Survey shows that farming industry is at a crossroads

The 2014 Irish Examiner ICMSA farming survey depicts an industry at the crossroads — shortly before the end of EU milk quotas and the CAP reform start to transform it, and before the signs of recovery in the national economy and consumer confidence begin to take effect.

Reading between the lines of the results, we can envisage how farming may be affected by the major changes which are afoot, and by the other fundamental changes within the industry.

One fundamental change thrown up by the survey is a significant drop in farmer optimism, down from 79% to 69%. Even with a brave new world beckoning for dairy farmers, that’s a 12% slump in overall farmer confidence.