The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has clarified its position in respect of changes to the Young Farmers’ Payment (YFP) 2018.
A department spokesman said the follow-up announcement is the result of additional information received from the EU Commission regarding changes to regulations – agreed in Brussels last December.
The latest information alters what was previously announced.
The department had previously announced that successful applicants of the YFP would now be eligible to receive payment for all five years following their first successful application to the scheme – including retrospective years.
The previous position
Under previous rules, this five-year period would have been reduced if the young farmer had been farming as the head of a holding for a time before first submitting an application.
The department intends to get in contact with applicants affected by this rule change and will offer advise on how to make an application through the 2018 Single Application Form online.
The five-year payment period is subject to applicants continuing to meet the eligibility conditions of the scheme during this time.
A department spokesman added that any future changes to EU legislation, or future decisions on agricultural support policy, made by the UK Government and Northern Ireland Assembly post Brexit could change this position.