Substitute Services for Agricultural Enterprises in Upper Austria

The funding program "Substitute Services for Agricultural Enterprises in Upper Austria" supports agricultural enterprises in Upper Austria through a 100% grant to cover actual costs for substitute labor. Funding is provided for the use of substitute personnel in cases of illness, accident, child illness, vacation periods, maternity and parental leave, as well as in the event of the death of a member of the enterprise. Additionally, preventive measures aimed at early crisis prevention on the farm are supported. The funding can be applied for indefinitely and continuously, with the duration of substitution limited to a maximum of 90 deployment days per enterprise type and calendar year. Submitted applications are processed immediately after completeness checks, ensuring rapid financing.

The target group includes agricultural entrepreneurs and private individuals living in agricultural households with their main residence in Upper Austria who require substitute labor in the specified funding cases or wish to implement operational preventive measures. Eligible applicants are members of the agricultural household who bear primary responsibility for the enterprise or reside on the farm. Approval requires a fully completed funding application, certificates of incapacity for work or proof of the need for substitute services, and in the case of preventive measures, a De-minimis declaration. Processing is carried out via the responsible machinery rings, which review the application documents and forward them to the Department of Agriculture and Forestry of the Upper Austrian State Government. Continuous funding strengthens operational resilience and supports agricultural enterprises in unforeseen absences as well as in crisis prevention.