Young Farmers Scheme

The Young Farmers Scheme is a payment made to farmers under the age of 40 who are educated in agriculture to help them succeed in farming. It can be paid for up to 5 years.

To qualify for the Young Farmers Scheme, you must be:

• S/he has submitted a valid 2022 Basic Payment Scheme application under a herd number on which the applicant is included;

• S/he is aged no more than 40 years of age at any time during the calendar year in which s/he first submits an application under the Basic Payment Scheme;

• S/he has successfully completed a recognised course of education in agriculture giving rise to an award at FETAC level 6 or its equivalent by the 16th May 2022 (See section 1.4);

• S/he is setting up as the head of an agricultural holding for the first time or has set up such a holding during the five years preceding the first submission of the Basic Payment Scheme application (see 1..8 of the Terms and Conditions);

• S/he must activate Basic Payment Scheme entitlements in respect of 2022;

• S/he applies for inclusion under the 2022 Young Farmers Scheme by

a) for new applicants submitting an application online via iNet;

b) for applicants who were successful under the 2021 Young Farmers Scheme and are eligible for continued participation in 2022 – by selecting the Young Farmers Scheme option on the 2022 Basic Payment Scheme Application. In the event the Young Farmers Scheme option is not available on the 2022 Basic Payment Scheme application for a continuing participant, the onus is on the applicant to submit a new application via iNet;

c) for applicants for whom there has been a change of registration to the herd number - submitting an application online via iNet.

If you are farming as part of a group, for example a partnership or a company, the group may be eligible for the scheme if you solely or jointly control decisions on the management, benefits and financial risks of the group. You must comply with the conditions of the scheme

The Young Farmers Scheme payment is calculated as 25% of the national average payment per hectare multiplied by your number of eligible hectares up to a maximum of 50.

Applications under the National Reserve scheme must be submitted on or before 16 May 2022 through agfood.ie.

If your login or password are expired and need to be renewed please contact the Department’s helpdesk at 057 8674422. Alternatively, you can authorise an agricultural consultant or Teagasc advisor to apply on your behalf.

2022

Terms and Conditions for previous years

2019 National Reserve (Young Farmer/New Entrant) and Young Farmers Scheme Terms and Conditions

2022

2021

Alternatively, you can authorise an agricultural consultant or Teagasc advisor to apply on your behalf.

New applicants, or previously successful applicants who have changed the registration details of their herd number, are required to complete a separate application on the site.