The number of farmers employed off farm also increased from 28% in 2012 to 29% in 2013 according to preliminary estimates from the Teagasc National Farm Survey’s 2013 results.

The proportion of farms where either the farm holder or the spouse had off-farm employment had until 2013 declined from a peak of 59% in 2006 to a low of 50% in 2012. In 2013 the proportion with holder or spouse with an off-farm job has increased to 51.2%.

Teagasc says this may reflect the increase in employment in the wider economy recorded by the CSO QNHS.

National Farm Survey 2013 3

Distribution of Family farm income

Another interesting finding of this year’s Teagasc National Farm Survey results is that there was a wide variation in farm incomes.

In 2013 approximately 23%, or 18,200 farms, produced a family farm income of less than €5,000 compared to 19% of farms in 2012. At the opposite end of the spectrum, 17% of farms produced a farm income of over €50,000 compared to 16% the previous year.

Almost 4% or 3,164 farms, produced an income of over €100,000. Thus there is an increase in the numbers of farms earning very low family farm incomes and high family farm incomes and a decline in the number of farms earning incomes between €10,000 and €50,000 per farm.

National Farm Survey 2013 4