EU to give young farmers grants

Macra na Feirme have welcomed today's confirmation by the Department of Agriculture, that the EU Commission's technical working group on the Fischler proposals, have agreed to grant entitlements to young farmers who entered farming since January 1, 2000.

Macra's Agricultural Affairs Committee Chairman, Mr Raymond Brady said that the resolution of this issue had been one of Macra's key demands in recent meetings with Dr Franz Fischler, Minister Walsh and EU Commission official Dr Tassos Haniotis.

Mr Brady said: "Under the altered Commission proposal these farmers will be given entitlements based on their average annual draw down in the reference years in which they were farming."

Macra also received assurances that there was not threat to the entitlements of farmers who have been farming land leased from retired farmers.

"The Department of Agriculture were clear that neither they, nor the commission, would consider giving rights to retired farmers at the expense of those who had been farming their land," said Mr. Brady.

The Department have indicated that they are seeking the creation of additional rights to cater for sons and daughters of retired farmers who want to take up farming when their parents retirement lease expires.

He added: "The commission were also looking at proposals to ensure that there would be an ongoing national reserve of entitlements for new entrants to farming in the years ahead."