61% of cattle-rearing farms earned below €10,000 in 2020 agriland.ie - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from agriland.ie Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Q My wife and I have been farming since we got married almost 10 years ago. We have three young children and at present we are scraping by on the small income the farm is making. We are facing the reality that it is not practical for my wife to return to work off-farm as the childcare costs would wipe out any income she would make. I keep hearing about the economy improving but we are finding the reality is very different, waiting for the Basic Payment Scheme cheque to meet our debts and bills. What can we do?
A As the economy recovers, it is important to remember that the rising tide has not risen all boats. Average 2017 incomes on some farms are not projected to be any higher than 2016 and may even be slightly less this year. Last year was a very mixed year for Irish farming, with difficult weather conditions affecting harvests, grass growth and other crop yields. Added to this were lower product prices in the dairy and beef sectors.