Don’t lose time on National Reserve application forms

FARMERS hoping to avail of either the National Reserve Young Farmer or National Reserve New Entrant have been strongly advised this week to ‘move straight away’ on their application homework.

According to a leading Galway agricultural consultant, there is severe pressure on the Dept. of Agriculture to process the volume of herd number changes arriving on their desks by farmers seeking to avail of either scheme.

New Inn Agricultural Consultant Vincent Costello said that the closing date for the National Reserve applications was March 31, 2015, with applicants needing to ‘get to work straight away’ on any herd number changes.

He said that the National Reserve was worth €250 per hectare up to 90 hectares with an additional €60 per hectare in the Young Farmers Scheme.

“Getting herd numbers amended can take time and we are told that there may be a logjam of applications. Anyone interested in those schemes should move straight away on them,” said Vincent Costello.

He said that the different options to be considered by applicants were: A joint herd number; a lease subject to a private contract clause; a partnership or a transfer.

All applications for the schemes are through the Department’s online address that can be completed with the assistance of an agent/agricultural consultant.

To be eligible under the Young Farmers Scheme, the farmer must submit a Basic Payment Scheme application for this year; be aged not more than 40 in 2015; have completed the Green Cert in agriculture or be committed to starting such a course before September 2016.

Vincent Costello said that the applicant must be setting up a holding for the first time in 2015 or have done so within the preceding five years – a farmer setting up for the first time this year will receive the payment until 2019.

However, for example a farmer, who set up in 2012, will receive the payment for 2015/2016 only.

For the National Reserve New Entrant scheme, there is no maximum age restriction of 40 but applicants must have commenced farming in 2013 or later. They must have a herd number registered in their name in 2013 or later and have never had their name on a herd number previously.