YOUNG FARMERS
T
he first half of 2018 has witnessed some tough challenges across the landscape of Irish agriculture, ranging from poor weather conditions at the beginning of the year to input prices and the continuing pressures imposed by Brexit. While these challenges have been sector-wide and across all ages, the young farmer in particular stands to be affected by certain issues such as proposed cuts to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and farm succession. “While there are challenges such as, sometimes, access to land, access to credit for young farmers, those that can get over those challenges certainly can make a very good living from agriculture if they have the mindset, the enthusiasm and I suppose the infrastructure around them to help them achieve that,” says Derrie Dillon, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Manager with voluntary rural youth organisation Macra na Feirme. “There is a lot of opportunity on the horizon and there’s a lot of change in Irish agriculture. Young farmers who are eager and willing to get involved in agriculture can certainly reap the rewards.” Young farmers may be eager and willing, but they still need land on which to farm. One of the major challenges related to access to land are the issues surrounding farm succession. Dillon notes that the Irish don’t have a tendency to discuss these matters in a timely manner, and this delay can cause friction when the young farmer wants to move on with their career. “It’s something that we’re not great at in an Irish context, for planning for it or discussing it at farm level,” he believes. “While that’s a generality, it’s the case that we’re not great at having the plan around and having the discussion at an early stage.” There are other problems too. A significant question often raised revolves around the viability of some family farms in Ireland in terms of income and supporting more than one farmer. In recent years, farming families have found themselves in a position where parents are not of retiring age while the next generation is prepared to set up their own operation. “Yet, the farm may not be big enough to support two income units, two family units. So that presents a challenge,” Dillon notes, highlighting the fact that, due to challenges in the sector, even if EAR TO THE GROUND 37
