€1m Funds Available for 2011 National Reserve – IFA

Following a meeting of the Single Payment Advisory Committee in the Department of Agriculture last week, IFA National Livestock Committee Chairman Michael Doran said the Committee is recommending that the 2011 National reserve would have two categories A and B similar to previous years.

These categories will allocate Single Farm Payment entitlements to New Entrants and farmers who inherit or acquire free of charge land that was leased out under the Early Retirement Scheme during the 2000 – 2002 reference period.

Michael Doran said last year 276 applicants were successful in obtaining entitlements to the value of €850,453 from the Reserve, worth an average of €3,081 each. He said the Department confirmed that there will be up to €1m available for distribution from the 2011 reserve.

Michael Doran said the Department expect the applications forms with the terms + conditions to be available in the next 10 days, as soon as the scheme has been signed off by the Minister for Agriculture.

For 2010, 14 applicants were successful under Category A and 262 under Category B New Entrants, receiving €798,304. There are a number of cases still to be finalised from the 2010 scheme.

The IFA livestock leader said for the main category of applicants, New Entrants will apply to farmers who commenced farming since 15th May 2008 and have not pursued any agricultural activity at their own risk for a period of five years prior to this commencement date and who fulfil certain educational qualifications. The off-farm income shall not exceed €30,000 and total income (farm and off-farm) shall not exceed €40,000. A cap of €5,000 will apply to eligible applicants and if the scheme is oversubscribed a linear cut will apply