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While over €95m has been paid out under the Young Farmers Scheme (YFS) since its introduction in 2015, it has been dogged by frustrations with the inspection process throughout.
Over 8,000 young farmers benefit from a top-up on their payment entitlements each year under the scheme. However, 5% of applicants are selected for an on-site inspection annually.
Eddie Forde of the Department of Agriculture’s YFS section told the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) AGM on Friday 6 March that the main problem Department inspectors find when interviewing young farmers is a failure to demonstrate financial and managerial control of the business.
“We’ve tried to get the message out as best we can in recent years to try and help farmers understand what the requirements are and what inspectors are looking for,” Forde said.
Warning box
A warning box has been added to the BPS application process for 2020 flagging the issue. It directs farmers to familiarise themselves with what is required in the YFS terms and conditions.
An ACA adviser asked if the Department had any time frame for when inspections for 2019’s payment would be completed.
Forde said there were 480 inspections to be completed and as inspectors were required to review a full calendar year, the process could not begin until early 2020.
Forde also identified cases where farmers or their agents failed to tick the box on the BPS application for the YFS.
Previously, these farmers could appeal their exclusion from the scheme on that basis but the European Commission has since taken the view it is not a valid reason.
While the YFS has been extended into 2020, Forde said there was no certainty it will last beyond this year.
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