The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has criticised the Northern Irish government over the lack of support available to young farmers in 2026.
The union voiced their criticism to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in light of the closure of the Young Farmers’ Payment and Regional Reserve scheme at the end of last year and the upcoming closure of the Farming for Generations pilot scheme next month.
According to the UFU, this has resulted in a situation where there is “no meaningful support in place for young farmers this year”.
The union labelled the situation as “an incredible failure of policy planning” on DAERA’s end, when generational renewal is being “actively promoted” by the department.
UFU
William Irvine, UFU president, said: “It is simply unacceptable that we are starting 2026 with nothing in place for young farmers at a time when everyone is talking about generational renewal.”
Following its pilot scheme, the Farming for the Generations is not expected to be operational until 2027, which is a delay that UFU said it raised concerns about.
“We warned DAERA this would happen and we raised serious concerns over the pilot; unfortunately those warnings have not been acted upon,” Irvine added.
Young Farmers’ Payment and Regional Reserve
In response to the scheme closures, UFU has called on DAERA to urgently extend the Young Farmers’ Payment and Regional Reserve into the 2026 scheme year, as an interim measure until a new Farming for the Generations scheme is fully established.
The UFU president claimed that an extension of the scheme “would provide continuity, certainty and a clear signal that government is serious about supporting young people in farming.”
According to Irvine, there is also “deep frustration” among UFU members in regard to the number of appeals for the scheme that are reportedly stuck in the system, which has left many farm businesses “in financial and legal limbo”.
Irvine noted that this backlog has not only caused stress for young farmers but it has also affected their “cashflow, business planning, and confidence in the entire support system”.
He added: “These cases must be dealt with as a matter of urgency.”
Farming for the Generations
The UFU outlined that it is currently in discussions with DAERA on the next iteration of the Farming for the Generations scheme.
The union has also called on DAERA to ensure that its policy direction does not become too focused on professional services and legal restructuring, but instead prioritises direct financial support and real-world family farm structures.
Irvine explained: “Many farms operate with multiple generations actively working together, even if ownership hasn’t formally transferred for very valid tax, pension or certainty reasons.
“Support must reflect how farms actually function, not force families into artificial structures just to satisfy scheme rules.
“Farm profitability and business confidence are the foundations of generational renewal; without practical, timely and well-designed support, no amount of strategy documents or pilot schemes will persuade young people that farming has a future in Northern Ireland.”
DAERA
Speaking to Agriland, a DAERA spokesperson stated that successful applicants to the Young Farmers’ Payment scheme will receive their top-up payments for a further five years.
The spokesperson acknowledged that the pilot Farming for the Generations scheme is scheduled to conclude in March this year, and will be evaluated to help inform the development of the new version of the scheme.
DAERA outlined that the full Farming for the Generations scheme is “planned for launch before the end of the 2026/2027 year, subject to all necessary approvals being in place.”
