Youth Farmers Receiving Settlement Support Funds Allowed to Engage in Non-Farming Work... "Aiming for Stable Income Security"

The government has decided to allow young farmers to engage in off-farm work without restrictions as long as they maintain their farming activities, regardless of whether they receive support payments. This decision takes into account the need for stable income during the early stages of farming.

On the 23rd, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that from the 24th, restrictions on off-farm work for young farmers receiving farming settlement support payments will be lifted. Additionally, from the 24th, young farmers and successor farm managers selected until 2024 will receive successor farm development funds through the existing regular allocation method.

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An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs explained, "This improvement in the youth and successor farmer development program was actively made by reflecting field demands raised during the young farmers’ meetings."

Until 2024, young farmers receiving support payments were limited to short-term work during the off-season for up to 3 months per year and less than 60 hours per month. However, through the program improvement in November 2024, young farmers receiving support payments are allowed short-term work during the off-season for up to 5 months per year and less than 100 hours per month, and young farmers engaged in mandatory farming activities are permitted unrestricted off-farm work as long as they maintain their farming activities.

This program improvement significantly eased the off-farm work restrictions revised in November 2024, considering the need for young farmers to secure stable income during the early stages of farming. Off-farm work is permitted regardless of whether young farmers receive support payments or engage in mandatory farming, as long as they maintain farming activities. However, to prove farming activities during off-farm work, they must submit documents such as payment receipt records, farming activity confirmation certificates, and agricultural product harvest and sales performance to the local government. Off-farm work is recognized after verification by the relevant local government.

Furthermore, utilizing a budget of 450 billion KRW additionally secured on January 20, from the 24th of this month, successor farm development funds will be provided through the existing regular allocation method for those selected until 2024. However, for those selected in 2025, funding will be provided starting in the second half of the year using a fund allocation evaluation method.

Yoon Won-seup, Director of Agricultural Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "Through this policy improvement, we expect young farmers to secure stable income and settle in farming. We will continue to prepare various support measures so that young farmers can grow sustainably."

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