Farmer respondents have singled out what they see as the biggest threat to farming in Ireland in the ‘state of the nation survey’ – conducted with almost 3,000 participants in recent days by AgriLand and Empathy Research.

2,921 respondents participated in this broad-ranging, open (online) survey, conducted through AgriLand.

The survey opened on Thursday, September 12, and closed on Monday, September 16.

‘Biggest threat’

One of the questions asked to participants was: “Which of the following do you see as the biggest threat to farming in Ireland?”

This was accompanied with a list of options including: Brexit; rural crime; climate change / unpredictable weather; lack of successors for the farm; lack of interest from youth to get into farming; price you receive for produce; beef prices; farming not being profitable anymore; insurance costs; competition from foreign suppliers; lack of support/incentive from the government; the reduction in consumption of meat; and the reduction in the consumption of dairy products.

A combined 70% of respondents highlighted profitability and product price as the biggest threat to farming. This comprised: farming not being profitable anymore (29%); the price received for produce (28%); and beef prices (14%).

Brexit was the next most popular option as the sector’s biggest threat; 7% of participants highlighted this.

Rural crime and insurance costs were least popular, with 0% of farmer respondents selecting these.

Climate change, lack of government support and a lack of interest from youth were all chosen by 4% of partakers, while competition from foreign suppliers and the reduction in consumption of meat were selected by 3% and 2% of participants respectively.

Finally, a lack of successors for the farm and the reduction in the consumption of dairy products were highlighted by 1% of respondents each.