Farmers of future won’t work 24 hours a day, seven days a week
That’s the reality according to Macra na Feirme, which is hosting four seminars on farm partnerships during January and February, in association with AIB.
Macra president Seamus Phelan said these meetings will deal in detail with the new milk production partnerships now operational. A partnership scheme was very attractive, offering substantial benefits to farmers in terms of increased economies of scale, time management and flexibility.
“However the current conditions of the scheme are very restrictive. A framework must be adopted so that they become an option for all farmers not just dairy farmers.
“A suitable mechanism must be put in place to overcome the complexities that can arise in the joining of two or more enterprises,” said Mr Phelan.
The seminars will also be used to highlight Macra’s policy to enable young farmers who return home to farm full-time with their parents, to be treated as “new entrants” to agriculture without having to establish separate facilities.
Currently, young farmers must acquire their own herd number, separate facilities and so on in order to be recognised by the quota or premium systems, he said.
Head of AIB Agri Strategy Michael Dowling said partnership agreements can maximise resources and significantly improve cost efficiencies. They are attracting much interest among farmers but there is a lot to be considered and AIB was delighted to be associated with Macra’s efforts at explaining the issues to farmers.
The seminars will be held at Blarney Park Hotel, Co. Cork (tonight), Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise (January 28), Woodland Country House Hotel, Adare, Co Limerick (February 3) and Park House Hotel Edgeworthstown, Co Longford (February 6).
