Funding for Agricultural Holdings in Less Favoured and Specific Areas (Compensatory Allowance)

Funding is aimed at natural and legal persons with a business domicile in Thuringia who manage agricultural land in less favoured or specific areas. Another funding objective is to compensate for disadvantages caused by waiving certain plant protection products in Natura 2000 areas.

The program supports agricultural land use in specific areas of Thuringia and promotes sustainable practices that contribute to biodiversity protection, particularly the waiver of plant protection products in sensitive Natura 2000 areas. Productively used arable and permanent crop areas, as well as permanent grassland, are eligible for funding.

The funding is provided as an annual, non-repayable grant. The amount varies depending on the area type and area, with digressions from certain hectare limits for funding in less favoured and specific areas.

Applicants must have their business domicile in Thuringia and manage the funded areas themselves. Specific minimum areas and funding amounts apply. For large companies in the EAP sector, a counterfactual analysis is required to confirm the incentive effect of the aid. Compliance with cross-compliance rules is obligatory for AGZ/SPG.

Applications must be submitted annually by May 15 digitally via the PORTIA application portal as part of the collective application to the Thuringian State Office for Agriculture and Rural Development. Approval takes place after comprehensive controls, including administrative checks, land monitoring systems, and, if necessary, on-site checks.

The funding program "Compensatory Allowance" is based on a guideline from the Thuringian Ministry for Infrastructure and Agriculture and is legitimized by a multitude of EU regulations, federal laws, and state regulations, particularly from the area of the Common Agricultural Policy and rural development.