31-07-2025
DAFM: Over 2,700 applications to scheme for young farmers
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has received 2,729 applications under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS) 3 Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS).
A spokesperson for DAFM told Agriland that the department has also received 722 payment claims, and paid out on 544 claims.
"The average time from submission of a payment claim to the issue of the payment is 62 days, which is within the timelines set out in the Farmers' Charter," the spokesperson said.
According to DAFM, the scheme provides financial help to young farmers to upgrade their agricultural buildings and equipment.
It also helps young farmers to meet the capital costs associated with the establishment of their enterprises, as well as improving efficiency, driving growth, and creating environmental benefits.
DAFM has said that the scheme is open to farmers who are aged over 18 and under 41 at the date of submitting the application.
The farmer must own or have leasehold title to the site on which it is proposed to carry out the development, have a minimum of 5ha declared under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) or the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) or equivalent in the year of application or preceding year.
Separately, last week (July 23) the government unveiled the revised National Development Plan (NDP), which will see a total investment of €275.4 billion from 2026 to 2035.
Under the revised plan the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's (DAFM's) new five-year capital allocation will stand at €1.625 billion.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said that the NDP will support economic, social, and environmental development in rural and coastal communities.
'The NDP allocation that I secured for my department will contribute to improved competitiveness, including through research and innovation, capital investment at industry level to support international market diversification, and investment to meet climate and environmental obligations,' he said.
