Land leasing is the only way into dairy for those without suitable land and should be seen as an “opportunity”.

These comments were made by Joe Deane, who leases multiple dairy farms in Co Cork, at the Irish Grassland Association’s (IGA) dairy conference in Charleville.

“Only for leasing I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to get into the business, so I think it needs to be supported.

“The scale probably isn’t here in Ireland for the model they have in New Zealand with share-farming.

“So I think leasing probably is the only opportunity for people to get in. I think it’s only going to present more opportunity, really,” he said.

Deane, from a 50ac drystock farm in east Cork, currently leases three farms, one of which is a 50:50 partnership and he previously held another lease which expired.

Land leasing proved to be a popular topic of conversation at the conference.

Responding to questions, the Cork man said he would “be slow to” invest in slurry storage or a new parlour on a rented farm, given the hike in building prices.

Retirement scheme

Speaking on the topic at the conference, IFA’s dairy policy executive Áine O’Connell said leasing acts in lieu of a farm retirement scheme for many at present without a pension and land could become unavailable if the tax structure around leasing was changed significantly.

“With the land leasing structure that we have and the tax-free incentives that are there, they provide a retirement opportunity for dairy farmers, all farmers.

In the absence of any other retirement scheme, it is an avenue for farmers who have no pension,” she added.

A farmer from the floor countered that tax-free incentives should lie with the active farmers as they need to invest in their business to make it viable. He added that land leasing is creating “armchair farmers”.