Eighty-four per cent of young farmers think agriculture co-ops are needed for their own future in farming, new research has found.
Launched by Minister of State for Food Andrew Doyle, the research carried out on behalf of FRS looked at the attitudes of young farmers to agriculture co-operatives.
A further 94% of young farmers consider co-ops as important for the future of Irish farming.
Some 655 young farmers took part in the research.
It found the level of involvement of young farmers in co-ops is variable and that while young farmers may trade and engage with cooperatives, not many are shareholders or are actively involved in co-ops.
Research results
The vast majority (55%) appreciate the importance of agri co-ops and understand the benefits of becoming a shareholder.Young farmers account for a low level of share ownerships and have restricted access to shares due to parents/family member’s policies. The delay in share transfer from parents is mainly due to fear and financial insecurities.Older family members are afraid to hold conversations around the transferring of shares to relatives. Two-thirds indicated that they were interested in acquiring shares in cooperatives in the future.In order to prompt share transfer information, incentives and education around the issue are required.There is a degree of scepticism around cooperative boards, with only a quarter of young farmers believing the boards to be sincere in relation to young farmers.The study also established that 44% were interested in future membership of a dairy cooperative boards and 33% were interested in future membership of a cooperative livestock mart board.The most influential aspect of the cooperatives identified by the respondents was that all cooperatives are farmer-controlled and owned.On the back of the research, the National Co-op Farm Relief Service (NCFRS) is now worried about the transfer of shares to young farmers and the small amount of involvement they have in cooperatives.
Imperative
Francis Fitzgerald who is the NCFRS chair said: “It is imperative that young farmers become involved in the co-op movement as both shareholders, board and committee members. Every co-op has a duty to actively encourage share transfer to younger farmers.”
Peter Byrne, CEO of the FRS Network, welcomed the research: “We need to take positive steps to encourage and support young farmers to become actively involved in their local co-operatives both as shareholders and board members.”
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Eighty-four per cent of young farmers think agriculture co-ops are needed for their own future in farming, new research has found.
Launched by Minister of State for Food Andrew Doyle, the research carried out on behalf of FRS looked at the attitudes of young farmers to agriculture co-operatives.
A further 94% of young farmers consider co-ops as important for the future of Irish farming.
Some 655 young farmers took part in the research.
It found the level of involvement of young farmers in co-ops is variable and that while young farmers may trade and engage with cooperatives, not many are shareholders or are actively involved in co-ops.
Research results
The vast majority (55%) appreciate the importance of agri co-ops and understand the benefits of becoming a shareholder.Young farmers account for a low level of share ownerships and have restricted access to shares due to parents/family member’s policies. The delay in share transfer from parents is mainly due to fear and financial insecurities.Older family members are afraid to hold conversations around the transferring of shares to relatives. Two-thirds indicated that they were interested in acquiring shares in cooperatives in the future.In order to prompt share transfer information, incentives and education around the issue are required.There is a degree of scepticism around cooperative boards, with only a quarter of young farmers believing the boards to be sincere in relation to young farmers.The study also established that 44% were interested in future membership of a dairy cooperative boards and 33% were interested in future membership of a cooperative livestock mart board.The most influential aspect of the cooperatives identified by the respondents was that all cooperatives are farmer-controlled and owned.On the back of the research, the National Co-op Farm Relief Service (NCFRS) is now worried about the transfer of shares to young farmers and the small amount of involvement they have in cooperatives.
Imperative
Francis Fitzgerald who is the NCFRS chair said: “It is imperative that young farmers become involved in the co-op movement as both shareholders, board and committee members. Every co-op has a duty to actively encourage share transfer to younger farmers.”
Peter Byrne, CEO of the FRS Network, welcomed the research: “We need to take positive steps to encourage and support young farmers to become actively involved in their local co-operatives both as shareholders and board members.”
Read more
Department launches consultation for successor to Food Wise 2025
Alltech’s Run2Raise event aims to raise €15,000 for Embrace Farm
Beef Plan Movement calls for countrywide protest
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