Minister Heydon announces commencement of Year Two payments under the Knowledge Transfer Programme
- Foilsithe:
- An t-eolas is déanaí:
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, has today announced that payments in respect of the second year of the Knowledge Transfer (KT) Programme have commenced.
Minister Heydon commented:
“I can confirm that participant payments in relation to year two of the Knowledge Transfer Programme have now commenced. I am pleased to note that these payments are commencing on schedule and in line with our commitment in the Farmers Charter.”
The Knowledge Transfer Programme is not just about financial support – it is about bringing farmers together – to exchange ideas, learn from one another and take a joined-up approach to agricultural advancement.
The Minister added:
“This programme is central to helping farmers develop the skills and knowledge to meet real challenges - sustainability, productivity, and competitiveness. But it goes beyond the farm gate. It’s an investment in people, and the result is a stronger, more connected farming community.”
Given the structure of the programme, payments to KT participants are now commencing, with payments for KT facilitators to commence mid-year. It is a European Union regulatory requirement that the payment for farmers in KT Groups must be paid to farmers via the facilitator of their Knowledge Transfer Group. Thus, individual farmer or participant payments will issue to the KT facilitator who will then pass this KT payment to the farmer. Where a farmer has met all the requirements of year two (2025) of the programme, the payment is €750.
Year three of the programme is currently underway and the Minister reminded participants they must attend at least eight meetings and have their one-to-one meeting completed by 31 December 2026. The Minister also reminded KT facilitators to ensure they hold the correct number and types of meetings and upload appropriate documentation on time.
ENDS
Notes for Editor
Payments to the value of €3.16m have issued today in respect of 4,613 participants for Year 2 of the Knowledge Transfer Programme.
EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP)
The EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) is a partnership between society and agriculture that ensures a stable supply of food, safeguards farmers’ income, protects the environment and keeps rural areas vibrant. EU countries implement the CAP at national level with a tailored CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027.
Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan is co-funded by the EU and the Government of Ireland 2023-2027. For more information, visit www.gov.ie/cap.