Macra calls for action to back up new generational renewal report
Macra has called for the new report on Generational Renewal in Farming to be backed up with action, saying "delivery not promises" is critical for young farmers.
Macra National President Josephine O'Neill has welcomed the long-awaited report, describing it as a "landmark for the future of Irish farming".
The report was launched today (Tuesday, September 16) at the 2025 National Ploughing Championships by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon.
While O'Neill said she is hopeful about the recommendations, she stressed that they "must now be backed by action".
"The publication of the report is a positive and necessary step. For too long, the challenges facing young farmers have been spoken about but not acted on.
"This report lays out real, practical measures that could transform opportunities for the next generation. But unless they are delivered, they remain only words on paper," the Macra president added.
Some of they key recommendations in the report that O'Neill drew attention to are: a young farmers establishment fund of €25,000; a generational renewal payment of €25,000 to support older farmers; and funding for a National Land Mobility Service.
"These proposals recognise both sides of the challenge. Young people need financial support to get started, while older farmers need reassurance and recognition when passing on the family farm," the Macra president stated.
"Together, these measures could unlock land mobility and renew the heartbeat of rural Ireland."
However, O'Neill warned: "Farmers across Ireland have seen reports before that never came to life.
"If these measures are not implemented in full, it will be yet another missed opportunity, and our sector cannot afford that. Delivery is what matters now," she added.
O'Neill also said that those currently in the process of transferring cannot be disadvantaged by the announcement of these recommendations, and she called for a retroactive period when these new payments are introduced.
The new report has made 31 recommendations across a wide range of areas including Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) supports; pensions; taxation; access to finance; access to land; collaborative arrangements; advisory services; education and training; gender balance; and the overall attractiveness of the sector.
An implementation group within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will consider these recommendations and will engage with agricultural stakeholders and relevant public bodies.
Publishing the report, Minister Heydon said: “Farm succession is a complex issue and there are many factors that impact farmers’ decisions.
"Attracting the next generation of farmers is critical to ensure that the agri-food sector remains vibrant and sustainable into the future and this analysis ensures that we have a comprehensive, well-considered foundation for future policy on generational renewal," the minister added.
