A scheme aimed at supporting farmers comes before Tynwald this month.

An acknowledgement of the growing cider market is part of a new agricultural development fund that will replace the countryside care scheme.

More than 350 recipients should benefit from funding.

Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister Richard Ronan said the scheme would provide stability during a transition from a production-based to a market-focused system, adding: 'This market focus also supports my department’s strategy to grow the Isle of Man food and drink industry by ?50 million, which was unanimously approved by Tynwald in November 2014.'

The new scheme lowers the qualifying threshold to 12.5 acres in line with schemes in EU member states, introduces a model of ‘front-loading’, or weighting, payments to smaller farms, and redirects ?350,000 of the budget to enable DEFA to support businesses, in line with the Food Matters strategy’s aims to stimulate growth, innovation and profitability in the food sector.

It will run beyond 2018, which was the original expiry date and will introduce an ‘active farmer’ clause, to target payments to those managing land and carrying out agricultural activity. Orchards are being included to encourage crop diversification, acknowledging the new cider market, and additional support being introduced for young farmers, similar to the EU, with 25 per cent additional area payments up to a maximum of ?4,000 for five years for those eligible.


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