Young Farmer Definition
Young Farmers definition and supplementary payment ('YFSP')
From April 2015, young farmers may be entitled to a supplementary payment of 25% of the appropriate full flat rate payment for a maximum of 195 acres or £4,000, whichever is the lowest:
| Scheme year | BML rate £/acre | AML rate £/acre | Max payment |
| 2015 and thereafter | £19.55 | £3.26 | £4,000 |
Under ADS, "young farmer" means someone who:
- meets the conditions for eligibility under the Scheme
- is at least 18 years old but who has not reached their 41st birthday or will not reach that birthday in the Scheme year in which the claim is made
- took control of their farm business within the 5 year period before their first application under Agricultural Development Scheme 2015 or under the Countryside Care Scheme 2009
The supplementary payment is only payable for a maximum of 5 consecutive years. A claim will not be accepted where, to the satisfaction of the Department, the conditions attached to the claim have been artificially created with a view to obtaining an advantage contrary to the objectives of the Scheme.
There is an overall young farmers cap of 2% of the scheme budget; in the event of the cap being reached, all young farmer payments would be adjusted pro-rata to stay within this budget.
