After attending the launch of a report on “land transfer and succession”, I welcome this valuable piece of research as it brings attention to what is a real issue for farming families and highlights the importance of land mobility in the context of maximising our agricultural output.
The report “Land Mobility and Succession in Ireland”, commissioned by Macra na Feirme in partnership with the IFA, The Agricultural Trust and the Department of Agriculture, aimed to assess the issues around land mobility and to get an insight into what barriers, options and problems exist and how these can be overcome.
The existing farming profile which shows that only 6.2% of farmers are under 35 years old and 26.5% are over 65 years reveals the issue for young farmers in terms of access to land.
Improving growth in our exports of agricultural products, as well as the possibilities for the industry with Food Harvest 2020, the abolition of milk quotas in 2015 together with the increased demand for places in agricultural courses around the country all provide valid reason for optimism.
Our focus must be on what we can do to encourage and make it easier for young farmers to gain access to the land. Traditional farming practices which act as deterrents are highlighted in this report; such as a reluctance to discuss the future of the family farm, a lack of acceptance of the concept of a “retired farmer”, a lack of complete understanding on all of the options available in terms of future farming activity and lack of a successor.
The report highlights the issues around distrust and lack of information, present day challenges around retirement and the family unit and the need for a more diversified approach. I welcome this report and the new role of a Land Mobility Program Manager which is being created and funded by FBD Trust with the aim of progressing some of the recommendations in this report.