Farming Families are the cornerstone of the agriculture industry in Ireland and internationally. Speaking at the International Family Farming Conference In Dublin today, Teagasc Director Professor Gerry Boyle said: “Irish farming families have a long and proud tradition as food producers for Irish, European and global consumers, producing high quality produce from our grass based production systems. The family farming model is accepted, not just in Europe but globally as an excellent way to organise and produce food efficiently in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable way. Farming families are the backbone of rural communities and are involved in all that is good about rural Ireland.”
Speaking on the future of family farming in Ireland, Professor Boyle said that there will be an
on-going trend towards scale on full time farms in the future as they develop to avail of the opportunities that are emerging on global markets. This will be facilitated through collaborative arrangements between farmers, either through partnerships, share farming arrangements, long term leasing and contract rearing arrangements. Part time farming will also continue to play a significant role in Irish farming as individuals create a viable family income from a combination of on farm and off farm income streams.
The conference which is taking place in Dublin today, Monday, 1 December was addressed by the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins who also presented an award to the national winner of the FAO Year of Family Farming Awards, organised by the Irish Farmers Journal, in association with IFA, Teagasc and FBD. The winning family was the Whyte Family from Naul in Co. Dublin.
The conference was also addressed by Teagasc researcher Dr David Meredith. His presentation can be viewed online.
