This is a subscriber-only article
A snail farmer from Co Galway was announced as the winner of the 2019 NEWBIE new farm entrant competition.
Steven Ryan from Tuam, Co Galway, diversified his parent’s cattle and sheep farm to establish a snail farm in 2014. He now produces 4,000kg of snails for export every year.
Positive experience
Ryan was very positive about his experience in establishing his farm, saying that there is a good income to be made from a small piece of land.
“We started out using Google and YouTube for information and through trial and error developed a system that suits the Irish climate,” he said.
Those considering entering agriculture or diversifying their business can learn a huge amount from Steven’s story
Ryan is involved in plans to develop an Irish processing plant, giving farmers a home market for their snails. The flexibility in producing snails is such that he can easily work around busy periods on his parents’ farm, according to the award winner.
Teagasc NEWBIE project advisor John Moriarty said: “Those considering entering agriculture or diversifying their business can learn a huge amount from Steven’s story. Steven has identified an enterprise that complimented the existing enterprises, while maintaining a quality work-life balance.”
The NEWBIE Network is an EU Horizon 2020-funded project with 10 European partners. The aim of the network is to enable new entrants to successfully establish a sustainable farm business in Europe.
New entrants are defined in the NEWBIE network as anyone who starts a new farm business or becomes involved in an existing farm business at any stage of their lives.
SHARING OPTIONS: