Farmers who entered into a partnership over the past year may be eligible for grant aid on the costs incurred in setting up the partnership.

The Collaborative Farming Grant Scheme opened on 15 August and will remain open for applications until 27 September.

The grant is aimed at covering part of the legal, advisory and financial services costs incurred in the drawing up of the partnership agreement.

The scheme is open to all new farm partnerships which have been placed on the Department’s register of farm partnerships and which have been allocated a farm partnership registration number (FPRN).

The scheme is operated in six-month tranches and is currently on its seventh tranche. Partnerships will receive an email with a link to the application form. The application can only be submitted online and once submitted you will receive an email confirming your application.

Payment

The payment will be calculated up to 50% of the vouched costs (VAT exclusive) for legal, advisory and financial services incurred in the drawing up of the farm partnership agreement, up to a maximum payment of €2,500.

For example, if a farmer spent €4,000, excluding VAT, to set up a partnership, they would receive grant aid of €2,000.

Copies of detailed invoices and receipts must be forwarded, by email or by post, to the farm partnership unit.

Payments relating to the seventh tranche of the scheme will issue in late 2019 or early 2020, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Applicants who fail to receive payment in one tranche may be considered for subsequent tranches, depending on approval.