NEARLY 450 of the so-called ‘Forgotten Farmers’ received Dept. of Agriculture payments last week, up to a maximum of €5,000 per applicant.

The ‘Forgotten Farmers’ are a group who were under the age of 40 in 2015, and who had started farming prior to 2008 – they didn’t receive Young Farmer Installation aid and weren’t eligible for Young Farmer Supports under CAP.

A combination of tight EU regulations and national eligibility criteria excluded this group of farmers from the normal supports that such a group would receive.

In the Programme for Government, 2025, a budget allocation of €5 million was made for the ‘Forgotten Farmers’ – officially called the ‘Long Established Young Farmers’ – to make a once-off compensatory payment to those who had lost out on the supports.

Last week, the Dept. of Agriculture confirmed that there were 445 successful applications from the ‘Forgotten Farmers’ with a maximum individual payment of €5,000.

Even if each of the applicants received the maximum payment, the total payout would amount to €2.225 million – less than half of the budget allocation.

Earlier this year, the IFA said that the scheme was far too restrictive and limited and stated that a major area of concern was the fact that young farmers who had started farming after 2008 were excluded from applying.

The IFA also complained that given the timelines involved, many of those who should be eligible for inclusion, were finding it difficult to get the necessary paperwork and documentation in place.

In a statement issued by the Dept. of Agriculture last week, they said that ‘The Programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland’s Future’, contained a commitment to deliver a scheme that recognises the category of farmers known as the Forgotten Farmers.

“A payment of the maximum amount of €5,000 per successful applicant, as provided for in the scheme terms and conditions, has issued to 445 successful applicants to deliver on the Programme for Government commitment,” the Department stated.

In order to be eligible for the scheme, applicants had to:

■ Have submitted a Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application under a herd number in 2025.

■ Have submitted an application under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in 2015 under a herd number.

■ Be aged no more than 40 in 2015 (born on or after January 1, 1975).

■ Have set up as the head of an agricultural holding for the first time on or before December 31st, 2007.

■ Have successfully completed a recognised agricultural education course at FETAC Level 6 or equivalent by May 29, 2015.

■  Not previously benefited under the Young Farmer Installation Aid Scheme.

■  Not benefited under the Basic Payment Scheme National Reserve, including allocations under the so-called ‘Scottish Derogation’ (which was for persons who never held entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme but who actively farmed in 2013).

Pictured: The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has confirmed that those who are eligible for the “forgotten farmers” scheme will receive payments.