2 days ago
Farmers 'frustrated' over exclusion and small payments under Young Farmers Scheme
Farming organisations have called for more to be done regarding the long-established Young Farmers Scheme.
IFA
The IFA (Irish Farmers' Association) has called on agriculture minister Martin Heydon to deliver a more ambitious Young Farmers Scheme.
IFA rural development chair John Curran said: 'After years in the making and countless political promises to finally support 'forgotten farmers', we've a scheme on the table that falls far short of expectations and will again exclude many farmers from necessary support.
"Our regional offices are getting calls daily from frustrated farmers, with complaints over those excluded, the short window to apply, and small potential payment, etc.
'We've looked for a meeting with the minister to try to get some resolution here. Our view is clear. Commitments made in Budget 2025 for increased funding allocations will need to be honoured.
A more ambitious Young Farmer Scheme has to be delivered that caters for all eligible farmers, including those starting out in 2008 and thereafter. The support must be at least equivalent to what they would have received under the installation aid,' Mr Curran added.
Mr Curran also said the three-week application window, which ends August 13, is far too tight for farmers to secure documentation and submit their applications online.
'Farmers are finding it difficult to get queries addressed and assemble the required supporting documentation (eg educational qualifications, etc) to accompany applications. This must be extended to a more realistic timeframe,' he added.
ICMSA
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) has doubled down on the issues with the deadline, with deputy president Eamon Carroll repeating his call for an extension for the application deadlines.
Mr Carroll said the deadline for applications should be pushed back to the end of September to accommodate farmers who are scrambling to find the necessary documentation to apply, which is proving near impossible within the time frame set out by the Department of Agriculture.
He said: 'There are numerous instances where farmers who are trying to apply for the scheme can't contact their advisers who are on normal holidays. Even more frustrating are the cases where farmers are trying to attain their relevant records from their agriculture college that are closed over the summer.
"It would surely make sense for the application deadline to be pushed to at least 30 September when normal administration resumes, and it would be that much easier to access the records and information that the department itself is insisting accompany applications to the scheme?'
Mr Carroll said the scheme's introduction was a step in the right direction, but the unrealistic deadline had wiped out any good intentions the announcement represented. He added it was 'very obvious' some form of phase two should be added to the scheme to accommodate those who were excluded within the current requirements of the scheme.
'There is still significant concern that the 'cut-off' date of December 31, 2007, has excluded many farmers — the very individuals who began farming just as we were about to enter a period of national economic hardship, with very limited supports for young farmers.
"In the context of the calls and feedback we are getting, that are surely being communicated to the other stakeholders, it's very obvious that we need a second tranche or phase two that deals with those individuals.
"We don't think the numbers are excessive, and neither would the amounts involved. But they have a completely valid case to be covered, and we think that on reflection the minister would be wise to fix all the problem, once and for all,' Mr Carroll added.
