Young farmers can apply for a €60,000 grant from today — conditions, deadlines and common mistakes

Today, 5 October, Latvia’s Rural Support Service (LAD) starts accepting applications for €60,000 in support for young farmers. Applications for the fourth round are open until 3 November, with a total budget of €9.9 million. Projects must be submitted through LAD’s Electronic Application System (EPS).

This is not an automatic payment to every eligible applicant. Projects will compete on points, the budget is divided among LAD’s regional administrations, and funding will go to applications that meet the rules and rank within the available regional budget.

Who may apply for the €60,000?

The programme is designed primarily for a person who becomes the head of an agricultural holding for the first time, establishes an economically viable farm or takes over an existing one. An individual, farm, individual merchant or other legal entity may apply if all programme requirements are met.

• An individual must be no older than 40 on the date of application: being 40 is acceptable, but the applicant must not yet have turned 41.
• The applicant needs higher or secondary vocational agricultural education covering at least 320 hours of agricultural subjects. Applicants who have already started such studies may also apply if they complete them by 31 December 2030.
• The farm establishment process must not have started more than five years before the application.
• For a legal entity, the young farmer must own more than 50% of the shares alone or together with other qualifying young farmers; each must own at least 20%. Signatory rights or farm-owner status are also required.
• For an existing farm, net turnover in the previous completed financial year, including related parties, may not exceed €350,000.

What counts as starting a farm?

LAD does not assess the five-year period only from the date a company was registered. The starting point may also be the first agricultural support application, registration of agricultural economic activity, declaration of agricultural income to the State Revenue Service, or registration with LAD of livestock amounting to at least three livestock units. Applicants should therefore verify their actual operating history before preparing a project.

What may the support finance?

At least 80% of the investments in the business plan must be long-term investments. These may include new or used agricultural machinery and implements, agricultural land, construction and building materials, perennial plantations, farm animals and other investments directly linked to agricultural production.

Up to 20% may cover general costs such as consultancy, training and working capital. All payments must be cashless. Transaction documents do not have to be submitted to LAD together with the payment claim, but they must be retained.

Important: only investments made after the project approval decision has entered into force are eligible. Consultancy costs are the exception.

How is the €60,000 paid?

• €48,000, or 80%, is paid after project approval and once the applicant has obtained the legal status specified in the project.
• €12,000, or 20%, is paid after the business plan has been fully implemented and its targets have been assessed.

The business plan must cover at least two years and may run no later than 30 June 2029. Implementation must begin within nine months after the approval decision enters into force. If the farm still has to be registered or taken over, the required legal status must be obtained within six months after approval.

Eligibility alone is not enough: projects are scored

A project needs at least 25 points to compete for support. Reaching the minimum does not guarantee funding because projects are ranked within the budget of the relevant region.

Under the 2026 criteria, horticulture — including fruit, vegetable and berry growing — receives 30 points. Livestock farming and beekeeping receive 20 points, while other agricultural sectors receive 10. Additional points may be awarded for organic or integrated farming, completed agricultural education, a location with lower GDP per capita, owned land, participation in a cooperative or a supply agreement, and processing the farm’s own production.

Common mistakes that may put a project at risk

• Assuming that the age limit of 40 means “up to 39”. An applicant may be 40 on the application date but must not yet have turned 41.
• Counting the five-year period only from company registration while ignoring an earlier support application, declaration of agricultural income or livestock registration.
• Buying machinery, land, plants or other planned assets before the LAD approval decision enters into force.
• Preparing a formally eligible project without first estimating its selection score and regional competition.
• Failing to demonstrate positive cash flow, the need for the investments and a measurable growth target in the business plan.
• For a legal entity, failing to secure the required shareholding and signatory rights for the young farmer.

What should applicants do now?

1. Check that the age, education and operating-history requirements are met.
2. Identify the LAD regional budget under which the project will compete.
3. Estimate the project’s selection score, particularly for sector, farming system, education and location.
4. Prepare a business plan with positive cash flow, justified investments and measurable targets.
5. Submit the project in EPS by 3 November and do not make planned investments before the approval decision.

Detailed rules, the regional allocation, selection criteria and an EPS guide are available on the official LAD LA 6 programme page. Applicants should verify the latest official information and the individual eligibility of their project before submission.