50 Years of Farming in Ireland

Farming has provided us with food, employment and income for generations and forms an integral part of what make’s us Irish. Our mild climate paired with our rich and fertile soil conditions makes Ireland an ideal location for farming.

Before Ireland became a member of the European Union (EU), we, as a food producing nation, were almost totally dependent on farming economically. This has changed significantly over the last number of years as now we have diversified into a number of industries and global export markets to help support us.

Despite this, farming continues to remain our most important indigenous industry, directly employing 8.6% of the national population.

Modern Irish farmers face many challenges; climate change, rising energy costs, food security and rural decline. Being a member of the EU, means that we face these challenges together as a collective group, rather than individually. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) CAP was introduced over 50 years ago. It supports farmer’s incomes.

The future of farming hinges on forward planning. Foodwise 2025 and Bord Bia’s Origin Green programme are examples of such. It is also imperative to safeguard what we already have achieved.