CAP update on Young Farmers

The European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) has recently stated that the new Common Agricultural Policy budget should include mandatory funding for Young Farmers.

The European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) has recently stated that the new Common Agricultural Policy budget should include mandatory funding for Young Farmers.

This funding has been stressed as being fundamental for encouraging new entrants into Agriculture and will apply to farmers under the age of 40.

Direct Payments (Pillar 1) are proposed to be topped up by an extra 25% to these young farmers and has been described as a “buffer” for the new entrants in their first 5 years.

Within Pillar 2, a further support plan has been proposed to get new farming businesses off the ground. This has been described as “Installation Aid” of up to £59,000.

The president of the CEJA, Joris Baecke spoke at the recent Young Farmers National AGM and said he wanted to have “more farmers under the age of 35 running farms.”France was used as an example of how this aid can assist new entrants and revitalise farming. New entrants in France have had this incentive package for several years and the country now has the highest percentage of farmers under 35.

This proposal is now being negotiated by the European Commission, Parliament and Council of which further details will be unveiled in June. The Rostons team will update you as and when negotiations progress.

For further information contact the Rostons office on 01829 773000