Farmers with TB Unfairly Punished under TAMS  –  ICMSA.

ICMSA Farm Business Committee Chairperson, Mr. Pat O’Brien has expressed anger at the TAMS Ranking and Selection process, which is penalising farmers with higher stocking rates arising from TB restrictions.  Highly stocked farmers acquire negative marks under Ranking and Selection which ultimately means that they are missing out on application approvals under TAMS.

“The Department aren’t even differentiating farmers who are highly stocked due to TB. They just seem to be basing it off whatever stocking rate they see in front of them. Talk about kicking someone when they’re down, this is not acceptable.   Farmers who are TB restricted cannot sell animals, which inevitably leads to higher stocking rates.   We have seen correspondence clearly showing farmers missing out on TAMS approval solely because they were restricted, Mr. O’Brien said.

ICMSA has long advocated for the removal of penalties linked to higher stocking rates under TAMS. Commenting further, Mr. O’Brien said it was “simply wrong”.   “Farm viability stood at just 43% in Ireland in 2024. To survive, farmers need adequately stocked farms.  That reality should not be used as a stick to beat farmers through Ranking and Selection,” he said.

ICMSA successfully fought to have the heavy categorisation of derogation farmers removed from Ranking and Selection. However, the continued penalty based on stocking rates must now also be addressed.   We are now seeing the real ramifications of this flawed stocking rate criteria, farmers with TB-restricted herds are being unfairly penalised and farm viability is not being considered.

The only solution is to remove the stocking rate criteria fully and entirely. It is unfair and is causing serious problems.

Concluding, Mr. O’Brien said, that I want to make it clear what should happen right now. Every farmer that missed out on TAMS approval because of their stocking rates should have an approval letter sent to them as soon as possible and adequate funding should be put in place to ensure that ranking and selection is no longer required.

ENDS   23 December 2025

Pat O’Brien is at (087) 2714091.

ICMSA Head Office (061) 314677.