The deadline for submission of applications for a registered farm partnership (RFP) is approaching fast on Monday 10 February 2025. Applications for placement on the Department of Agriculture’s register are accepted and processed all year round. However, the Department explains that if an applicant wishes to have their RFP number in time for the 2025 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) deadline, then applications with all accompanying documentation must be received by the Farm Partnerships Unit by 10 February 2025.
The deadline for submission of applications for a registered farm partnership (RFP) is approaching fast on Monday 10 February 2025.
Applications for placement on the Department of Agriculture’s register are accepted and processed all year round. However, the Department explains that if an applicant wishes to have their RFP number in time for the 2025 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) deadline, then applications with all accompanying documentation must be received by the Farm Partnerships Unit by 10 February 2025.
The Department stresses that only fully completed applications with all accompanying documentation will be guaranteed an RFP number in time for the BISS deadline. It also wishes to notify all agricultural advisers and those intending to apply for inclusion on their register that it intends to transition to a paperless system for all registered partnership applications.
The dedicated email address for RFP applications and accompanying documentation is RFPapplications@agriculture.gov.ie.
Required documentation
The following documents must be submitted for an RFP application to be processed:
Completed checklist.Completed application form.Farm partnership bank account details.Assigned copy of the partnership agreement.Copy of folio of all owned lands.Copy of leases for all lands leased in.Evidence of agricultural qualifications for category II partners.Signed copy of the on-farm agreement.Furthermore the Department advises that an RFP cannot be processed until each partner has their own herd number or is present on a joint herd number.
Herd numbers
The Department advises that where a partnership operates under a single herd number all partners must have their names added to that herd number.
“These changes can be made at the local district veterinary office (DVO). In the case of partnerships with more than one herd number, these herd numbers are to stay in the name of the individual owner. The numbers will be linked on our system once the application has been processed.”
The Department adds: “It should be noted that if a partner in the partnership wishes to avail of the Young Trained Farmer’s top-up, they must be named on one of the partnership herd numbers via their local DVO.”
The RFP guide states that only an individual participant with a herd number in an RFP can access financial self services. Where an RFP consists solely of two companies or two joint ventures, then the partnerships adviser or agent will be required to access Ag Food on behalf of the partnership.
Next steps
The Department explains that once a RFP is fully processed and added to the register, then the RFP unit will write out to the partnership informing them of their RFP number.
“Following receipt of this number, all applications to the Department for [Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme/Areas of Natural Constraint, Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes, Young Farmers Scheme, etc] should be made using this RFP number.”
Applicants should also note that there are changes to the application process in 2025 for herd numbers. This will be covered in more detail on this page next week.
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: