Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue is being called on to ensure that “tangible action” is taken following his announcement of a new Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming over the weekend.
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) sounded a broad welcome for the commission, saying that the minister’s “recognition” of the challenges young farmers face and his intention to evaluate their supports are a “step in the right direction”.
However, ICSA president Sean McNamara said that further action will be needed to “secure the future of Irish farming”.
“While the minister has outlined the current range of supports, our members’ experience show that these measures have not adequately addressed the fundamental issues preventing young people from entering and staying in agriculture.
“High land prices, limited access to credit, over-regulation, and the uncertainty surrounding farm income remain significant barriers. There are also significant challenges related to succession planning and land transfers that need urgent attention,” McNamara said.
“The stark reality is that without immediate and substantial interventions, many young people will continue to turn their backs on farming,” he added.
McNamara called on the government to back up any recommendations the proposed commission makes with sufficient funding and resources; and to make sure that its recommendations are practical and feasible.
“This new initiative must lead to meaningful change and cannot simply become yet another talking shop.”
The ICSA president said he would look to ensure that farmer representatives, especially young farmers, are “at the forefront of the conversation”.
“They are the ones living the reality of these challenges, and their insights will be invaluable in shaping effective policy,” he said.
“It is vital that this commission delivers concrete results, with a clear focus on removing the barriers that currently prevent young people from committing to a career in farming. The future of our agricultural sector and our rural communities depends on it,” McNamara added.
Generational renewal commission
The reaction to the the minister’s announcement has been mixed.
Macra commended Minister McConalogue for his intentions to establish the commission, saying “it was a long time coming”.
Minister McConalogue’s announcement at the weekend during his opening address at the Tullamore Show in Butterfield Estate, Co. Offaly, was welcomed by Macra president, Elaine Houlihan.
She said: “What we are seeing here is, on the face of it, action by the Minister for Agriculture to address the lack of young farmers in Ireland and the threat that this brings to Irish food production.”
However, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) took a far more negative stance, describing the commission as “an exercise in futility”.
The ICMSA said that the issue of getting young people to commit to a farming career was linked to “collapsing farm incomes and ever-increasing regulatory pressures”, something that the association claimed the government had an “inability or unwillingness to accept”.