Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon maintains that both he and Government have always been clear that there would be no room to manoeuvre a farm succession scheme on to the cards before the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
But despite young farmer installation aid or farm succession scheme being ruled out until 2028 at the earliest, Minister Heydon told the Irish Farmers Journal that he does not want farmers to wait until then before transferring the farm if it is the right time for them to do so.
When asked if farmers should put plans to let the next generation on to the land on pause until more funding materialises in the next CAP, the Minister responded: “Absolutely not.”
“It is the very reason I am being clear about this - I don’t expect people will sit around for years for a scheme if it is the right time for them on the farm for all the different reasons to go ahead with succession,” he commented at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan on Tuesday.
His comments came after he unveiled the final report of the independent Commission on Generational Renewal, which recommended that payments of €25,000 be introduced for both the retiring farmer and the one taking over.
'Dampening expectations'
“You could say I’m dampening expectations; I am just being honest because people tend to simplify announcements and launches and approaches in terms of talking about a whole area like generational renewal, they say ‘where’s the money’.
“I was at the tillage meeting last week; there was talk of the Food Vision tillage report and they said ‘where’s the money for that’.”
The Minister also said those planning on waiting until a scheme opens under the next CAP risk the possibility that the new CAP will not be ready for rollout by 2028.
“If somebody is ready for succession, I don’t expect them to wait until 2028,” he reiterated.
Government pledge
The Minister denied that the Programme for Government had nodded towards the introduction of a farm succession scheme opening to farmers before 2028 at the earliest.
The document states that the current Government will “ensure a farm succession scheme that supports generational renewal”.
“The Programme for Government is a Programme for Government for five years and it is absolutely my hope and intention to have a succession scheme as part of the next CAP and that will happen within the five years,” Minister Heydon told the Irish Farmers Journal.
“Programme for Governments are never delivered in their first year. They are a series of commitments you want to progress on issues you want to address.
“So, what we talk about in the Programme for Government is, yes, the new CAP and the negotiations for that are starting now.
“I have also been clear that if there are policy changes that I can make in that space to help move the dial in the conversation, then I am very keen about looking at them too. It is not about leaving everything to the next CAP.”
Read more
Lump sum payments for both young and old farmers recommended
Succession Podcast: getting your affairs in order to transfer the farm
Pension pitfalls: why some farmers fear the family farm transfer
A European perspective: how young farmers can access land
Watch: how to protect your farm if a parent has to go into a nursing home
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon maintains that both he and Government have always been clear that there would be no room to manoeuvre a farm succession scheme on to the cards before the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
But despite young farmer installation aid or farm succession scheme being ruled out until 2028 at the earliest, Minister Heydon told the Irish Farmers Journal that he does not want farmers to wait until then before transferring the farm if it is the right time for them to do so.
When asked if farmers should put plans to let the next generation on to the land on pause until more funding materialises in the next CAP, the Minister responded: “Absolutely not.”
“It is the very reason I am being clear about this - I don’t expect people will sit around for years for a scheme if it is the right time for them on the farm for all the different reasons to go ahead with succession,” he commented at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan on Tuesday.
His comments came after he unveiled the final report of the independent Commission on Generational Renewal, which recommended that payments of €25,000 be introduced for both the retiring farmer and the one taking over.
'Dampening expectations'
“You could say I’m dampening expectations; I am just being honest because people tend to simplify announcements and launches and approaches in terms of talking about a whole area like generational renewal, they say ‘where’s the money’.
“I was at the tillage meeting last week; there was talk of the Food Vision tillage report and they said ‘where’s the money for that’.”
The Minister also said those planning on waiting until a scheme opens under the next CAP risk the possibility that the new CAP will not be ready for rollout by 2028.
“If somebody is ready for succession, I don’t expect them to wait until 2028,” he reiterated.
Government pledge
The Minister denied that the Programme for Government had nodded towards the introduction of a farm succession scheme opening to farmers before 2028 at the earliest.
The document states that the current Government will “ensure a farm succession scheme that supports generational renewal”.
“The Programme for Government is a Programme for Government for five years and it is absolutely my hope and intention to have a succession scheme as part of the next CAP and that will happen within the five years,” Minister Heydon told the Irish Farmers Journal.
“Programme for Governments are never delivered in their first year. They are a series of commitments you want to progress on issues you want to address.
“So, what we talk about in the Programme for Government is, yes, the new CAP and the negotiations for that are starting now.
“I have also been clear that if there are policy changes that I can make in that space to help move the dial in the conversation, then I am very keen about looking at them too. It is not about leaving everything to the next CAP.”
Read more
Lump sum payments for both young and old farmers recommended
Succession Podcast: getting your affairs in order to transfer the farm
Pension pitfalls: why some farmers fear the family farm transfer
A European perspective: how young farmers can access land
Watch: how to protect your farm if a parent has to go into a nursing home
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