Farmers are worried about costs but still are optimistic for future!

THREE out of every five Irish farmers are worried about rising input costs but almost the same percentage still have a positive outlook on their agri futures.

That’s according to the latest Irish Farm Survey carried out by Ifac aimed at establishing the main issues impact on Irish farmers as they go through 2022.

Sixty per cent of farmers surveyed were in no doubt that their biggest concern for the rest of 2022 was in increased input costs such as fertiliser, feed and energy.

However, 58% of farmers surveyed by Ifac, said that they still retained a positive outlook on farming as they faced into the challenges of 2022.

Over four out of every 10 farmers also indicated that they would consider switching to an organic enterprise with the two main impediments to this move identified as a ‘lack of markets’ and ‘insufficient financial supports’.

Only one in every three farmers surveyed have a succession plan in place – a doubling of the figure since the previous survey in 2019 – while almost half (47%) of farmers surveyed do not have a Will made.

In terms of climate change and the environment, a massive 94% of farmers surveyed believe that greenhouse reduction on farms is important while 97% would sell energy back to the national grid – but one in three of those ‘don’t know where to start’.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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