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The persistently low level of young farmers entering farming is a concern for the future of European agriculture and rural areas according to a report titled ‘generational renewal in the EU farms of the future.’   Welcoming the production of the report, Macra president Elaine Houlihan said “to address the crisis in Irish and European agriculture, young farmers need be front and centre to all agricultural policy and budgetary decisions.  We need to move from talking and reporting about the lack of young farmers to achieving action and putting greater resources behind the issue.”  The report by the EU Parliament Agriculture...

This afternoon saw the announcement of the 2024 budget by the government, in this budget from a farming perspective we saw many supports that have been in existence for several years being renewed.  These supports though essential do not address the issues that we face as a food producing nation in relation to our ability to change to meet the challenges being faces by all of us in relation to the environment. Macra had lobbied hard for the introduction of a pilot succession scheme to facilitate the transfer of land production from one generation to the next.  This transfer would...

A number of important agricultural reliefs which were due to expire at the end of 2023 have been extended to December 2028, a move welcomed by Macra.   Elaine Houlihan, Macra National President, said that ‘the taxation measures relating to farming in the budget, including the consanguinity relief and accelerated capital allowances for farm safety equipment, are welcomed and provide recognition that a suite of measures, including taxation, that address generational renewal in Irish rural farming communities is vital in ensuring that our system of family farms is passed onto the next generation.”   Increasing the lifetime threshold for young farmer reliefs under...

Macra is thrilled to announce that it has achieved the extraordinary feat of breaking the Guinness World Record for the "Most Persons Simultaneously Throwing Wellington Boots” on 20 September 2023. The Guinness World Record attempt took place at the National Ploughing Championships, in Ratheniska, Co. Laois where 995 participants from across Ireland gathered to participate in this world record breaking event. Excitement was in the air as the countdown began, at the signal participants launched their wellington boots into the air in unison. Hundreds of wellingtons flew through the air, which was a sight to behold in itself. Macra National...

The timing of the Succession Planning Advice Grant Scheme (SPAG) is opportune. This is a positive initiative by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to access to land and succession planning. The Land Mobility Service since its inception has seen the increasing demand for relevant, accurate and independent advice to be provided to landowners and farm families. The grant scheme of up to €1500 towards the provision of advice and knowledge to farmers over the age of 60, is a great opportunity for farm families to be armoured with the knowledge and options to make informed...