Young farmers in Northern Ireland face a year without dedicated support in 2026, according to the Ulster Farmers’ Union. The union denounces serious failures in DAERA’s policy planning.
The UFU said the expiry of the scheme and delays in replacement funding have combined to create harmful disparities as the government aggressively pushes for generational change.
DAERA’s Farming for the Generations pilot scheme was scheduled to run for a limited time until March 2026, but both the young farmer payments and the regional reserves ended after the 2025 scheme year.
The union said this meant young farmers would not receive meaningful support for the remainder of 2026, and a full intergenerational farming plan was not expected to be implemented until 2027.
UFU President William Irvine said the situation was unacceptable. “It is completely unacceptable to go into 2026 without anything in place for young farmers,” he said.
“At a time when everyone is talking about generational change, we warned DAERA that something like this would happen. We raised serious concerns about pilots. Unfortunately, those warnings have not been reflected.”
The UFU is calling on DAERA to extend payments to young farmers and regional reserves until the 2026 scheme year as an interim solution.
Mr Irvine said this would provide stability until long-term plans were finalized.
“The solution is simple,” he said. “Please carry over the Young Farmer Benefit and Regional Reserve Funds until 2026. This will provide continuity and certainty and send a clear signal that the Government is serious about supporting young people into farming.”
The union also pointed to a growing backlog of appeals from young farmers and community reserves, leaving companies waiting months for decisions and payments.
“There are also young farmers and family farmers who are still waiting on appeals that are unclear,” Irvine said.
“This is not just stressful, it impacts cash flow, business planning, and confidence in the entire support system.”
UFU said it continues to consult with DAERA on future intergenerational farming plans and supports the overall objective of promoting generational change.
DAERA previously said work was underway to develop a long-term plan following the pilot phase.
However, the UFU warned that the new policy direction risks placing too much emphasis on professional services and legal restructuring, rather than direct financial support that reflects the way family farms operate.
“Succession is a process, not a single legal event,” Irvine said.
“Many farms are run by multiple generations actively working together, even where ownership has not been formally transferred for legitimate reasons such as taxes, pensions or certainty.”
He said future aid needs to recognize real-world agricultural structures, rather than forcing families into agreements just to meet the system’s standards.
“Farm profitability and business trust are the cornerstones of generational change,” Irvine said.
“Without practical, timely and well-designed support, no amount of strategy documents or pilot plans will convince young people that there is a future for agriculture in Northern Ireland.”
