A decision on a 2017 National Reserve for young farmers and new entrant priority categories is expected in the next week.
Speaking at the meeting of the direct payment advisory committee last week, Macra na Feirme National President Seán Finan said: “Having consulted with young farmers across the country we have identified a clear need for a 2017 National Reserve. We believe we have identified a mechanism to fund it, which would avoid a linear cut to all farmers. This would involve distributing €5.1 million of unused funds from the young farmers top-up and recouping them to create a fund for a 2017 national reserve for the priority categories of new entrants and young farmers.
“The direct payments advisory committee recommend a 2017 National Reserve to Minister Creed. Macra na Feirme and young farmers are very clear that we have to get away from the stop-start nature of young farmer schemes and the opening of a 2017 National Reserve is vitally important for young farmers and their successful futures in the industry.”
