A National Reserve is being funded for 2017, and will be allocating new entitlements and entitlement top-ups to qualifying young farmers.
In all, €5.1m of funds are being allocated for 2017.
This was revealed by the Irish Farmers Journal two weeks ago.
It should cater for almost 1,000 farmers from two categories: new entrants and farmers under 40.
The money will come from unused funds, which last year was incorporated into the final BPS top-up payment.
The two priority categories are:
Young farmers: BPS applicants under 40 years of age in 2017 who started farming in the last five years.New entrants to farming: BPS applicants who started farming since 1 January 2015 and did not farm in their own name previously.Applicants must not have had an off-farm income of more than €40,000 in either 2015 or 2016.
It is likely that applicants must have completed the educational requirements on making their initial BPS application in mid-May.
This would be more stringent than in 2015, when they only had to have commenced a qualifying educational course.
The 2015 allocation of €24m catered for 6,200 farmers, but it was dealing with seven years of a backlog since the suspension of the installation scheme in 2008.
Reaction
Macra has welcomed the news, having protested vigorously against the decision not to fund the National Reserve in 2016. President Séan Finan said it was vital that the National Reserve be properly funded to resource young people committing to a career in the sector.
Macra insists that the National Reserve must be kept at this year’s level in future years to meet demand from young farmers.
The 50% clawback on entitlement trading – designed to maintain funds in the reserve, – has discouraged trading in the short lifetime of the new CAP, and Macra is not opposed to suggestions that the clawback be reduced to 20%.
In terms of the forgotten farmers, Macra say that it is not possible under EU legislation to cater for them through a reserve mechanism. They are continuing to push for a solution for the near 4,000 affected farmers.
CAP consultation
Finan also said that Macra’s CAP consultation contribution is well underway. They are currently surveying young farmers’ attitudes to a range of issues surrounding direct payments and schemes.
On Friday week, the Agriculture Affairs committee will meet to finalise the organisation’s policy document.
Following its adoption, the policy will be road tested at a series of meetings around the country, before being formally presented to EU Agricultural Commissioner Phil Hogan in late March.
A National Reserve is being funded for 2017, and will be allocating new entitlements and entitlement top-ups to qualifying young farmers.
In all, €5.1m of funds are being allocated for 2017.
This was revealed by the Irish Farmers Journal two weeks ago.
It should cater for almost 1,000 farmers from two categories: new entrants and farmers under 40.
The money will come from unused funds, which last year was incorporated into the final BPS top-up payment.
The two priority categories are:
Young farmers: BPS applicants under 40 years of age in 2017 who started farming in the last five years.New entrants to farming: BPS applicants who started farming since 1 January 2015 and did not farm in their own name previously.Applicants must not have had an off-farm income of more than €40,000 in either 2015 or 2016.
It is likely that applicants must have completed the educational requirements on making their initial BPS application in mid-May.
This would be more stringent than in 2015, when they only had to have commenced a qualifying educational course.
The 2015 allocation of €24m catered for 6,200 farmers, but it was dealing with seven years of a backlog since the suspension of the installation scheme in 2008.
Reaction
Macra has welcomed the news, having protested vigorously against the decision not to fund the National Reserve in 2016. President Séan Finan said it was vital that the National Reserve be properly funded to resource young people committing to a career in the sector.
Macra insists that the National Reserve must be kept at this year’s level in future years to meet demand from young farmers.
The 50% clawback on entitlement trading – designed to maintain funds in the reserve, – has discouraged trading in the short lifetime of the new CAP, and Macra is not opposed to suggestions that the clawback be reduced to 20%.
In terms of the forgotten farmers, Macra say that it is not possible under EU legislation to cater for them through a reserve mechanism. They are continuing to push for a solution for the near 4,000 affected farmers.
CAP consultation
Finan also said that Macra’s CAP consultation contribution is well underway. They are currently surveying young farmers’ attitudes to a range of issues surrounding direct payments and schemes.
On Friday week, the Agriculture Affairs committee will meet to finalise the organisation’s policy document.
Following its adoption, the policy will be road tested at a series of meetings around the country, before being formally presented to EU Agricultural Commissioner Phil Hogan in late March.
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