The purpose of the new jobs agency launched by the IFMA is to provide a link between farm owners that are looking to hire farm managers and newly trained farm managers, as well as existing farm managers looking for progression opportunities.

Speaking at the launch, Jerry Twomey of the IFMA said that the new jobs agency aims to replicate what was available back in the 1970s and 1980s.

“Back then we had about 100 farm managers graduating a year and the IFMA used to help set them up with jobs, but then that fell away when the numbers graduating dwindled. Today, we have about 25 graduates a year from the Professional Diploma in Dairy Farm Management and we want to be the representative association for these young people and also existing farm managers, of which there are somewhere between 300 and 800 still working on farms,” Jerry said.

Cost

It will cost farm owners €100 to advertise a position with the IFMA. The position will be advertised publicly, however members of the IFMA will get to see a detailed job description and more information about the farm. Annual membership of the IFMA costs €30 for qualified farm managers and €10 for students.

It is also expected that the jobs agency will link up farm owners with potential sharemilkers and those interested in collaborative agreements. The IFMA is also planning field days and training sessions for its members.

The IFMA meeting heard presentations from Austin Finn of the Land Mobility Service and Doreen Corridan from Munster AI who spoke about herd health.

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