Macra service brings young and old farmers together

Half of Irish farmers do not have a family member to take over their land, according to a new study.

Over the past two decades, fewer and fewer children of farmers are taking over the traditional role of successor.

Only one in 16 farmers are under the age of 35 and a quarter are aged over 65.

The UCD study reveals Ireland’s agriculture sector is now characterised by an ageing farming population, very reluctant to sell their land.

However, a new service is helping to older farmers without a family successor to link up with young farmers, often with degrees in 21st-century farming practices, through long-term leases or partnerships or shared farming.

Austin Finn, from the Land Mobility Service set up by Macra Na Feirme three years ago, said they match landowners with prospective partner farmers through their confidential service.

“It’s matching people. They have to have personalities that can work together and a similar farming vision. Only half of farmers are finding someone in the family interested in farming which is leaving a big gap.

“There are options now whether it is long leases with neighbours or other farmers or partnerships or shared farming which is providing opportunities for people with little or no land who want to go farming.

“Our service helps people find arrangements. When we talk to land owners first if there is an option with a neighbour or someone in the family identified that they could work with. If they don’t, we use our database and a page we have in the Farmer’s Journal

every week to help find someone to work. It’s totally confidential.”

Since the Land Mobility Service started over three years ago, they have helped to make around 280 legal arrangements in leasing and farm partnerships covering around 25,000 acres of land.

“The average farm size we’ve dealt with has been 91 acres”, said Mr Finn.

“The most important thing is that everyone is clear about what they are getting into.

“It could be older farmers looking at retirement and maybe young farmers looking to expand or to get into farming. It’s to find the right person to suit everyone.

“We always built an exit mechanism into it at the start. It’s nearly like a prenup so if people want to go their separate ways they know exactly how it is going to end.”

He said most of the landowners who contact their service have reached a point where none of their offspring want to take over the farm.

Four out of 10 Irish farms make less than €10,000 per year which is well below the overall average income in Ireland of €36,000.

When there is no one to take over the reins of the farm, the study reveals farmers tend to continue to gradually wind down their business rather than sell up.