The Young Sheep Farmer Forum (YSFF) has submitted a report to the Minister for Agriculture with recommendations to secure the future of Ireland's sheep sector.
The report includes 15 recommendations created by its farmer members to tackle succession, improve land access, and strengthen the viability of the sheep sector in Ireland.
The YSFF notes that while sheep meat exports were worth over €400 million to the Irish economy last year, 37% of farmers are aged 65 and older.
This it says highlights the need to support the development of a resilient sector that strengthens rural communities and meets evolving market needs.
Key proposals in the report include a phased farm retirement scheme, higher grant rates and more staged payments for young farmers - as well as sector-specific measures such as price bonuses for young farmers, and marketing initiatives such as a focus on lamb in schools.
The Young Sheep Farmer Forum initiative is farmer-led, and is supported by Kepak, Bord Bia, and Mountbellew Agricultural College.
To support the recommendations in the report sent to the Minister for Agriculture, Kepak is launching a Young Sheep Farmer Producer Group, which is open to existing and new suppliers under 35 years of age of the meat company, as well as registered flock owners or flock keepers of a Bord Bia Quality Assured Lamb Flock.
The group provides financial incentives and professional development opportunities to young farmers.
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon welcomed what he called the "commitment and hard work in developing these recommendations.
"The Young Sheep Farmer Forum’s report provides practical recommendations that reflect the everyday reality of young farmers and the real challenges they face on the ground. Generational renewal is a key priority for my Department and initiatives like the Young Sheep Farmer Forum very much complement the Government’s dedication to supporting the sustainability and viability of Irish agriculture."
YSFF members Aoife Mahony and Michael Feely said the recommendations are "practical, achievable, and essential for the long-term sustainability of Irish sheep farming.
"It’s a positive step towards a stronger future for sheep farming and the establishment of a new Kepak Young Sheep Farmer Producer Group shows that the industry is determined to back the next generation of farmers," they added.
