Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys received the largest share of the farmer vote in a snap poll of the presidential election candidates conducted by the Irish Farmers Journal.
Humphreys topped the poll, taking home 38.77% of the vote.
The other 61% of farmers were split in their voting preference, with both independent Catherine Connolly and Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin neck-and- neck for the farmer vote. They polled at 30.94% and 30.28%, respectively.
A total of 1,060 farmers were asked at the National Ploughing Championships 2025 which of the three candidates they would vote for in the upcoming election.
The trio pressed the flesh for the farmer and rural vote at Ploughing 2025, with Humphreys majoring on her own farming credentials.
She said that farm succession was an issue close to her heart and it is something she feels well placed to represent farmers on.
“Myself and my husband, we are farming – well he does the farming, I do the talking – and we have family. I would like to see the farm move onto the next generation.”
Catherine Connolly said generational renewal is a problem that “we need to sort out”.
“We need young people on farms. We cannot survive without sustainable farming and without a livelihood for young people and older people,” she said.
Jim Gavin highlighted his roots in west Clare to draw farmer votes, highlighting that rural society is part “of our identity as Irish people”.
“The presidency can enrich that by highlighting the really positive things that farming and rural society brings to Ireland in terms of the supports,” he said.
A separate poll run on www.farmersjournal.ie on Sunday 28 September until Wednesday 1 October attracted 929 votes Irish Farmers Journal website users and saw Humphreys leading the pack with 614 votes. Connolly received 226 votes and Gavin received 89 votes.
SHARING OPTIONS