Public meetings on Generation Renewal

Currently 4.3% of farm holders are aged 35 and under, this is a decrease from the 2020 level of 6.9%. Macra President, Elaine Houlihan, said: “The decreases that we are seeing in the numbers of young farmers are worrying, were the rate of decrease to continue, it will be within my generations lifetime that there will be no more young farmers."

Macra is currently putting together its submission to the Commission on Generational Renewal, as part of this submission we are conducting a wide public consultation with our members and non-members alike who are interested in the future of agriculture in this country.

Ms Houlihan added: “Everyone is welcome to attend these consultations as we need as many people as possible to come next week to express there views on generation renewal to ensure we secure a future for agriculture in Ireland.”

The Mid West consultation will start at 7.30pm this Wednesday, January 15 – Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, County Limerick.

Ms Houlihan said: “The policies that have been pursued over the past years have not worked, rejigging them and expecting a different result will not work either, we need our membership and the public to let us know what they expect from the Commission, what they want us to say to the Commission, after all it is our future that is at stake.”