The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) is proposing to delay the introduction of a new measure in the Countryside Care Scheme by a year to assist farmers with the transition.
 
Tynwald will be asked to support improvements to the scheme when it sits this week.
 
Among the changes – drawn up by DEFA after public consultation – is the introduction of an ‘active farmer’ requirement, meaning payments go to those managing land and carrying out agricultural activity, rather than landlords or those not engaged in agricultural activity.
 
Richard Ronan MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, said: ‘The inclusion of the “active farmer” requirement is widely welcomed by the industry. However, as the 2015-16 scheme comes into operation at the start of the new financial year in just two weeks’ time, it’s recognised that businesses need more time to adjust.
 
‘We have listened to farmers’ concerns and will ask Tynwald – when considering the new-look scheme next week – to put this aspect back a year to give farmers more time to adjust to the active farmer proposal.
 
‘The rest of the changes, which include lowering the acreage needed to qualify for payment, weighting payments to smaller farms and offering additional support for young farmers, would be introduced immediately.’
 
Brian Brumby, President of the Manx National Farmers’ Union, said: ‘Members fully endorse the active farmer requirement but identified issues with such rapid implementation. I am pleased this solution has been identified and the union will work with DEFA to ensure the requirement is implemented next year.’
 
The scheme will, subject to Tynwald’s approval, be renamed the Agricultural Development Scheme. It will support farmers to become market-focused while helping them to manage the landscape and will be a key component in delivering the Food Matters strategy to grow the food and drink sector by ?50 million over the next 10 years.
 
Proposed changes to the scheme can be viewed at http://www.gov.im/backgroundccs