On the first day of the event (Tuesday, September 16) the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon published the report of the Commission on Generational Renewal in farming.

This report sets out 31 recommendations to support inter-generational farm succession, and the Programme for Government has committed to support the area of generational renewal in farming.

While this sets out what is happening at government level to support generational renewal, Agriland put the question to two of Ireland's main beef and lamb processors on the action they are taking to support young farmers to enter and remain in the sector.

The two separate video interviews with Kepak's head of agribusiness Mick O'Dowd and ABP Food Group's agri-sustainability manager Stephen Connolly can be found below.

Kepak's head of agribusiness Mick O'Dowd highlighted that this year, the processor launched a Young Sheep Farmer Forum.

He explained what the initiative is about saying: "We met with young sheep farmers and brought them to see different farms and over to Paris as well".

The purpose of the forum is to identify "what they [young sheep farmers] feel, rather than us - the industry - telling the Government or the other industry stakeholders, it's the young farmers themselves outlining what they want to do.

The Kepak head of agribusiness said: "I think, the more of that that's happening across the industry, the better because the sustainability of the industry is going to be built on the next generation."

O'Dowd also confirmed that Kepak will be rolling out a similar initiative for young beef farmers later this year also.

Commenting on what ABP Food Group is doing to support young farmers, ABP's agri-sustainability manager Stephen Connolly said: "Young people are really important because they're going to drive on our industry."

He highlighted that the average age of a beef farmer in Ireland is 58.

He said: "One scheme we're working on at the minute is our young farmers initiative, which is supporting young farmers under the age of 35."

On how the initiative works, Connolly said: "So basically, we will purchase the calf for them. We will give them an interim payment to help cashflow because, look, that's [cashflow] one of the hardest things in beef farming.

"We launched it this year and we hope it will kick on because we know it is very challenging out there for young farmers.

"Calf prices are dear, land availability is scarce, so hopefully that initiative will give them young farmers a kickstart because we need to support the young people."

Also speaking in relation to young sheep farmer supports through Irish Country Meats (ICM) Connoly said: "This year, we had the Flocks of the Future Competition where we gave five lucky winners five hoggets and a ram each.

"Our sheep farmers are really important to us. We need to get more young people into sheep farming and they can work really well with a beef system."