Fewer farmers, but more progressive and optimistic

THE findings from the Irish Examiner ICMSA farming survey highlight the buoyancy of the sector, and illustrate how farmers have changed.

Market researchers in Ireland take a special interest in farmers. Ireland remains the only country in which farmers have their own class F, to go with ABC1 and C2, D and E social classes.

Social grade F consisted of 15% of the population 20 years ago — but now makes up just 7.4%.