Young farmers confident of future

YOUNG farmers are generally confident in the viability of farming in Ireland according to survey results released by Macra na Feirme at the opening of its annual conference in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, last night.

Macra president Catherine Buckley said the survey also illustrates that farming offers a good way of life for those who are interested in pursuing agriculture as a career. However, providing the best possible educational opportunities to farmers would be the key to giving agriculture a competitive advantage in the future.

Some 120 farming members of Macra were questioned this week in their optimism for the future of agriculture, standards of agricultural education and farm plans.