The Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney said again this week that he cannot extend the strict criteria for access to the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme.

According to the Minister the definition of the Young Farmer is set out in the EU Regulations and establishes the criteria for increasing the grant aid to 60%.

This is confined to farmers who have met the requirements of set-up for the first time within five years of the receipt of an application under the Young Farmer Scheme.

The Minister said he does not have scope to extend the criteria.

Also Read: Do you qualify for the new young farmer grants?

However,  he said he is aware that there are a number of farmers who have missed out on previous grant schemes and I intend to prioritise their applications under all of the other TAMS schemes where the grant rate is payable at 40%.

In this regard, he said grants towards the cost of construction of new animal housing are available under the Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme, at the rate of 40%.

Regulation

In accordance with the EU Regulations governing the National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme, a young farmer is defined as a farmer aged no more than 40 years of age in the year when s/he first submits an application under the Basic Payment Scheme and who commenced their farming activity no more than five years prior to submitting that application.

The regulation also provides that priority under the National Reserve is given to ‘young farmers’ and to ‘new entrants to farming’.

A new entrant is defined as a farmer who commenced their agricultural activity during the previous two years.