Some 35% of Irish farmers have admitted they are facing financial pressure on their farm, according to a new survey.

Reducing costs is the main priority of 44% of farmers surveyed, while 35% said they plan to reduce the environmental impact of their farm.

In the FRS Co-op survey of over 600 farmers, one in four revealed succession planning is a problem on their farm, while one in three stated they aim to prepare a succession plan in the next year.

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Other pressing issues identified by farmers include the loss of the nitrates derogation and increased fertiliser regulations, with over half citing this as one of the biggest challenges to their farm. This figure rose to 70% for dairy farmer respondents.

Meanwhile, FRS Co-op’s annual farmer trends and insights survey revealed that 55% identified unpredictable weather conditions as a significant challenge.

On labour, 35% of respondents said they are struggling to find farm workers. This figure increased to 44% for dairy farmers, with 47% of milk suppliers also saying they employ people on a weekly basis. Expansion is not on the cards for most, just 20% of farmers, while almost 12% said they will seek to diversify their farm income.

CAP

Some 50% of farmers surveyed stated their business could not survive without the support of farm schemes. This half of respondents said EU funded farm schemes are either “critical” or “essential” to their farm business, with the figure rising to 68% for respondents who are not dairy farmers. This comes as recent proposals from the European Commission indicate a 22% reduction in CAP funds.

Commenting on the survey, CEO of FRS Co-op Colin Donnery said this new data shows that farm schemes are not just helpful, but essential.

“With half of Irish farmers stating they could not survive without these schemes, it’s evident that EU-funded supports like CAP are the backbone of rural sustainability and critical to maintaining employment in what remains Ireland’s largest incumbent industry.

“As policymakers consider future reforms, it’s vital they recognise the real-world impact these schemes have on the viability of farm businesses across Ireland,” he added.