There are benefits accruing to young farmers in a farm partnership under both Pillar I and Pillar II of the Common Agricultural Policy and the Minister for Agriculture outlined these partnership benefits recently.

With regard to Pillar I the following is relevant for those in or looking at a farm partnership setup:

Pillar I

Young farmers, farming in a partnership including a farm partnership with a parent, who fulfil the conditions set out above, are eligible for participation in both the National Reserve young farmer priority category and the Young Farmers’ Scheme.

Successful farm partnership applicants will potentially be eligible for an allocation of entitlements at the National Average value on land for which they hold no entitlements (on the basis of 1 entitlement for 1 hectare of eligible land declared).

In respect of existing owned entitlements with a value below the National Average, they will potentially receive a top up whereby the value of those entitlements will be increased to the National Average value.

The allocation of entitlements and the 25% top-up to the value of existing entitlements is subject to a maximum of 90. A successful applicant under the Young Farmers Scheme will receive payment under the Scheme for a maximum period of five years based on their date of setting up the holding.

With regard to Pillar II the following information for a farm partnership is relevant:

Pillar II – Rural Development Programme

Anyone looking at a farm partnership should note that one of the proposals in Ireland’s draft Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, which is now with the EU Commission for approval, is an enhanced capital investment scheme for young farmers under the TAMS measures.

The new scheme will offer a specific grant rate of 60% compared to the standard grant rate of 40% which will be generally available under other on-farm investment schemes. The specific areas of investment available to young farmers will include animal housing, slurry storage, dairy equipment, specialised slurry spreading equipment, animal welfare and farm safety, and specialised pig and poultry investments, as well as capital investments for organic farmers.

In addition, young farmers will be able to avail of grant-aid for construction of new dairy buildings. Young farmers farming in a partnership including a farm partnership with a parent, registered with the Minister’s Department will also be able to avail of the full suite of investments under this Scheme and also avail of a doubling of the investment ceiling.

The EU Commission approval referred to above will be required before any new national measures are introduced on the basis of the Programme. It is expected that approval from the EU Commission will issue shortly.

Areas of Natural Constraint

Under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme, which has replaced the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, special provision is made for applicants, who are in a farm partnership and registered under Irish National Regulations.

The payment to the farm partnership under that Scheme will comprise of total individual calculations based on the area of ANC land each partner contributes to the farm partnership and individual threshold limits will apply at measure level for individual farm partnership members.