Macra na Feirme urges young farmers to start Green Cert urgently
The deadline for starting the Green Cert has been moved forward from September 30, 2016, to December 31, 2015.
Teagasc is arranging to enrol all those who need to start the Green Cert before the end of this year.
The Department of Agriculture has confirmed that 2015 applicants for the National Reserve Scheme (NR) and Young Farmer Scheme (YFS) will need to enrol in a Green Cert, or equivalent programme, before the end of 2015 to fulfil the scheme conditions.
Teagasc estimates there are some 1,200 YFS/NR scheme applicants on Teagasc lists who will need to enrol by the end of the year. Teagasc is preparing to cater for this level of enrolment.
Teagasc offer clarification after changes in Green Cert rules https://t.co/GHbQy75HlW
— Irish Farmers Journal (@farmersjournal) November 11, 2015
Macra says the change has caused much confusion among young farmers, and it is urging the Department of Agriculture to write to all affected young farmers to advise them of this change.
Teagasc sent out application forms earlier this autumn to scheme applicants. It will now write again to those who have not yet returned an application form.
Macra notes that the Department of Agriculture and Teagasc are discussing a combined registration and course commencement day for young farmers before the end of the year.
This would enable young farmers to register and attend a course on a single day, thus fulfilling the requirement to have started in 2015.
Bryan Hynes, chairperson of Macra na Feirme’s agricultural affairs committee, said: “All young farmers who have applied for the young farmer top-up and national reserve in 2015 need to make sure that they have registered and started their agricultural education in 2015.
“This is a change from the previous understanding and has been clarified by the Department of Agriculture.”
Macra says Teagasc has also clarified that some level of course fee needs to be made by applicants in 2015 to prove the fact that their agricultural education course had started.
