Government has turned its back on young farmers - Macra

The Government has turned its back on the next generation of farmers, according to Macra president Josephine O’Neill following Budget 2026.

Macra has welcomed key investments and supports for rural communities and the agriculture sector, while strongly criticising the Government for once again failing to deliver meaningful measures to support generational renewal.

“The extension of essential agricultural tax reliefs that Macra had sought including the 100% Young Trained Farmer Stamp Duty Relief, Farm Restructuring Capital Gains Tax Relief and Farm Consolidation Stamp Duty Relief along with Accelerated Capital Allowance for Slurry Storage, which are now extended up to the end of 2029, provides certainty and stability to farm families who are trying to plan for the years ahead," O'Neill said.

Macra has also welcomed the allocation of €85m towards the TB eradication programme, a longstanding and costly burden on Irish farmers.

“TB is not just a financial challenge; it is a huge emotional strain on families who have to watch their herds impacted by restrictions and losses year after year. The allocation of €85m is a significant investment and a positive move that will hopefully accelerate progress towards meaningful eradication,” O’Neill said.

Shortage of vets

The announcement of increased places in the veterinary college was described as a “strategic and necessary intervention", by Macra.

“The shortage of vets in rural Ireland is a real and growing problem. Farmers rely on veterinary services not just for compliance, but for the day-to-day running of their businesses. Increasing college places is a practical step that will, in time, help to ease this shortage and ensure that rural communities have access to the services they need,” she added.

The organisation also welcomed the announcement of additional funding for the National Broadband Plan of €33m, a necessary support to young people and young farmers living and working in rural Ireland.

However, despite these positive developments, Macra has expressed deep frustration and disappointment at the Government’s ongoing failure to tackle generational renewal.

The organisation has long highlighted the need for concrete measures to support Generational Renewal but Budget 2026 and the Irish Government "failed to deliver for young farmers".

Ageing population

“For the third consecutive budget, we have seen no clear commitment to supporting young farmers or facilitating farm succession. There are no new incentives, no targeted schemes, and no structured policy direction to address the single biggest challenge facing Irish agriculture today: the ageing of our farming population,” O’Neill said.

This failure, she added, is even more stark given the Department of Agriculture's €2.3bn budget for 2026.

“Within a budget of €2.3bn, it is frankly unacceptable that not a single new measure has been allocated to support generational renewal. The resources are there, but the political will is not,” O’Neill said.

Ireland has one of the lowest rates of young farmers in the EU, with the average age of farmers continuing to rise.

Macra has repeatedly called for a comprehensive generational renewal strategy, including enhanced installation supports, access to land measures, and succession planning incentives.

“Young people want to farm. They want to innovate, diversify, and build sustainable businesses. But they are being met with financial barriers, bureaucratic delays, and a lack of political will. This Government is failing to recognise that without young people entering the sector, there is no future for Irish farming,” O’Neill warned.

She added: “You cannot secure the future of rural Ireland if you refuse to invest in the people who will shape it. Generational renewal is not optional - it is essential.”