The ageing profile of farmers and land access challenges for young farmers were identified as key issues facing the agricultural sector, according to a new report from Teagasc.

The report, titled ‘Advancing Innovation, Sustainability and Technical Performance of the Agri-Food Sector in 2024, highlights how less than 5% of farmers are under the age of 35. Economist and senior research officer with Teagasc, Emma Dillon said that three-quarters of farm operators have been the main operator of their farm for more than 20 years. This, she said, highlights the issue of delayed succession in Ireland.

Succession

ADVERTISEMENT

“We know from the research that land access is a complex issue across farm types and it’s not just as simple as viability leading to successor. We know that there are challenges in terms of access to more land, especially on the dairy and tillage side and we also know that there are difficulties with the unviable farms and the operation of those smaller farms, a large cohort of those are clustered in the western region,” she said.

These challenges in terms of the characteristics of the farm, the farmer, and the potential successor highlight the need for a tailored policy approach, she said.

Registered farm partnerships are often seen as the first step of generational renewal on farms.

According to Teagasc, almost 430 registered farm partnership applications were submitted in 2024.

The deadline for submission of applications for a registered farm partnership is Monday 10 February 2025.