Most farm fatalities are aged 50+

Farmers must consider retiring earlier to extend the sector’s life expectancy, said Dr Sharon McGuinness, CEO, Health Service Authority.

Dr McGuinness told attendees at the ‘Safeguarding the Future of Farming’ event in Teagasc, Moorepark Food Research Centre, Co Cork, that 75% of all farm deaths from from 2004-2017, 172 of the 229 fatalities, were people aged over 50.