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The new Teagasc Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture A qualification in Agriculture is essential if a person wishes to avail of the many financial incentives which are available to "young trained farmers". These include: A. Stamp Duty Relief on the purchase or transfer of land B. Installation Aid C. Early Retirement Scheme D. Farm Grant Schemes E. Dairy Partnerships Teagasc offer different courses which enable young farmers i.e. under 35 years of age, to satisfy the educational requirements for these schemes. Price Waterhouse Cooper conducted a review of the Teagasc Education and Training provision in 2005. One of their recommendations was that the basic 180 hours Teagasc course would no longer satisfy the requirements for stamp duty exemption etc. This will affect people who have either third level qualifications or a FAS certificate. For these people the 180 hours course would formerly have been sufficient, but in future this will not be the case. Following changes announced in the 2007 Finance Bill the FETAC Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture or equivalent becomes the new minimum education requirement from 3l~ March 2008. This new qualification will involve a significant amount of extra coursework for third level and FAS graduates who wish to access the financial incentives such as Stamp Duty Relief etc. As well as the basic 25 days which a student will have to attend an agricultural college / Teagasc training centre, the following additional requirements are now mandatory. A student will have to: A. Attend 8 discussion group days B. Be assessed in 4 proficiency tests on practical farm skills C. Undertake 18 months of Home Farm involvement during which a student must complete two Teagasc diaries and a major farm project D. Complete a Farm Profit Monitor and the Teagasc 6 year computerised Farm Planner based on the student’s home farm. The farm will then have to be managed to achieve what is specified in the plan. It is estimated that under the new system a student will have to be in attendance for coursework/assessment on approximately 41 days in total, during the 18 months it will take to achieve the new qualification. This has particular implications for people who are leaving school in 2007. Basically there are two ways of attaining this certificate. 1. Achieve their Teagasc Advanced Certificate in Agriculture first by doing the fulltime course in an agricultural college and then go on to further studies if they so wish. OR 2. Obtain a non-agricultural qualification at Level 6 or higher first (third level / FAS apprenticeship) and then complete the new Teagasc Advanced Certificate in Agriculture programme. For further information please contact your local Teagasc Education Advisor or an Agricultural College.