Succession challenge driving suicides among young farmers – Macra
Challenges around succession are driving suicides among young farmers, Macra president Elaine Houlihan has warned Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue.
Speaking at the IFA AGM, Houlihan highlighted that her organisation had put forward a proposal for a succession scheme in its pre-Budget submission.
“Unfortunately it wasn’t successful, as you can see around this room today with the older generation…,” she said.
“Over the past couple of weeks I’ve received numerous phone calls. Unfortunately we have lost members to suicide and that’s to do with the uncertainty that comes with a family farm.
“Succession is one of the biggest things affecting mental health in the farming community.
“It is now time we all do something about it, not just those sitting at the top table, but every single one of us around this room. It is now time that we need to take a stand and do something major.”
Responding, Minister McConalogue explained that a potential succession scheme was discussed as part of his CAP consultation process.
“There wasn’t a big push or prioritisation from anywhere in the agri-food sector as part of that CAP,” he said.
“We did have one in the past, in the form of an early retirement scheme which encouraged farmers to retire early at the age of 55.
“We have an even bigger issue — we have way more over 65, than we have between 55 and 65 for example.”
The Minister said the challenge he faces is deciding on where to allocate new funding, were it to become available.
“If we get extra money in the morning, what way do you better utilise that? Do you create a succession scheme or do you put it into other schemes which deliver income?” he said, saying the “consensus in consultation last time was to make the schemes that were there as strong as possible”.
“I’m open to all discussions around that because I want to see new people come in. It’s about how we use the maximum funding we can get in the way that makes the maximum impact.”
“Succession is one of the biggest things affecting mental health in the farming community”