“I am a young ag graduate seeking to maximise benefits under the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme. My parents farm full-time but want to bring me in as part of the trade. What are the main issues I should be looking at to maximise entitlements?”
Young Farmers Scheme
The Young Farmers Scheme provides a 25% top-up on the average basic payment to support a young farmer in his/her first five years of farming. The 25% top-up is approximately €64 per entitlement per year, regardless of the value of entitlements held.Maximum payment on each entitlement up to 50ha.Scheme available for the first five years of set-up. Where a young farmer has already been carrying out an agricultural activity individually or as part of a group/partnership/company, this period will be included in the five-year period.Herd number allocation is the date deemed to have commenced farming.Criteria
Applicant must be no more than 40 during the calendar year of entry to the scheme.Must have commenced farming since early 2010 (apply immediately if allocated a herd number in early 2010).Must start agricultural education qualifications by 30 September 2016. Additional criteria for group farming
Where a young farmer undertakes farming activity as part of a group, the group will be eligible for the Young Farmers Scheme if:
At least one person in the group must meets the definition of a young farmer.The young farmer exercises effective and long-term control solely or jointly in decisions related to the management, benefits and financial risks for the group. Such control is demonstrated as follows:(i) The young farmer’s name is on the herd number.
(ii) The young farmer’s name is on the bank account used for the farming activity.
(iii) For companies, the young farmer must be a director and minimum 20% shareholder.
(iv) All persons in the group must complete a National Reserve/Young Farmers Scheme declaration form confirming that the young farmer has effective control, solely or jointly with the other members. This from is available with the scheme application form and must be witnessed by a solicitor.
Applications have been open since 5 January with a closing date of 15 May 2015. Register with www.agfood.ie or submit application through an agent.
National Reserve
The Basic Payment Scheme National Reserve is important for young farmers who have commenced farming since early 2010 and new entrants to farming who have low or no entitlements.
Apply on hectares farmed in 2015 with or without entitlements below the national average basic payment of approximately €170 (€254 including greening).Maximum area to apply for entitlements is 90 hectares.Entitlement per hectare of approximately €170 (€254 including greening).Young farmers who applied to the previous National Reserve and who meet the criteria for the 2015 National Reserve are eligible.Criteria for young farmers
Applicant must be no more than 40 during the calendar year of entry to the scheme.Must have commenced farming since early 2010 (apply immediately if allocated a herd number in early 2010).Must start agricultural education qualifications by 30 September 2016. Off-farm income limit of €40,000 in one of the tax years 2013 or 2014, whichever is more advantageous to the applicant. A P60/P21/Notice of Assessment must be submitted with the application. For applicants farming as part of a group, the gross off-farm incomes of all members of the group are taken into consideration in a joint herd number application but only the off-farm income of the young farmer is considered in a partnership application.Additional criteria for group farming (partnership, company) as detailed above under the Young Farmer Scheme.Criteria for new entrant category
Same criteria as young farmers without the age restriction and must have commenced the present agricultural activity in the 2013 calendar year or later. Where a herd number that is registered on behalf of a group applies under the new entrant category, all persons in control of the group must meet all the conditions of the new entrant category with the exception of the educational requirement.In the case of a group which commences its agricultural activity in 2013 or later, all persons in control of that group must not have engaged in an agricultural activity in their own name and at their own risk or have had control of another legal entity in such agricultural activity in the five years preceding the start of the agricultural activity of the applicant.Applications have been open since 5 January with a closing date of 31 March 2015. This is to facilitate other categories in the Basic Payment National Reserve. Register with www.agfood.ie or submit application through an agent.
“I am a young ag graduate seeking to maximise benefits under the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme. My parents farm full-time but want to bring me in as part of the trade. What are the main issues I should be looking at to maximise entitlements?”
Young Farmers Scheme
The Young Farmers Scheme provides a 25% top-up on the average basic payment to support a young farmer in his/her first five years of farming. The 25% top-up is approximately €64 per entitlement per year, regardless of the value of entitlements held.Maximum payment on each entitlement up to 50ha.Scheme available for the first five years of set-up. Where a young farmer has already been carrying out an agricultural activity individually or as part of a group/partnership/company, this period will be included in the five-year period.Herd number allocation is the date deemed to have commenced farming.Criteria
Applicant must be no more than 40 during the calendar year of entry to the scheme.Must have commenced farming since early 2010 (apply immediately if allocated a herd number in early 2010).Must start agricultural education qualifications by 30 September 2016. Additional criteria for group farming
Where a young farmer undertakes farming activity as part of a group, the group will be eligible for the Young Farmers Scheme if:
At least one person in the group must meets the definition of a young farmer.The young farmer exercises effective and long-term control solely or jointly in decisions related to the management, benefits and financial risks for the group. Such control is demonstrated as follows:(i) The young farmer’s name is on the herd number.
(ii) The young farmer’s name is on the bank account used for the farming activity.
(iii) For companies, the young farmer must be a director and minimum 20% shareholder.
(iv) All persons in the group must complete a National Reserve/Young Farmers Scheme declaration form confirming that the young farmer has effective control, solely or jointly with the other members. This from is available with the scheme application form and must be witnessed by a solicitor.
Applications have been open since 5 January with a closing date of 15 May 2015. Register with www.agfood.ie or submit application through an agent.
National Reserve
The Basic Payment Scheme National Reserve is important for young farmers who have commenced farming since early 2010 and new entrants to farming who have low or no entitlements.
Apply on hectares farmed in 2015 with or without entitlements below the national average basic payment of approximately €170 (€254 including greening).Maximum area to apply for entitlements is 90 hectares.Entitlement per hectare of approximately €170 (€254 including greening).Young farmers who applied to the previous National Reserve and who meet the criteria for the 2015 National Reserve are eligible.Criteria for young farmers
Applicant must be no more than 40 during the calendar year of entry to the scheme.Must have commenced farming since early 2010 (apply immediately if allocated a herd number in early 2010).Must start agricultural education qualifications by 30 September 2016. Off-farm income limit of €40,000 in one of the tax years 2013 or 2014, whichever is more advantageous to the applicant. A P60/P21/Notice of Assessment must be submitted with the application. For applicants farming as part of a group, the gross off-farm incomes of all members of the group are taken into consideration in a joint herd number application but only the off-farm income of the young farmer is considered in a partnership application.Additional criteria for group farming (partnership, company) as detailed above under the Young Farmer Scheme.Criteria for new entrant category
Same criteria as young farmers without the age restriction and must have commenced the present agricultural activity in the 2013 calendar year or later. Where a herd number that is registered on behalf of a group applies under the new entrant category, all persons in control of the group must meet all the conditions of the new entrant category with the exception of the educational requirement.In the case of a group which commences its agricultural activity in 2013 or later, all persons in control of that group must not have engaged in an agricultural activity in their own name and at their own risk or have had control of another legal entity in such agricultural activity in the five years preceding the start of the agricultural activity of the applicant.Applications have been open since 5 January with a closing date of 31 March 2015. This is to facilitate other categories in the Basic Payment National Reserve. Register with www.agfood.ie or submit application through an agent.
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