Latest news with #CommissiononGenerationalRenewalinFarming
Agriland
5 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
Delay in commission's report on generational renewal criticised
The delay in the release of the report from the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming has been described as becoming 'as concerning as it is perplexing'. The commission findings were expected to be published at the end of June, 2025, however so far have not been published. The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association has stated that the delay means some recommendations cannot now be taken into account for Budget 2026. President of the ICMSA, Denis Drennan said: "The net effect of this delay[is] the loss of another year when when it was more urgent than ever to address the most obvious obstacles to the generational renewal now emerging as the single most pressing concern all over the state and right across every sector. 'We can't understand it; the commission was reported to be on the verge of publishing its findings six weeks ago. What's the delay? "What's the problem and why have we allowed the opportunity to at least make a start on these problems in Budget 2026 to slip by? "It's inexplicable and poor and the net effect is that we all – as a sector – have lost another whole year at precisely the time when this question of succession and generational renewal is emerging as critical and demanding immediate attention," Drennan added. The government has previously stated that the challenge of attracting young people into a career in farming is widely recognised, both at national and EU level. "The family farm is the heart of agriculture in Ireland, but with only 7% of farmers under 35 years-of-age, and over 30% of farmers over 65, it is imperative that facilitating generational renewal remains a key priority," the government said. The previous Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue established a Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming to adopt an objective, evidence-based approach, to examining the factors, legal, economic, social and administrative, that contribute to the current age demographics in the sector, and present policy options for consideration. 'We can't get the next generation into farming, and we've all identified more-or-less the same problems in our various submissions made last [February] and March," Denis Drennan continued. "We don't have the time to lose and yet it looks very much like we've just lost effectively a whole year [until] we will be able to do something in a budget." Drennan said that every single young farmer engaged with through the ICMSA Young Farmer Forum had laid out a list of obstacles to their entry into farming and all invariably started with financial uncertainty. He said that while ICMSA was aware that not everything could be done in "one fell swoop", it was imperative that a start be made at least. The farm organisation has previously appealed to see Budget 2026 introduce a tool or scheme to deal specifically with the income volatility that was putting off many young people from considering a career in farming. 'There was a commitment made last year to look at this, and it's the single biggest obstacle cited by the young people themselves," Drennan said. "But it looks like the findings of the commission are going to be so late that it will be impossible for any of them to be taken into consideration for the Budget in October. "ICMSA considers this a wasted opportunity, and we'd urge the commission – even at this very late stage – to publish their findings so that we can try and convince government to adopt the most urgent and necessary measures aimed at generational renewal."
Agriland
20-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Lack of career progression a major challenge for farm workers
Less than 13% of farm workers believe there are career progression opportunities in farming, according to the findings of a nationwide survey. The 2025 survey of FRS Co-Op's 1,200 farm operators across Ireland shows that the majority of people who works on farms do so because they enjoy working outdoors and working with animals. However, the survey highlighted how the farming sector must find ways to reduce the level of unsociable working hours and define better career pathways for progression if it is to attract and retain workers into the future. Farm workers When asked what the farming industry needs to do to attract new talent, over 50% of farm workers cited the need for higher wages. This was followed by reducing the number of unsociable hours of work on farms and defining clearer pathways for career progression. Ireland's farming industry is increasingly reliant on external labour support, with 9 out of 10 farms now using external labour to various degrees throughout the year. Over 80% of farm workers who responded to the FRS Co-Op survey said Irish farms are better prepared for the increased workloads during the spring calving season following the expansion on farms after the end of EU milk quotas. The FRS Co-Op survey also reveals that just over 50% of its farm operators do not own their own farm. Of this cohort, almost 80% said they would like to manage their own farm in the future, suggesting there is potential to attract new entrants to the farming sector. Survey Neil Keane, head of agriculture at FRS Co-Op, said the results of the survey illustrate some of the challenges and opportunities facing Irish farming. 'On the one hand, working on a farm can have unsociable hours and many don't see a clear pathway to career progression. 'On the other hand, there is clearly a large group of people that are attracted to farming as a career for the lifestyle it offers and the opportunity to work outdoors,' he said. 'Perhaps the most interesting finding of this year's survey is that almost 80% of farm operators who do not own a farm, said they would like to manage their own farm in the future. 'This is quite encouraging as it suggests farming does have the ability to attract new entrants into the sector,' Keane added. The government-appointed Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming is set to release recommendations later this year. While the European Union announced that it wants to attract over 370,000 new farmers into the sector over the next five years. 'We need to focus on developing policies that will remove some of the barriers for new entrants who don't currently have a farm or own their own land,' Keane said. FRS Co-Op is headquartered in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, is the largest employer of farm labour in all of Europe, and has also developed significant operations in recruitment and contract training services. Founded in 1980, the business currently employs 2,000 staff and generates annual revenues of around €100 million.
