ICSA: Forgotten Farmers scheme welcome 'albeit long overdue'
The ICSA said that the scheme has been "long overdue" for a group of farmers who "did everything right".
Earlier today, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced that a scheme to support Long Established Young Farmers – or 'Forgotten Farmers' – is open for submission of online applications as of today.
The department was allocated €5 million in Budget 2025 to provide support to this group. Applicants can avail of a payment of up to €5,000 (depending on application numbers).
Online applications can be submitted until 5.30p.m on August 13.
The Long Established Young Farmers, or Forgotten Farmers, is a group defined as young farmers who were under the age of 40 in 2015, had commenced in agriculture prior to 2008, did not receive young farmer installation aid, and were not eligible for young farmer supports under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) from 2015 due to the date they had first set up in agriculture.
Commenting on the scheme, ICSA president Sean McNamara said that the scheme is "a very welcome development, albeit one that is long overdue".
"We in ICSA have consistently campaigned for justice for this cohort of farmers who were unfairly excluded from young farmer supports under the last CAP due to a technical anomaly with dates.
"While this €5 million scheme is limited in scope and capped at €5,000 per applicant, it is a recognition, finally, of the injustice these farmers have faced for nearly a decade," McNamara added.
"It is important to stress that these farmers did everything right. They were under 40 in 2015, had the required education, and were actively farming before 2008," he said.
"Yet, because they began farming 'too soon' to qualify under arbitrary CAP cut-off points, they were locked out of supports that their peers received," the ICSA president added.
"This anomaly created a totally unfair situation, and it's only right that we now see a measure to partially redress that.
However, he also said that the scheme "won't fully undo the hardship caused by years of exclusion", although it is a "step in the right direction".
McNamara called on all eligible farmers to apply without delay, saying the application window is "relatively short".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Agriland
6 hours ago
- Agriland
Dafm Issues Almost E4 5m in Various Farm Scheme Payments
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) issued nearly €4.5 million in farm scheme payments last week. The latest data, published by the department, shows that over €3.7 million was issued to farmers under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS 3). The scheme provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holding. The department said that €83.5 million has now been paid under TAMS 3 across some 9,490 claims. 32,879 TAMS 3 approvals have been granted so far, with 11,731 payment applications submitted. DAFM paid out a further €690,000 under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) last week. This brings the total payments issued for the agri-environmental scheme to €514.9 million. An additional €52,828 was issued last week to farmers under the 2024 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and Complimentary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS). A total of €847.57 million has now been paid under these schemes to 119,654 farmers, including €38.7 million for the 2024 Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers and the 2024 National Reserve of €3.2 million. DAFM paid an additional €21,837 to farmers for the 2024 Eco Scheme, bringing the overall amount issued to €308.36 million to 118,755 farmers. €28,384 was also paid last week for the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) and Areas of Specific Constraint (ASC). While a further €7,500 was issued to farmers who participated in last year's Baling Assistance Payment (BAP).
Agriland
14 hours ago
- Agriland
Macra sets out stance on CAP payments for pensioner farmers
Macra has called for "mandatory" farm succession plans for farmers over 63 and "transition payments" for farmers from 67-70 years-of-age. Responding to a query from Agriland on Macra's stance on support payments to farmers in receipt of a pension, Macra national president Josephine O'Neill outlined the rural youth organisation's position. She said: "We need to examine this in the context of creating opportunities to facilitate generational renewal and collaborative arrangements between younger and older farmers plus the reality of a reduced Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget. Last month, the European Commission presented its Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) - the EU's long-term budget - which proposed to end farm support payments for farmers once they reach pension age. The Macra leader told Agriland that the rural youth organisation previously proposed a mechanism to the EU Commission for this current CAP programme (2023-2027), which aimed "to encourage succession planning among older farmers". The Macra proposal involves a farm-succession model, which aims to accommodate the needs of older farmers and improve access to land for young farmers. The key aspects of Macra's CAP policy proposal to improve generational renewal include: Once a farmer reaches the age of 63, it becomes mandatory to complete a farm succession plan; At the age of 65, farmers avail of a transition payment up to the age of 70; A farmer that wishes to continue to receive CAP supports beyond the age of 70 would need to get involved in a collaborative arrangement. The Macra president said: "The proposal includes upon reaching 63, it becomes mandatory for all farmers to complete a farm succession plan. "From the age of 65-70, farmers will receive a transition payment in order to both facilitate and support their exit from the industry. "For farmers that wish to continue to receive a CAP payment beyond the age of 70, such a farmer would need to get involved in a collaborative arrangement." The Macra president has told Agriland that Macra will be further discussing the recent EU Commission CAP proposals and examining the range of potential tools available from the Commission to tackle generational renewal. "All options need to be seriously examined so that we can address the lack of young people entering farming," O'Neill said.
Irish Independent
19 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Member states push back against limits on CAP crisis reserve
EU diplomats seek flexibility for farm crisis payouts as capitals reject tighter Commission control over €450m reserve Euractiv EU diplomats are seeking to give capitals more leeway to pay out farmers during crises under the Commission's agriculture simplification package, on which they aim to reach an agreement after the summer break. The Danish Presidency of the Council is optimistic about securing a position on the proposed changes to the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in September or early October, two EU diplomats told Euractiv.
