The deadline for the National Reserve is 31 March, so eligible farmers need to start gathering documents now, especially income proof and herd number. All applications are online, so farmers need to register with www.agfood.ie or talk to their consultant who can submit it for them.

The scheme has a pot of just over €24.8m. It has two priority categories – young farmers and new entrants.

It will give successful new entrants basic entitlements worth €174/ha, the national average. These will be topped up to around €250/ha by greening.

Successful farmers with existing entitlements will get a top-up to the national average.

All applicants must have agricultural qualifications, but farmers who commit to sign up to a required course by September 2016 will be eligible to apply.

The Department has brought in an off-farm income limit of €40,000. This is gross before tax. There is a clause allowing farmers to choose 2013 or 2014, whichever is lower, and does not include spouse’s income.

They have also set a limit on the number of basic payment entitlements that any person can get, which is 90, giving scope for a maximum of €22,500 from the National reserve. Farmers can apply on conacre land as well as leased land.

There are two priority categories to the National Reserve:

Young farmers

To qualify for the young farmers category, a farmer must:

  • Participate in the Basic Payment Scheme.
  • Be 40 years of age in the year when they first submit an application under the BPS.
  • Be setting up an agricultural holding for the first time or has set up such a holding during the five years preceding the first submission of the BPS application.
  • Have successfully completed a recognised course of education in agriculture, giving rise to an award at FETAC level 6 or its equivalent or agree to sign up before 16 September 2016.

    • New entrants

    A new entrant to farming is similar to above, but there is no age limit. They must have started farming in 2013 or later and submit an application under the Basic Payment Scheme not later than two years after the year they start farming. When they started, they cannot have been farming for five years beforehand.

    Readers’ queries

    (1) I am applying for a herd number, but the DVO said it might take five to six weeks. What happens if I don’t get it before the deadline of 31 March 2015 as I cannot register on www.agfood.ie?

    Once you have applied for a herd number, you will be eligible to make an application to the scheme. The Department has said if the farmer’s herd number has not been allocated in the weeks prior to the closing date, they should contact the National Reserve/Young Farmers Scheme section directly to discuss their options. The best advice is keep in contact with the DVO. If the herd number has not been received by mid-March, contact the Young Farmers Scheme/National Reserve section on 0761 064 446. I would also send an email about your situation to NationalReserveYFS@agriculture.gov.ie

    (2) I started farming on my own for the first time in 2013 on 60 hectares. I am under 40 and have ag qualifications. I bought some low-value entitlement worth €100 this year. Does this rule me out of the YFS and the National Reserve?

    No. As you have started farming in the previous five years, you are still eligible. If you are successful in the National Reserve, your entitlements will be topped up to the national average of around €250/ha including greening. You will also get a 25% top-up of around €62.50/ha (Youhg Farmer Scheme), but only on 50ha as that is the cap. As you started farming in 2013, you will just get this for three years.