Teagasc: Only 20% of beef farms are economically viable businesses

ONLY one fifth of the country’s 60,000 beef farms are economically viable businesses when the value of family labour and capital invested in livestock and machinery is considered.

That’s according to Teagasc economists James Breen, Thia Hennessy and Fiona Thorne, who also claim in a medium-term outlook for beef, dairy and tillage farms that only 4,000 beef farms can be considered full-time commercial businesses.

James Breen said the reliance on de-coupled payments and other subsidies remains high with many beef farmers operating at a market loss.