Mart managers on succession: 'younger generations have upped their game'

Kevin Casey, Dungarvan Mart

“There’s a lot of grey hairs around the ring and you wouldn’t see as many young faces – and that is a concern. If there aren’t more young people coming into farming, that’s s definitely going to be a problem going forward. Labour is a big problem in farming and if we don’t fix succession it’s going to be a bigger problem.

“Definitely on the suckler and dry stock side of things that’s predominantly where I would see older farmers with nearly no younger farmers coming on. I suppose with dairy, which is the largest customer base down here, you do see younger people coming on but not at sustainable levels needed.

“There are bodies in place like the Land Mobility Service to bring on the next generation and get link ups between people. Services like that need more supports. It’s not all about financial supports either, it’s having personnel to deal with the problem.”

Martin McNamara, Clare Marts

“What I’m seeing in the last few years is the guys that have stayed in the suckling, the younger generation, have upped the game big time. There’s more AI being used and they’re really clued in.

"Another obvious feature over the last three or four years is there’s more women becoming involved in farming and you’d have to say they are really clued in and doing a good job too.

"The fact that the farming end of it isn’t as physical as it used to be and there’s a broader acceptance of women farming, it’s great.

“All the younger people, they’re working. A lot of the lads that are interested in farming, they have a trade and that seems to be the way it’s going to be. Anyone that’s doing it (farming) now, has upped the ante and there’s more focus on quality and breeding.”

Dan McCarthy, Kenmare Mart

“It’s great to see a bit of enthusiasm from the younger farmers and we need to encourage them to try and get them back into it. They’re not coming in; in the numbers you’d like to see.

“You’ve two choices here, either sheep or suckling, that’s it and if they get anything at all for the sucklers in the next CAP that could be a good lift. That young farmer scheme with the early retirement that used to be there, that was a great thing and something like that needs to be looked at again.

“I suppose the next CAP might get rid of the armchair but it wouldn’t want to get rid of part-time farmers because if they take out the part time farmer it will be a disaster for the likes of south Kerry and west Cork.”