it is €53,989. The scheme is worth €17,996 on that shed. Round it: on any shed at or above the €90,000 ceiling, the 60% rate is worth €18,000.

**A calf house.** Calf house with penning is €272.03 per square metre. A 100 square metre house is €27,203 at reference. At 40% you get €10,881. At 60% you get €16,322. Difference: €5,441.

Now the three items people ask about most, and the honest answer.

**A slurry store.** No gain. Since 23 January 2025, mass concrete tanks, manure pits, circular stores and lined stores pay 60% for every applicant, with their own €90,000 ceiling. You get that rate under the general scheme too.

**A cattle crush.** No gain. Crushes, races, head scoops and mobile handling units sit in the Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme, which pays 60% to everyone. A mobile cattle crush is costed at €2,272.03, so €1,363 back for any farmer.

**A calving camera.** No gain either. The livestock monitoring camera is a Farm Safety item at €540 per camera, so €324 back at 60% for anyone.

So the women's scheme earns its keep on the items that are 40% elsewhere. That is housing, feed passages, roofed yards, calf feeders, milking machines, bulk tanks, meal bins, grain stores and water heating. If your plan is a tank and a crush, apply under the nutrient storage and safety schemes. Keep your €90,000 women's ceiling for the shed.

## How does the €90,000 ceiling work with the other TAMS 3 ceilings?

Think of it as separate pots per holding.

| Pot | Ceiling | Rate for a qualifying woman |
|---|---|---|
| Women Farmer general ceiling (housing, dairy, equipment) | €90,000 (€160,000 registered partnership) | 60% |
| Nutrient storage (tanks, pits, stores) | separate €90,000 (€160,000 registered partnership) | 60% |
| Solar Capital Investment Scheme | separate €90,000, own rules | 60% for all applicants |
| Low Emission Slurry Spreading equipment | separate €40,000, own rules | per the LESS terms |

The general ceiling is a per-holding figure. Hit €90,000 under this scheme and DAFM will not accept another TAMS 3 application from the holding, apart from solar and LESS. The terms count approvals as well as payments. If the holding already drew a grant under the general scheme, ask the TAMS section what is left before you plan. The minimum investment per application is €2,000, and you can lodge more than one application per tranche.

Teagasc puts the housing case plainly. On a new slatted shed, [€180,000 of investment is open to grant aid](https://teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/an-update-on-tams-3/). That is €90,000 for the tank and slats, and €90,000 for the shed above it.

## What are your odds, and when does the next tranche close?

Ranking and selection applies. The marking sheet scores age (younger first), size of holding, land in an Area of Natural Constraint, earlier TAMS II payments and nitrates production. [DAFM's statistics table](https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/8578b402/1_TAMS_3_Statistics_updated_20_October_2026.pdf) shows how women's applications have fared:

| Tranche | Applications received | Selected | Approvals issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 377 | 307 | 280 |
| 11 | 205 | 150 | 140 |
| 12 | 284 | 215 | 153, with 62 still in progress |

That is roughly three in four selected. An application that misses rolls into the next tranche once, then drops back to draft.

Tranches close every three months. Teagasc records the last two 2025 closes as 5 September and 5 December. In the summer DAFM announced 4 September and 4 December 2026 for Tranches 13 and 14. Our [TAMS 3 rates and odds guide](/read/tams-3-2026-rates-odds-how-to-apply) covers that announcement. We could not find the 4 December date on a gov.ie page today. Check the live closing date on agfood.ie before you plan around it, then [set a deadline alert](/read/ai-grant-deadline-alerts-setup) for the week before.

## What paperwork do you need?

Everything goes through agfood.ie. No paper, and no amendments after you press submit. With the application, depending on the investment:

- site location map with an Eircode or GPS reference
- farmyard layout plan and detailed drawings
- full and final planning permission, or the declaration of exemption, with the drawings it was granted on
- ownership documents or a BISS map with LPIS numbers, or a copy of the lease for each site
- the tank costings spreadsheet for storage work
- the Annex K woman farmer declaration if you farm with others
- company registration documents for a company

With the claim: the course certificate, a geo-tagged photo of each item and proof of the farm safety course. Add your tax clearance and your contractor's, plus quality certificates for slats, concrete and steel. Receipts must be paid from a bank account in your name, the partnership's or the company's. Cash does not count.

Deficiencies get 10 working days to fix, then the application is rejected. Do not start fixed work, or pay for it, before approval. Mobile kit can be bought after submission, at your own risk if the tranche goes against you.

Then the clock. You have 12 months from approval to finish and lodge one claim. An extension of up to six months exists, requested between month eight and month eleven. It is granted only where work has started or a deposit is paid. A late claim loses 1% per week for 14 weeks, then everything. Our [TAMS application workflow](/read/save-3-hours-on-your-tams-application-with-chatgpt) shows how to turn the terms into a checklist before you open the portal.

## Where to get help

Your Teagasc advisor or private planner can confirm which course on Annex J you hold and whether your drawings meet spec. The agfood online services helpline is 049 436 8288, or agfood@agriculture.gov.ie. The Women Farmer scheme section is at Johnstown Castle, Wexford: tams@agriculture.gov.ie, 053 916 3425. Equivalent qualifications go to that section for a decision before you apply, not after.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can I apply for the Women Farmer scheme without a Green Cert?**
Yes, but the 60% depends on it. You must hold an Annex J course or equivalent when you apply, or complete it within 36 months of DAFM approval. Otherwise the claim pays at 40%. DAFM can pay 40% first and the balance when the course is done.

**Does a woman on a joint herd number get the 60%?**
She can, if she meets the age, land and training tests and is named on the herd number. Where she farms with others she signs the Annex K declaration on control of the business. In a registered partnership with one qualifying woman, 60% applies to the first €90,000 and 40% to the rest.

**Is a slurry tank worth more under the women's scheme?**
No. Nutrient storage pays 60% to every TAMS 3 applicant, with its own €90,000 ceiling. The women's rate matters on the shed, the calf house, the parlour and the equipment that is 40% elsewhere.

**Does the 60% rate apply to the full €90,000 if the holding already got a TAMS 3 grant?**
Only to whatever ceiling is left. The €90,000 general ceiling is a per-holding figure, and the terms count earlier approvals and payments against it. Ask the TAMS section for your remaining balance before you draw up plans.

## The bottom line

If you are a woman aged 18 to 67, named on the herd number, with a Green Cert or 36 months to get one, apply. The scheme is worth up to €18,000 extra on a €90,000 shed. It adds nothing on a tank, a crush or a camera, because those are 60% for everyone. Put the shed through the women's scheme, the tank through nutrient storage and the crush through farm safety. Have the Annex K declaration and the course certificate ready before the tranche closes.

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## Sources

- [DAFM: Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (page updated 22 June 2026)](https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/services/women-farmer-capital-investment-scheme/) — Scheme summary: age 18 to 67, female on CCM, 5 hectares under BISS, 60% up to €90,000, €160,000 for registered partnerships, nutrient storage at 60% with its own €90,000 ceiling
- [DAFM: TAMS 3 WFCIS Terms and Conditions (7 March 2026)](https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/280687cc/TAMS_3_WFCIS_Terms_and_Conditions_7_March_2026.pdf) — Eligibility 3.1, educational requirement 3.2 and the 36-month window, partnership rates, Annex K declaration, documents at application and claim, assessment criteria, 12-month completion, late-claim penalties, farm safety course, Annex J course list
- [DAFM: TAMS 3 AWNSS Terms and Conditions (7 March 2026)](https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/4a6b2eb9/TAMS_3_AWNSS_Terms_and_Conditions_7_March_2026.pdf) — The standard 40% rate on the general scheme, nutrient storage at 60% with a separate €90,000 ceiling, and the note that safety items are also available under the Farm Safety Scheme at 60%
- [DAFM: National Reference Costs (5 September 2025)](https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/a02fc1cc/TAMS_3_Investment_List_Reference_Cost_Master_3_for_publication_-_Correction_Pneumatic_Seed_Broadcaster_1.pdf) — Women Farmer Scheme rates for bovine slatted area and calf house, Farm Safety Scheme rates for the mobile cattle crush and livestock monitoring camera
- [DAFM: TAMS 3 support documents (page updated 15 September 2026)](https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/publications/tams-3-support-documents/) — Confirms the 5 September 2025 reference costs apply to applications submitted on or after 6 September 2025
- [DAFM: TAMS 3 Information Table (updated 20 October 2026)](https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/8578b402/1_TAMS_3_Statistics_updated_20_October_2026.pdf) — Women Farmer scheme applications received, selected, approved and in progress for Tranches 10, 11 and 12
- [DAFM: TAMS 3 Frequently Asked Questions](https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/tams-3-frequently-asked-questions.pdf) — Three-month tranches, grant rates by scheme, nutrient storage at 60% from 23 January 2025, the partnership rate split, and the 40% part payment where training is completed later
- [DAFM: Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (page updated 22 June 2026)](https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/services/young-farmer-capital-investment-scheme/) — Age over 18 and under 41, set up for the first time within five years, 60% up to €90,000
- [Teagasc: An update on TAMS 3 (12 February 2026)](https://teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/an-update-on-tams-3/) — Tranches every three months, the 5 September and 5 December 2025 closes, the separate LESS and solar ceilings, and the €180,000 housing case
- [CSO: Census of Agriculture 2020, Demographic Profile of Farm Holders](https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-coa/censusofagriculture2020-preliminaryresults/demographicprofileoffarmholders/) — 18,101 female farm holders in 2020, 13.4% of the total, from 16.0% in Mayo to 10.4% in Monaghan
- [United Nations: International Years](https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-years) — 2026 listed as the International Year of the Woman Farmer

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*Source: [FarmAI Ireland](https://farmai.ie/read/tams-women-farmer-60-percent-rate-explained)*