There are a range of supports for young farmers starting out in farming. Here we have abreakdown of them.

Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers’ Scheme (CISYF)

  • Aim: Helps young farmers establish their farming businesses.
  • Funding/support: The young farmers’ scheme payment averaged €163.80/ha in 2024 and €155/ha in 2023. The payment is made up to max of 50ha, paid for five years.

    • National Reserve 2023-2027

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  • Aim: Provide support to priority categories; young farmer and new farmer.
  • Funding/support: Farmer gets allocated BISS (Basic Income Support for Sustainability) payment entitlements of €154/ha on lands declared without entitlements, up to a maximum of 50ha, and/or:
  • Farmer gets a top-up on their BISS entitlements value to bring them to the national average entitlement value of €154/ha, subject to maximum of 50 entitlements per farmer.

    • Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS)

  • Scheme: Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS).
  • Aim: Provide financial help to qualified young farmers to upgrade their agricultural buildings and equipment.
  • Funding/support: Higher 60% grant rate (where standard rate is 40%), up to maximum of €90,000 per holding (€160,000 ceiling for registered partnerships).
  • Higher 60% grant and separate ceiling of €90,000 (€160,000 for registered partnerships) for nutrient storage investments such as slurry tanks.

    • Collaborative Farming Grant Scheme

  • Aim: Financial support to encourage registered farm partnerships with young, trained farmers.
  • Covers: Some legal, advisory and financial services cost.
  • Funding/support: Up to 50% of costs, to a maximum of €1,500.

    • Succession Planning Advice Grant

  • Aim: Financial support for succession planning advice for older (60+) farmers.
  • Covers: Vouched independent legal and financial advice.
  • Funding/support: 50% of legal, accounting, and advisory costs, to a maximum of €1,500.