Up to 4,000 farmers have been identified as ‘‘forgotten farmers’’ by the Department of Agriculture this week. The Department identified the farmers as those who started farming from 2001 to 2009, have low entitlements per hectare but are still under 40, after a meeting with the Forgotten Farmers Group.

“These farmers have been excluded from both the National Reserve and also the Young Farmers TAMS Scheme that the Minister of Agriculture Simon Coveney launched this week,” said Kenneth O’Brien. Under CAP, a young farmer has to be under 40 and started farming in the last five years.

O’Brien accused the Minster of ignoring this group of young farmers who are committed to the sector.

“The Minister has not responded to numerous requests for a meeting on the issue. We have met the farm organisation and are going to Brussels in the next week to get the real story on what can be done,” he said.

The group met Department officials where they were told it would take €12m to bring the 3,800 farmers up to the national average in 2015. The group held a meeting in Athlone earlier this spring which was attended by more than 500 people. It has since collected details from up to 1,000 farmers who feel they have been forgotten in the CAP reforms. O’Brien would like to hear from the remaining forgotten farmers. Contact 086-074 0024.