During 2017, the Land Mobility Service helped support in excess of 120 new collaborative farming arrangements.

This Macra na Feirme initiative has now been involved in over 400 arrangements covering a staggering 35,000 acres since its inception in 2014.

In that time, a greater understanding and acceptance of collaborative farming and its benefits have evolved.

Collaborative farming is basically any farming arrangement between two or more people established to be beneficial for all and delivering access to land. Such arrangements include share-farming, partnerships, long-term leases and farm to farm arrangements like contract-rearing.

The key innovative element of the Land Mobility Service has been its role as an expert independent facilitator in brokering such arrangements coupled with finding potential suitable collaborators.

According to Austin Finn, programme manager for the service, the most important thing is working with people to develop an arrangement that suits all parties. The arrangement must be fair and sustainable. Finn also states that we are presently in an unique time that is providing opportunities for young people.

“I can categorically say that we have been able to find an opportunity for any young person with the skills, flexibility and desire to help make it happen. There are many great success stories out there for both landowners and young farmers”.

Since its inception, the service worked closely with its aligned dairy co-ops Dairygold, Aurivo and Glanbia. As a consequence, most arrangements have been in their catchment areas. The demand for and benefit of this service is such that it is presently moving to a full nationwide platform.

This is being rolled through alignment with Food Processors and the continued support of FBD Trust, the farm organisations and the Department of Agriculture.

The service is presently looking to recruit additional facilitators nationwide, with the first for the midlands/northeast to service the Lakelands Dairy catchment area.

Long-term leasing remains the most popular option. However, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of share-farming and partnership-type arrangements. Many landowners like shared arrangements because they allow them to remain involved and retain their farmer status. For young farmers, it reduces the level of finance they require.

Land mobility opportunities

A key element of the Land Mobility Service is matching people to opportunities. This is a brokerage service to find the ideal farmer match for you.

Call 01-4199555 to speak with our specialist team and provide your details and preferred option. Confidentiality is assured. Qualified leads will be passed to you for further consideration.

Farms for Lease

  • LIMERICK DAIRY FARM (Kilmallock/Knocklong area) available for Lease. 110 acres in one block with 90 cubicles and 12 unit milking parlour with feeders. Owner has ceased milk production and is looking to retire. | REFERENCE NV05
  • GRASSLAND FARM FOR long term lease (minimum 10 years). Prime location in Co. Laois, 55 hectares approx. | REFERENCE PA08
  • MIDLANDS GRASS FARM, 210 acres in two adjacent blocks with beef cattle housing. Owner has stepped back from farming and is looking to engage with someone to develop and operate the farm either on a shared or long lease arrangement. The owner would be prepared to share in any development costs. This farm is good land and would be suitable for any enterprise. REFERENCE CR05
  • LIVESTOCK OPPORTUNITY KILKENNY Good Size traditional mid Kilkenny mixed farm with sucklers, cattle, sheep & tillage. Land Owner looking for an enthusiastic young trained farmer with skills and experience in livestock and grassland management to explore a collaborative farming arrangement. |REFERENCE TN09
  • Dairy Opportunity

  • DAIRY FARMERS REQUIRED to take Friesian heifer calves from 14 days old and keep to milk over 1st and 2nd lactations returning to owner on point of calving at start of 3rd lactation. Heifers to be sent out in batches of 20 and all are from a top herd. | REFERENCE IA02
  • TIPPERARY DAIRY OPPORTUNITY 226 Acres near Nenagh. One block, good land, central roadway. Slatted tanks and straw lie backs for 100 cattle. Farm mostly in grass with some tillage. The owner is looking to engage with someone interested in developing a dairy operation on this farm. | REFERENCE OK14
  • NORTH WEXFORD DAIRY farmers looking to expand their business through Share Farming or Leasing arrangement on other dairy farm in the Wexford/south Wicklow area. Preferably a ready to go farm but all options considered. 35 years experience in managing own dairy herd. Property and livestock will be treated & maintained to the highest standard. References available from Teagasc, farm suppliers and people we currently have lease agreements with. Some of our current land leases have been in place for 25 years. | REFERENCE FL09
  • SIGNIFICANT DAIRY FARM in the north Cork/south Limerick Region. Farm has land block (paddocks, water infrastructure, and roadways) and infrastructure (cubicles, slurry storage, feed areas, calving area, calf shed, and milking parlour) for 250 cows. Owners are retiring and have started the process of disposing of cows. They would like to link up with a good dairy farmer (established or start up) with a view to establishing a long lease that would commence during the second half of 2018 or the start of 2019. The ideal collaborator will be a good dairy operator with a financially sound business plan and an ethos of respect and care for farmland and infrastructure. REFERENCE TX32.
  • CONTRACT HEIFER REARING

  • CONTRACT HEIFER REARING service available in Co. Kilkenny. Can take up to one hundred 0-1 year olds and one hundred 1-2 year olds. Calves must be weaned. 1-2 year olds returned by end of November. Good husbandry skills and good grassland management skills. | REFERENCE TN14
  • CONTRACT REARING SERVICE available in east Co. Clare. Can take up to fifty 1-2 year old heifers from late March to December 31st. Good husbandry skills. Operating paddock system with good grassland management on dry farm. Regular weighing’s can be provided. | REFERENCE NM06
  • CONTRACT REARER REQUIRED in the north Munster or south Leinster areas to rear thirty 0-1 year olds and twenty 1-2 year olds. 0-1’s would go out at 14 to 16 weeks old and all stock returned at end of their 2nd grazing season. Stock bull can be supplied for service. |REFERENCE PA07
  • LOOKING TO RENT

  • QUALIFIED DAIRY FARMER looking to take on a farm lease in the north Cork area on a long term basis. Ideally a grassland farm but would consider other options. | REFERENCE TX33
  • QUALIFIED YOUNG FARMER looking to lease a farm. Either existing dairy farm or farm where owner would like to set up a new dairy enterprise would be suitable. Open to different types of arrangements. |REFERENCE MT07
  • YOUNG ENTHUSIASTIC DAIRY farmer looking to lease 60 acre plus block of land in the Munster or Leinster areas for minimum of 7 years. Preferably on existing dairy farm. Open to different types of arrangements. |REFERENCE OK13