Agricultural Development Scheme

The Agricultural Development Scheme (formerly the Countryside Care Scheme) forms one of the components of the Policy for Manx Agriculture which was approved by Tynwald in April 2008. The Scheme was approved by Tynwald in December 2008 and implemented from 1 April 2009.

Details of the full Scheme plus its associated government circulars can be found by clicking on Legislative Background on this site.

Eligibility Criteria for 2016 onwards

• from 1 April 2016, an applicant must be an active farmer
  
  
• an applicant must have at their disposal, on 4 May in each Scheme year, the eligible land which is subject to the claim
  
  
• all land in the Isle of Man at the applicant’s disposal on the 4 May in each Scheme year must be declared by means of a valid application; regardless of the eligibility of such land
  
  
• an applicant under the Scheme must make a valid application to the Scheme in such form and timescale as the Department may require
  
  
• the land must consist of at least the minimum area of 12.5 eligible acres
  
  
• the Department is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the land which is the subject of the claim is not materially altered from that indicated in the aerial survey

The ‘flat rate’ payment rate has now been defined which has allowed the creation of a budget which will facilitate the implementation of the Food Strategy. 

The Scheme will also introduce a system which redistributes payments ('front-loading') providing enhanced payments for smaller or more intensive farms. 

Young Farmers will also receive a Supplementary Payment of up to an additional 25% (up to a maximum of £4,000) for a maximum period of 5 consecutive years. 

2024 Registration

If you wish to register for the 2024/25 Agricultural Development Scheme, please notify us by phone, letter or email and complete an Agriculture Business Registration Form and return it to the Department. You can use the link to complete the form and return it to the Department by email or by post or you can contact us and we will post out a copy to you.

If we have received a completed Agriculture Business Registration Form from you and you received notification of your new Agricultural Business number before Thursday 29 February 2024, you will be sent a 2024/25 New Applicants Claim Form in the post at the end of April 2024.

If we have received a completed Agriculture Business Registration Form from you after Thursday 29 February 2024, you will need to complete the ADS New Applicants – 2024 Application Booklet on our website.  Please ensure you return the completed booklet to the Department before Saturday 11 May 2024.  You will find further information for new applicants and the Claim Form Guidance Notes here.

For further information on the Agricultural Development Scheme, please contact us: