Macra’s income rose to €2.78m in 2022, up from €2.65m the previous year, on the back of higher milk levies and an increased funding allocation for running its land mobility service, figures included in the organisation’s 2022 accounts show.

A 55% jump in milk levies brought in €433,640 in income for Macra than the same levies had returned in 2021, an income boost of over €150,000 year-on-year.

Membership fees from the group’s more than 11,000 members fell to €487,174 in 2022, down from €532,790 the previous year.

Grants totalling €635,106 were received by Macra in 2022, including €523,631 which was granted by the Department of Children and €25,000 from the Department of Agriculture.

Some €833,000 in additional funding was ringfenced for running the Macra Skillnet training and education courses.

Macra employed an average of 26 people in the year, an increase of two employees on the figures reported in 2021.

Costs

On the cost side, Macra spent €935,000 in 2022 on wages and payroll related outgoings, down from €979,000 in 2021.

The total staff bill, which includes the pay of four employees not included in the figure listed above, came in at €1,081,873, a reduction of around €60,000 on the year previous. The cost of administering the land mobility programme rose to €204,000, an increase of approximately €15,000 on the year before.

Insurance continues to represent a significant cost for the young farmers’ organisation at €100,000.

The cost of Macra’s national executive came in at €72,500, while a further €64,500 was spent on rent and rates, €116,000 on sundries, €90,000 on IT and €81,000 on travel-related expenses.

The young farmers’ organisation ended the year with €556,850 cash in hand, up from the €498,250 carried into the year.