We need more Newbies
The average age of farmers in Ireland in 2016 was 55 years of age, while the number of family farm holders who were aged less than 35 years old was just 7.4%. This age profile mirrors the statistics of other member states across the EU. New entrants are vital to the future of farming, rural communities and the wider agricultural industry in Ireland and across Europe.
Tom Curran (Teagasc) is part of the Newbie consortium and wrote an article for the Irish magazine ‘Today’s Farm’. You can download the full article here.
On the picture: Teresa Sheehy, who is starting a novel calf-rearing enterprise in Ireland
