'Eight out of 10 specialist tillage farms economically viable' – Teagasc

Teagasc research officer Fiona Thorne has told today’s National Tillage Conference that despite a current reliance on subsides, many tillage farms are deemed economically viable.

Stephen Robb

30 January 2019

'Eight out of 10 specialist tillage farms economically viable' – Teagasc

Incomes on specialist tillage farms in 2017 rose to €37,158, figures presented at the National Tillage Conference show.

Fiona Thorne presented data from the National Farm Survey, which shows that incomes in the tillage sector were second highestof any farm sector, trailing only to dairy incomes of €86,115.

However, direct payments accounted for 63% of specialist tillage farm incomes in 2017. This is the second lowest of all enterprises, again following only dairy farming.

As a result, eight out of every 10 specialist tillage farms are defined as economically viable. Just 11% of tillage farms were classed as vulnerable in 2017, Thorne stated. Initial 2018 figures indicate that average tillage incomes for 2018 are broadly similar to 2017.

A decision to do nothing is a decision to allow tillage and sucklers wither

2018 farm incomes to sink to eight-year low