A welcome upturn in both output prices and the weather in the first half of 2025 resulted in a dampening of demand among landowners to step back from active farming.

That’s according to the newly appointed manager of the Land Mobility Service, Cavan man Patrick Brady.

“This year is somewhat unusual in that there were a lot of enquiries in the back end of 2024, but with good prices across the sector and a good weather year landowners are holding off,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.

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However, he warns that for the landowners, the decision is not the correct thing to do, because it does nothing to address the succession or farm planning that prompted them to get in touch with his service in the first place.

The Land Mobility Service was first set up by Macra and the FBD Trust in 2014 to facilitate collaborative farming and succession planning on Irish farms and is now supported by the Department of Agriculture and multiple co-ops. Brady said the 10-year tally sits at about 1,100 arrangements set up through the service, accounting for over 80,000ac of land.

“Last year we would have received over 1,000 enquiries from farmers looking for information,” he said.

From that number, up to 130 collaborative arrangements were put in place between people seeking land and those offering land. The range of collaboration is wide, from registered farm partnerships and long-term leases, to share farming, contract heifer rearing and growing silage.

The acreages range from five acres to 500 acres, with farms in the west tending to be smaller.

The sector’s income buoyancy this year has seen the calls fall to around 400 enquiries and 60-odd arrangements by mid-August.

Family farm challenge

While succession problems are an issue across the country, there has been a notable increase in the number of typical family farm-sized blocks becoming available, according to Brady.

“Farms of 100ac to 120ac, that were milking 80-100 cows or had 30-40 suckler cows,” he explains. “Those farms are difficult to get two incomes out of.

“We’re seeing more of those dairy farms coming available, and the co-ops are aware of that.”

Brady added that on the dairy side, the arrangements put in place tend to be in the form of silage production or heifer rearing.

“Farm viability needs to be addressed, and anyone making an effort to continue on smaller blocks needs support in the initial years,” he said, citing the ABP Young Farmer Academy.

The programme, which commenced recently, offers young suckler and dairy-beef farmers finance options, finishing bonuses and interim payments to help cashflow.

Changing trends

Leasing is by far the most popular arrangement facilitated by the Land Mobility Service, accounting for around 50% of the annual agreements.

Brady said the bulk (75%) of leases would be agreed for seven to 10 years to take advantage of tax breaks for the landowner. However leases of up to 20 years have been agreed.

Lease agreements range from €200/ac to €400/ac, although Brady notes that “price is one of the last things we discuss”, with other variables important to guarantee a successful collaboration.

The price depends on land type, farm size and the farming enterprise involved and the €200-€400 range would include BISS entitlements. Partnerships and share farming are the next most popular arrangements.

Short-term conacre has fallen completely out of favour over the years, Brady said.

“There’s no security of tenure, there won’t be investment in the land, with the exception maybe of tillage,” he explained.

“Any [conacre] arrangement could be unsuccessful if one party fails to deliver on the agreement or doesn’t honour the deal,” he added.

Longevity

Farm collaborations that are well thought out and well structured from the start are put in place for five to as long as 15 years.

Brady is keen to point out that a documented arrangement is “key” to success.

“Even if there is an issue, or the arrangement needs to terminate prematurely, the original document and agreement is key in parties separating as amicably as possible,” he explains, but adds: “Sometimes if one party has not acted honourably there is no alternative, but involving other parties such as solicitors and courts.

“There is organic development of collaborations too, with short-term arrangements leading to longer collaborations.”

Brady said that share farming or partnerships for a rolling three years could lead to a longer lease agreement or lead to one of the share farmers getting an opportunity to take on another farm.