There was an unprecedented number of inquiries, more than 1,000, to a service that matches farmers with other farmers looking for land and new opportunities, according to latest figures published today (Wednesday, March 29).
The majority of these inquiries to the Land Mobility Service were from landowners “looking to step back” and from young farmers and potential new entrants.
In a new report published today the service, which was first established in 2015, details that it had its busiest-ever year in 2022, chiefly helping to facilitate long-lease and share-farming arrangements.
The Land Mobility Service aims to provide a “dedicated proactive support service for farmers and farm families” who want to expand, change enterprise or step back.
Operated by Macra and an FBD Trust, it has to date, helped to facilitate an estimated 1,000 “arrangements” representing more than 75,000ac and almost 2,000 farm entities.
It did this by providing what it describes as an “honest broker” type service – which is confidential – to match farmers or landowners interested in long leases, partnerships, share farming or contract rearing with other farmers.
It also opened the door for young farmers who want to develop their career and work collaboratively with other farmers or landowners and who might otherwise not have had a chance to farm.
According to Macra president, John Keane and the chair of Land Mobility Service, John Buckley, around 100 arrangements were facilitated last year.
“Climate targets in agriculture are a huge challenge for the industry. We fully believe that young farmers will be the drivers to this change.
“Research suggests that farmer characteristics, including age, impact the preparedness they have to tackle environmental measures on farm. The research suggests age also impacts the decision to adopt smart farming or precision farming technologies,” they stated.
According to Keane and Buckley “ensuring viable compliant farms with good infrastructure remain available to active farmers is vital for the environment, young farmers and rural communities”.
“Where there is no obvious farming successor or where additional land is required for the future viability of a farm, interventionist-type supports are needed to deliver generational
renewal.
“The Land Mobility Service is addressing an important need here and has a track record of delivering,” they said.