The average age of an Irish farmer is 58 years. The land will outlast them but without a plan, as well as silence about who will get the family farm.
The natural progression of farming is to think about who will be custodian of the land in the future and who will get the family farm, “but in many cases, these conversations do not happen,” according to Teagasc experts.
In a new report, Keith Fahey, Business and Technology Consultant – Drystock at Teagasc, explains why this is the case.
“In many other professions, training or education usually takes four to five years,” he said.
“Then, individuals are eligible to start their own business or look for work.
“So why not transfer farms to farmers of the same age?”
“The average age of Irish farmers is 58, with one in three farmers over the age of 65,” explains Dr Emma Dillon, chief research officer at Teagasc working with the National Agricultural Survey.
But is there an ideal age to start talking about succession and handover on the family farm?
Farm transportation
Farm transfer and succession plans that encourage early planning, simplify administrative procedures and ensure that both generations benefit from secure arrangements are highlighted as a key strategy under the EU Common Agricultural Policy network.
According to a study conducted by the EU CAP network – Evaluation of generational renewal strategies in all EU Member StatesS – Ireland scored 5.0.
This demonstrates “to a very large extent” the seriousness of the generational renewal problem that currently exists in Ireland.
Access to land is consistently reported as one of the most severe barriers to entry for young farmers into the agriculture sector.
As previously reported AgrilandThe average price of land rose to 14,442 euros/ac In 2025.
In the European Union, between 2017 and 2022, the highest increases in land prices were observed in Romania, the Czech Republic, Estonia and Ireland (with an average annual growth rate of 13.8%).
The assessment goes on to say that “less regulated land markets exist in Denmark, Ireland and Finland.”
Tax processing
Last year, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Haydon, published the report Committee for the renewal of generations in agriculture a report.
This includes information on national tax measures and financial support available to Irish farmers considering moving their farms.
The report also highlights that “unintended disincentives can arise from how (tax) exemptions are structured, interpreted and applied.
“Reductions such as farm relief, retirement relief, and kin relief are designed for intra-household transfers.
“Transfers to other relatives and non-family successors are not eligible, creating an unintended barrier to viable alternatives to succession.”
Interviews conducted for Committee for the renewal of generations in agriculture “The most notable concern for beef farmers was land transfer taxes and the impact of a large tax bill on the back,” the report found.
The report also explained that “stamp duty, although reduced to 0% for onboarding of trained young farmers, remains a barrier due to lack of awareness and other concerns.”
Another key area identified is that tax credits are often underutilized due to a “lack of proactive tax planning by farmers… and reliance on financial advisors who may focus on short-term tax optimization rather than long-term planning.”
Cash is king
One of the major barriers identified regarding accessibility for young farmers entering the sector is the availability of finance.
In 2024, the European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide €3 billion in loans for agriculture and other bioeconomy activities across Europe with a focus on young farmers, gender equality and green investments.
the EU strategy for generation renewal in agriculture It identifies “high collateral requirements, limited credit history, and volatile income” as possible reasons for financial institutions’ reluctance to lend.
Looking forward
“Financial management and cost control are as important to farm sustainability as technical farm management, especially in a world of increasing and more prevalent geopolitical uncertainty,” Donal Wilton, head of agriculture at AIB, told Agriland.
“Young farmers now have options that were not available to previous generations, for example options to expand milk production in a non-quota environment, options to consider farming partnerships or co-farming arrangements etc.
“While there is often a belief that the son/daughter will take over the farm business, in reality no contact or discussions about succession or inheritance occurs,” he said.
Putting the policy into effect
The issue of generational renewal was further emphasized this week when Dairygold released its 2025 report Financial results.
Much of the report focused on the new succession programme Corridors.
The program is designed to “support members at every stage of planning for the future of their agricultural enterprises.”
It includes a range of succession and cooperation models, including gradual transfer, partnerships, leasing and new entrant pathways.
The program comes as the co-op has been told 300 of its dairy suppliers plan to retire by 2030 according to Michael Hart, CEO of Dairygold.
According to their annual report. Corridors It provides “practical guidance, reliable support, and clear options for members who are new to succession planning, actively transitioning, or considering an alternative path where there is no family successor.”
“While many members have identified a potential successor, only a small minority currently have a documented succession plan,” the cooperative added.
Maximum “decisive” policy.
Separately, Fine Gael MEP, Maria Walsh, MEP Chief negotiator for generational renewal He told Agriland that the Common Agricultural Policy was “crucial” to support young farmers.
“It remains one of the essential tools to ensure generational renewal in a sector where people under the age of 40 represent only 12% of farm managers across the EU and young women represent only 3%,” she stated.
In light of the urgent need to protect food security, Walsh added, “Attracting younger generations to agriculture is not a nice thing, but it is a must.
Member of the European Parliament Maria Walsh. Image source: EU 2026
The European Parliament said the profession must be “viable and attractive, and in order to invest in agriculture, younger generations need to be guaranteed a stable income and effective policy tools to protect them from increased market volatility.”
Under the current Common Agricultural Policy, member states are required to allocate at least 3% of their direct payments to support young farmers.
Walsh believes that this threshold must be “increased and complemented by a broad toolkit of measures tailored to meet the specific needs and circumstances in each Member State.”
The main message seems to be that the tools and support are there.
Evidence suggests that the farms that succeed successively are those where the generation handing over has found a way to let go – and the generation taking over has been given room to lead.
