Post-flood support for agricultural holdings

On November 15th, the President of the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture (ARiMR) announced the call for applications for support for farms affected by the flood that hit southwestern Poland in September. Farmers will be able to apply for funding to restore the agricultural production potential—up to 80% of eligible costs.

General rules for granting aid

The funds for this support come from the Rural Development Program for 2014-2020. By decision of the European Commission, the implementation of the program’s various activities has been extended to 2024. The current call concerns the sub-action “Support for investments in restoring agricultural land and restoring agricultural production potential destroyed as a result of natural disasters, adverse climatic events, and catastrophes.”

Eligibility for support

Support is targeted at farmers who have suffered damage amounting to at least 30% of the average annual plant or animal production from the three years preceding the flood or three of the five years preceding the flood, excluding the highest and lowest production figures. Importantly, the extent of the damage must be assessed by a special commission appointed by the provincial governor. The territorial scope of the grant funding is limited to areas where a state of natural disaster was declared.

What investments can be made?

The support program includes investments in farm components that were destroyed or damaged solely by the September flood. In particular, funding of up to 80% of eligible costs will be granted for:

• Construction, reconstruction, or renovation of buildings (excluding buildings that require mandatory insurance);
• Purchase of equipment;
• Demolition and disposal of harmful materials related to demolition;
• Purchase of agricultural production machinery and equipment for storage, drying, and preparation for sale, including, for instance, polytunnels;
• Restoration of orchards or perennial plantations;
• Purchase of farm animals for basic herds.

Farmers who have previously received support under the RDP must remember that the maximum allowed aid for one farm in the years 2014-2020 is 300,000 PLN. Additionally, if a farm component was insured, the funding will be reduced by the amount of compensation granted. A 50% reduction in aid also applies in cases where a farmer did not enter into a mandatory insurance contract for the indicated crop types.

Detailed conditions for providing assistance

The specific conditions for providing aid are defined in the Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development dated March 1, 2019 (Journal of Laws from 2022, item 280, as amended).

How to apply for support for flood-affected farms?

Farmers can submit applications for aid from November 22 to December 30, 2024. Application forms are available on the ARiMR website along with a list of required attachments and instructions for filling them out. Applications can be submitted in the following forms:

• In paper at the Regional Branch or County Office of ARiMR;
• By registered mail;
• Electronically to the specified email address or through the ePUAP submission box.

It is important to note that the order of granting aid is dependent on the order in which applications are received by ARiMR. However, applicants may request the payment of an advance of up to 50% of the requested aid during the application process, which can accelerate the implementation of investments before the upcoming season.