Rising costs are the biggest challenge facing farmers according to the annual Farm Report conducted by ifac.
The farming, food and agribusiness specialist professional services firm reports that 60% of Irish farmers say the biggest concern for their business is increased input costs.
These are impacting all the primary farm inputs, such as fertiliser, feed and energy.
The survey was conducted across all sectors and aspects of farming, with 860 farmers participating. The sector with the strongest representation was beef, followed by dairy.
Finding and retaining employees has become a challenge for many, and one in five farmers says it’s a big concern, particularly in the dairy sector.
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One in three beef farmers are struggling to balance farming with their off-farm job, and across the board three in four farmers say they would hire non-EU people with the right skills.
Nearly all farmers are open to incorporating renewable energy on their farms, the report finds, yet a third don’t know where to start.
The survey also highlights that two-thirds of Irish farming families have yet to start their succession plans.
One in five survey respondents said the farming lifestyle is not appealing enough for the next generation, and almost half of Irish farmers don’t have a Will.
John Donoghue, chief executive of ifac, commented: “As Covid-19 begins to dissipate, any anticipated relief has been overshadowed as other significant challenges have emerged.
“Rising costs are now the biggest challenge facing farmers, heightened by escalating prices and supply shortages because of the tragic and needless events in Ukraine.
“In parallel, finding and retaining employees has become a big concern for many, particularly in the dairy sector, and succession planning remains a recurring theme year after year that still requires urgent focus.”
Donoghue noted that despite these concerns, six in ten farmers have a positive outlook on farming for 2022.
“Almost all farmers in agreement that reducing greenhouse gases is essential,” he added. “With the right support and a financially viable framework, Irish farmers can take a lead role in driving positive climate action in global agriculture.”
Ifac’s Irish Farm Report 2022 features analysis and tips for each sector (including dairy, beef, sheep, tillage, poultry, pigs and forestry), as well as case studies and helpful articles for Irish farmers on topics such as technology, climate action, succession, farm structures, pensions, hiring, etc.
Images: Evelyn (aged 5) and Liam (aged 3) Alcorn with their mum Caroline Alcorn, Audit Manager at ifac, on their farm in Co. Kilkenny (Nore Valley) for the spring launch of ifac’s Farm Report 2022.
