On average, 59% of farming households had an off-farm income in 2025, a decrease on the 2024 figure of 61%, Teagasc's national farm survey shows.
Farmers who work off farm remained relatively unchanged at 43%. However, this varies by farming system.
Tillage operators were the most likely to hold off-farm employment, with 54%.
Cattle-rearing farms had a similar proportion with 52%, while cattle other farms had a slightly lower proportion at 50%.
The comparative figure on sheep farms was 46%.
Household incomes
Although a very low proportion of dairy farmers work off farm, 58% of dairy farm households have an off-farm employment income, with 53% of spouses working off-farm in dairy farm households.
Household off-farm income in 2025 - where either the farm holder or spouse was employed off farm - stood at 74% on tillage farms, 62% on cattle rearing farms and 57% on both cattle and sheep farms.
Pension
The aging profile of farmers is likely linked to the decline in the proportion of households with an off-farm employment income source, the report indicates.
Farming households in receipt of pensions has increased in recent years, with 2025 data suggesting that this figure was at 39% last year.
On average, 44% of cattle farm households were in receipt of a pension, the highest proportion of all farming enterprises.
This was followed by sheep farms at 38%, tillage farms at 26% and 25% of dairy farming households were in receipt of a pension.
Age profile
The average age of cattle farmers in 2025 was 60 years and the average sheep farmer aged slightly below this at 59 years, according to the report.
The average age of tillage farmers in the survey was 56 years, with dairy farmers 55 years in 2025.
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