Support needed to attract young people to farming - Macra

Financial supports and policy change is needed to attract young people to farming according to Macra, with only 5% of the active farming population under the age of 35. 

Macra will appear in front of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine this evening (Wednesday, 26th October) to discuss its vision for the future of farming in Ireland.

On a week where recommendations in the final Food Vision Dairy Report have been submitted to the Minister for Agriculture, it is very timely to get the views of Macra brought to the fore.

With only 5% of the active farming population under the age of 35, significant investments, policy change and supports are needed to change this statistic.  

Irish young farmers are among the most educated across the EU and will be the first to adopt new farming practices.

Macra national president John Keane said: "We constantly hear about diversification opportunities in farming, but we haven’t seen the investment or the creation of additional markets to support any change. Young people are excited about the future, the possibilities with renewables and energy generation offer real opportunities for young people".

Farming is the backbone of our rural communities across the country, Macra stressed, noting that beef farmers, dairy, tillage, pigs, poultry and many others are supporting local jobs and generating economic activity in every parish in the country.

"Rural sustainability is a crucial issue going forward, for our schools, clubs and local communities to survive we need young people with opportunities to sustain these rural areas," Mr Keane said. 

"Macra wants to see its solutions and ideas implemented with the backing of policy and significant investment," the Macra president said.