From the new year, young farmers could be able to receive payment top-ups for five years from the date of application for their grant, instead of from the first five years of establishing their own farm enterprise.

The rule change will come about as a result of changes to the Omnibus Regulations.

Responding to a parliamentary question from Charlie McConalogue TD (FF) on the subject, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said the Omnibus Regulations would bring about “…a facility to provide Young Farmers Scheme payments to applicants for five years from the date of application, regardless of their establishment date”.

Previous to this, there were a number of older young farmers who were ineligible for a full five-year grant top-up period because they established a farm enterprise before completing an approved agricultural course.

The Young Farmer Scheme is aimed to support young farmers and new entrants into farming who are under 40. It provides a 25% increased payment on the basic payment received by farmers.

The Young Farmer Scheme rules were revised this year, which meant that young farmers had to have completed their approved agricultural course at the BPS application deadline in May.

Up to this date, young farmers only had to be enrolled in a course to receive their 25% top-up payment, and the revision meant that a number of farmers were unable to draw down their top-up payment, with some young farmers reportedly missing the deadline by a matter of days.

The updated regulation that is likely to come into effect in the new year will ensure that farmers under 40 who have completed their course within or after five years of establishing a farm in their own name will be eligible for the full five-year 25% increased payment on application.

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