Generational renewal "must start with farm viability", the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) has said.

ICSA president Sean McNamara has said that the discussions at the recent the Interparliamentary Conference on Securing the Future of Farming in Dublin highlighted issues that are central to the future of agriculture.

However, he said that "none of these ambitions can be achieved without viable family farms".

"We have heard a lot this week about food security, generational renewal and the role of women in agriculture," the ICSA president said.

"All of these issues are important - but now those words have to mean something. Everything we want from agriculture depends on viable family farms."

Generational renewal

McNamara said there is "little point" talking about attracting the next generation into farming if the current generation is "struggling to make a living".

"Generational renewal begins with ensuring that today's family farms remain viable," he said.

"If we want people to stay on the land and build a future in agriculture, then we have to make sure farming is economically sustainable."

CAP

McNamara said the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) must put farm viability at the centre of its priorities.

"The next CAP has to recognise the reality facing family farms," he said.

"The future CAP cannot simply become a vehicle for placing additional obligations on farmers.

"It must provide the resources that allow farm families to make a decent living, invest in their businesses and plan for the future."

Future of farming

He said the Irish government now has an important role to play in ensuring that the priorities discussed are reflected in the next CAP.

"Ireland has to make the case that these ambitions depend on economically sustainable family farms," McNamara said.

"The government must be prepared to fight for a properly funded CAP and ensure that Ireland is helping to shape the outcome rather than simply responding to decisions made elsewhere.

"If we want to secure the future of farming, then we have to be prepared to back that ambition both at European level and here at home."

Confidence

McNamara concluded by saying that generational renewal is about more than attracting new entrants.

"It means creating the conditions that allow one generation to hand over a viable farm business to the next and giving young people the confidence that farming offers a real future," he said.

"Without viable family farms there can be no meaningful generational renewal.

"If Europe wants a new generation of farmers, then it has to make farming a future people can believe in."