I propose to take Questions Nos. 740, 744, 748, 754, 758, 760, 772, 773, 776 and 778 together.
The farmer definition as defined in section 6.8 of the Afforestation Scheme document 2023 – 2027 requires the applicant to have been an approved participant in the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) Scheme in the application year and an approved participant in either BISS or the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in the previous four years. This farmer definition as defined by my Department only applies to the Afforestation scheme. It does not affect other schemes within my Department and was not requested by the European Commission.
The active farmer check used is the active farmer check required for Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS). It is defined in section 10 of the BISS 2023 terms and conditions, linked here at: www.gov.ie/en/service/4ae67-basic-income-support-for-sustainability-biss-scheme/
I do not foresee this farmer definition being a disincentive to those commencing farming. New and young farmers who do not meet the criteria to be in BISS or BPS the previous four years will only need to be in BISS or BPS from the year they were approved members of either the Young Farmer schemes or the National Reserve for new and young farmer schemes until the year of their afforestation application. This will continue for the lifetime of the Afforestation Scheme 2023 – 2027.
To encourage Forestry to be part of the next generation of farmers plans, applicants of inherited or planned inheritance (gifted) land, will benefit from the succession/inheritance rules relating to immediate family members and will be able to fulfil the farmer qualifying criteria. The FAQs on the new forestry programme will be updated to elaborate on the detail of the farmer definition following clarification sought by stakeholders and interested parties.
My Department currently does not have the figures available for the number of new farmers for 2023. These figures will not be known until the Department make final approvals in November 2023.
My Department will work to ensure that new farmers can avail of Forestry as part of the Afforestation Scheme 2023-2027, and that as many as possible new farmers meet the criteria to be defined as a farmer under the scheme so that they receive farmer rates of premiums. I want to ensure that the farmer differential benefits farmers directly and exclusively.