ICSA: Forgotten Farmers scheme welcome 'albeit long overdue'
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) has welcomed the confirmation that a scheme for so-called 'Forgotten Farmers' will open for applications from today (Tuesday, July 22).
The ICSA said that the scheme has been "long overdue" for a group of farmers who "did everything right".
Earlier today, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced that a scheme to support Long Established Young Farmers – or ‘Forgotten Farmers’ – is open for submission of online applications as of today.
The department was allocated €5 million in Budget 2025 to provide support to this group. Applicants can avail of a payment of up to €5,000 (depending on application numbers).
Online applications can be submitted until 5.30p.m on August 13.
The Long Established Young Farmers, or Forgotten Farmers, is a group defined as young farmers who were under the age of 40 in 2015, had commenced in agriculture prior to 2008, did not receive young farmer installation aid, and were not eligible for young farmer supports under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) from 2015 due to the date they had first set up in agriculture.
Commenting on the scheme, ICSA president Sean McNamara said that the scheme is "a very welcome development, albeit one that is long overdue".
"We in ICSA have consistently campaigned for justice for this cohort of farmers who were unfairly excluded from young farmer supports under the last CAP due to a technical anomaly with dates.
"While this €5 million scheme is limited in scope and capped at €5,000 per applicant, it is a recognition, finally, of the injustice these farmers have faced for nearly a decade," McNamara added.
"It is important to stress that these farmers did everything right. They were under 40 in 2015, had the required education, and were actively farming before 2008," he said.
"Yet, because they began farming ‘too soon’ to qualify under arbitrary CAP cut-off points, they were locked out of supports that their peers received," the ICSA president added.
"This anomaly created a totally unfair situation, and it’s only right that we now see a measure to partially redress that.
However, he also said that the scheme "won’t fully undo the hardship caused by years of exclusion", although it is a "step in the right direction".
McNamara called on all eligible farmers to apply without delay, saying the application window is "relatively short".
