Over €190 million was paid out to pension-age Irish farmers in 2025 through the EU Common Agricultural Policy's (CAP's) Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and the Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS).

Almost 40% of BISS applications in 2025 were made by or on behalf of pension-age farmers in Ireland.

Growing numbers of young farmers and new-entrant farmers in Ireland are raising concerns about access to land and support mechanisms available to them, as well as the level of financial support being allocated through CAP to farmers of retirement age.

BISS payments

In light of this, Agriland asked the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) how many farmers over 65 years-of-age are in receipt of a BISS payment in Ireland and how much money is allocated to pension-age farmers through BISS.

Responding to the Agriland query, a DAFM spokesperson said: "In 2025, the Direct Payments Division received 124,238 applications for BISS and other area-based schemes.

"119,080 of these applicants currently hold Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) payment entitlements."

The DAFM spokesperson said that applications for BISS and other area-based schemes can be made by individuals, joint ventures (e.g., partnerships) or companies.

"In 2025, 104,423 applications were received from individuals of which 38,337 were from individuals greater than 65 years-of-age."

DAFM confirmed that farmers over 65 years-of-age were paid a total of €193,817,996.65 under BISS and CRISS.