Macra wants ‘young farmer’ term to focus on education

The term ‘young farmer’ should be redefined by the EU to replace the five-year rule with a greater focus on agricultural education, says Macra na Feirme.

Macra’s leaders have long disputed the logic of paying successful applicants under the Young Farmer Scheme for a maximum of five years, dated from the year of setting up the holding. A new Macra policy paper urges the EU to abolish the five-year rule and instead say a mandatory agricultural education requirement for all young farmers be applied in all members states.

Macra has launched a policy paper ‘Cap 2020: Young Farmer Road Map for Generational Renewal’, which calls for all Cap 2020 measures to be young farmer proofed.