The Women in Agriculture Stakeholders Group (WASG) is calling on Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, to review the set age limit for female farmers.
At present the age limit associated with female farmers accessing the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) is 66. According to the group, they had previously lobbied the minister when an earlier iteration of Ireland’s Strategic Plan proposed a qualifying age for female farmers of 40 to 55 in order to avail of the 60% grant. The end result of the action led to the Minister increasing the 55-year age limit to 66, however the group has changed its stance and has called on the Minister to remove the age restriction altogether.
WASG chair, Hannah Quinn-Mulligan, says what is key to all of this is ensuring that older female farmers are firstly, acknowledged for the work they have done and secondly, that they get onto a farm partnership and that there are no restrictions to this. Quinn-Mulligan states that while generational renewal is extremely important, ensuring that women who have farmed their whole lives should be given recognition and opportunities similar to their male counterparts.
Ireland is just one of two countries to seek specific supports for female farmers in their CAP Strategic Plans, claims the WASG chair.
At 60%, the TAMS grant that is proposed for female farmers is 20% higher than what will be available to male farmers over the age of 40, who will be entitled 40%.
LSL News.