Forgotten farmers: 'It's a shame what they've done to us'

At a farmer meeting in Co. Roscommon this week the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform post-2020 was a hot topic for discussion.

Specifically, the issue of “forgotten farmers” was brought up, with one speaker from the floor challenging the speakers on what can be done to support this cohort of younger farmers.

Speaking to AgriLand after the event, local beef farmer Trevor Kelly said: “There’s plenty of money to be saved if [Government] wants to save it.”

The forgotten farmers are a group of young farmers under the age of 40 that have been farming for five years or more – yet they do not qualify for vital young farmer CAP supports because they established their holding prior to 2008.

For years the group has been calling for access to measures under CAP for young farmers – including being able to apply for the National Reserve and for top-up entitlements.

Although the programme for Government contains a commitment to further pursue the category of forgotten farmers at an EU level, those affected remain excluded from the supports.

These farmers should have been looked after. There’s no plan there. There should be research done to see how many farmers are there, and what it will cost to support them. It’s not good enough.

“How can we be at a stage where we don’t know how many of these farmers there are?” he asked.

Previous analysis carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine found that there is an estimated 3,900 farmers in this category.

An estimation of the cost of increasing the value of existing entitlements to the national average for these 3,900 farmers stands at over €12 million.

The meeting – which was held on Monday, April 22, in the parish of Dysart – was co-organised and attended by independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice, who has frequently raised this issue in the media and among his parliamentary colleagues.

Kelly complimented the efforts of deputy Fitzmaurice, but argued that “one man is not enough”.

“The Government is not looking after farmers. It’s up to TDs and the Government to prioritise this. There’s no point blaming Europe. It’s a problem in this country,” he argued.

Personal experience

Kelly, who turns 40 this year, spoke from personal experience when describing the challenges faced by forgotten farmers.

He undertook a course to obtain a Green Cert – at considerable cost of time and money, as he also has a full-time job as a butcher, which had to be put on the back-burner at the time.

However, he explains that the Green Cert is now of no use to him.

I was told to get a Green Cert. It cost a lot of money, and took a lot of time. I finished first in that class. But it’s good for nothing. What’s the point of it when there’s no supports in place for me.

Kelly, a former Macra na Feirme Young Farmer of the Year award winner, says that he feels “discriminated” against.

He has also borrowed money to support his business and faces making repayments without additional farming supports.

“Everything has gone haywire. It’s a shame what they’ve done to us,” he concluded.

EU Regulation

The Young Farmer Scheme is the measure which specifically caters for young farmers under Pillar I of CAP.

Under EU regulations the Young Farmers Scheme is available only to young farmers that are setting up an agricultural holding for the first time, or have set up such a holding during the five years preceding the first submission of the Basic Payment Scheme application.

There is no ‘specific disadvantage’ category under the Young Farmers Scheme. Therefore this scheme is not available to young farmers who commenced their farming activity prior to January 1, 2010.