The Government needs to actively encourage young people from non-farming backgrounds into farming to counteract the issue of an aging agricultural population, Farm Relief Services (FRS) has said.

In its submission to the public consultation on generational renewal, the farm labour provider said many of its employees want to farm in their own right.

“We believe more needs to be done to actively encourage young people from non-farming backgrounds into careers in farming,” it said.

FRS added that access to land is prohibiting its employees from running their own farming enterprise.

“Young people join FRS Co-op as employees while in school or college with an interest in agriculture. Many from non-farming backgrounds, with no access to land, pursue alternative career paths due to the prohibitive cost of owning your own farm.

“These talented young potential farmers are automatically eliminated from pursuing a career in farming due to land affordability issues,” it said.

Broker

FRS added that it would like to “act as a broker” in terms of helping those without land to access it and ultimately farm in their own right.

“We are perfectly positioned to attract and engage Ireland’s future farmers,” it said.

To engage this cohort, FRS claimed the Government needs to “think past previous policy and other supports”.

“There needs to be a strong emphasis on understanding demographic/sociological changes and individual motivators,” it added.