New inheritance-forestry

proteuspal

Hi all. my query is about inheriting some land and I'm considering planting about 10 hectares of it. Please note, I have never had the herd number in my name. Land currently rented to a 3rd party.
I have read about the forestry grants and premiums and that side is fairly self explanatory.
My main query relates to how forestry integrates with the basic payment scheme (BPS). I have read every article from Teagasc that I can find online about this and it doesn't answer my query. Teagasc say that you can now continue to retain the BPS payment on the planted land, as long as that land was in receipt of a single payment scheme payment back in 2008. Now this is where my main query is-the land definitely was paid as part of the SPS back in 2008, but it was the 3rd party who would have been in receipt of the payment, not me...

1) can anyone advise the best way forward-in this case, would it be possible to obtain BPS alongside the forestry? Once I inherit, would I need to first farm the land as normal for a couple of years in order to obtain the BPS under my own name first, then look at forestry after that? it looks to me that if a lad has been farming the plot for a few years, is claiming BPS, he can plant that plot and then gain the forestry grants/premiums in addition to BPS, so as a new owner of the plot, I would see it as fairly unfair that someone else can get the BPS but I could not. Can someone clarify?

2) I noticed that they have removed the need to retain 10% of the land in agriculture, so clearly there is a drive to allow lands to be used for forestry purposes. If they plan to allow BPS to be paid on afforested lands, but have removed the need to retain 10% of land in other forms of agriculture, then surely there is then no need to meet the criteria for having a herd number, i.e. the need for cattle crushes etc?

thanks to all

redbeaard

1)Would it be possible to obtain BPS alongside the forestry?

Yes, but you need a herd number and entitlements. Entitlements are complicated. If you qualify as a young farmer (under 40 with some agri qualification) then you may get free entitlements. Otherwise you would have to buy or rent entitlements. I don't know how long you would have to farm it for in order to qualify, I sure there's some fine print there somewhere for that. It doesn't matter who claimed the SFP in 2008 as long as it was on the land in question.

I would see it as fairly unfair that someone else can get the BPS but I could not. Can someone clarify?

This was put in place to incentivise farmers to plant. You cant give a SFP to someone who's not a farmer, simple. If you thing that's unfair then imagine all the farmers who planted their land in 2008 and before who don't get the SFP on their planted land once it was planted.

2) I noticed that they have removed the need to retain 10% of the land in agriculture, so clearly there is a drive to allow lands to be used for forestry purposes. If they plan to allow BPS to be paid on afforested lands, but have removed the need to retain 10% of land in other forms of agriculture, then surely there is then no need to meet the criteria for having a herd number, i.e. the need for cattle crushes etc?

Same as before, you can't give a farm grant to a non-farmer.

Teagasc will be able to advise you better on all this, I'm no expert. Get in contact with your local office and they'll put you through to the relevant advisor and a chat is free.