Joe Maher

North Tipperary

Joe is a 23-year-old dairy farmer, milking 140 pedigree Holstein Friesians in Roscrea, Co Tipperay. He plans to slightly increase numbers to 160 in the next few years and, from there, continue to grow his herd but he is taking a slow and cautious approach to expansion. The reason for this is milk price. Joe knows that care needs to be taken in order to cope with milk price volatility.

Richard Egan Waterford

Richard is a 25-year-old farmer from Limerick. He is working on a share-milking programme with an older farmer from Waterford. Using Macra’s Land Mobility Service, Richard works on a dairy farm in Dungarvan. Richard plays a key role in Macra; he is the secretary of the North Tipperary Young Farmer Development Group and is a member of the Newport club.

Aisling Molloy Offaly

Aisling is a 21-year-old beef farmer from Tullamore, Co Offaly. She is studying animal science in UCD. She is entering her final year and has just completed six months of work experience as part of her course. Aisling farms a Charolais suckler herd and also has some tillage land. She plans to continue beef farming part-time after finishing college. Aisling is a member of Macra na Feirme.

Paul Brady Longford

Paul (27) from Aughnacliffe, Co Longford, is planning to become a dairy farmer. He recently finished a Level 6 Dairy Herd Management course. He has land that is to be used for contract-rearing of heifers. Since Paul is trying to get into dairying, there is a big investment needed.

Over the coming years, he needs tight financial management, along with good milk prices, to make his farming plan viable.

John Fagan Westmeath

John is a 35-year-old farmer from Collinstown, Co Westmeath. He farms 1,100 ewes and 125 heifers, along with doing some tillage farming for his own use. In terms of stock numbers, he is happy with his current level but his aims have shifted towards cutting down his costs as much as possible, while improving the genetics of his flock, to get better standards. He has long been a member of Macra na Feirme and is also a member of the IGA.

Robert Hall Wicklow

Robert is a 25-year-old beef and sheep farmer from Rathnew, Co Wicklow. He finishes cattle, buying weanlings and getting them fit for the factory.

He also keeps 50 ewes, which helps improve cashflow. However, the main area of interest is the contracting business.

Rob plans to increase his flock to 100 ewes and, depending on beef price, wants to slowly increase the number of animals he is finishing.

Padraig O’Connor Limerick

Padraig is a 32-year-old dairy farmer from Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick. He is milking 100 cows, with 70 heifers coming through and the focus is 100% dairy.

Padraig plans to take over the farm in the coming few years and is working on his strategic plan for the future post-quota. The major factors affecting how he plans to run the farm are milk prices and sourcing of good quality labour during busy times of the year.