Producing more isn’t necessarily the answer to developing a viable and resilient farm system, social media influencer Sophie Bell told attendees at the Teagasc Women in Agriculture conference on Thursday.

Farming 56 acres, the Cavan native, who has 111,000 followers on Instagram, said the size of her holding has influenced how she thinks about the future of farming.

“When you are trying to make a farm business viable you have to look beyond the idea that the answer is to always produce more,” she said.

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“There are real constraints around land investment, infrastructure, input costs and returns you can expect to achieve. You can work incredibly hard and be operating in a system where margins are tight and so much is outside of your control.”

She told the conference that she doesn’t want to just keep the farm going, she wants to develop a business that can be resilient and viable over the long term.

Comfortable life

“The current system, where a large proportion of us rely on subsidies to survive, keeps us poor. I have always wanted a farm that works outside of that system, which is no easy task.

“For me, ambition isn’t about becoming bigger, it is about using the land I have and creating a comfortable life for myself and the animals, without pushing everything to its limits.”

She explained that in her opinion, resilience cannot mean just surviving whatever happens next.

“Agriculture is changing and farmers need the opportunity to adapt in ways that make sense for their own circumstances. It might mean investing in infrastructure, improving efficiency, adapting technology, or building a different relationship with the market.

Bell emphasised that there is no single version of success and cautioned against measuring every farm against the same model of success.

I believe there is enormous potential in this industry, but potential is not the same as opportunity

“The future of agriculture will depend on our ability to produce food, protect our natural resources, adapt to changing conditions and maintain viable businesses. But it also depends on whether people can see a future for themselves in the sector.

“I believe there is enormous potential in this industry, but potential is not the same as opportunity. If we want people to build something from that potential, we need to make sure they have a realistic chance on doing so.”