Approximately one third of all Irish farms use no forms of advisory services at a time when the advisory sector faces an uncertain future, according to Dr Jim Kinsella from University College Dublin (UCD).

Dr Kinsella was speaking at the Agricultural Science Association (ASA) annual conference, where the future of the advisory service was discussed. According to Dr Kinsella, there are "three broad categories" of farm households and their relationship with advisory services. One third use Teagasc advisers, one third use advisers from the private sector while one third “use no advisers whatsoever”.

“The sector is at a crossroads,” Dr Kinsella said. “This isn’t the first time it has been at a crossroads, though. It was at a crossroads 40 years ago ... it was at a crossroads 20 years ago when there were 350 people employed. Today we have 500 employed as either public or private advisers,” Dr Kinsella added.

The way to entice more farmers into using advisory services is by giving them the advice they need rather than looking to what the political agenda is at a given time, Kinsella said.

“They [advisory services] respond almost entirely to policy shifts from Government rather than needs of farm households,” Dr Kinsella said.

Speaking alongside Dr Kinsella, Dr Tom Kelly from Teagasc said that advisers are a vital cog in the production and environmental aspects of farming, but perhaps advisers need to get a better understanding of the individuals needs of farmers.

Breian Carroll, a private planner, called on Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney to establish a working group with a remit to obtain a better understanding of farmers' advisory needs.

“The advisory service is, in my opinion, ad hoc,” Carroll said. “We need a focus. We need a strategy. Minister Coveney needs to convene a working group of a maximum of 10 people over the space 12 months to see what farmers need to know,” he added.