Organic News
A New Way of Farming
If you’re getting to a stage in your farming life where you would like to take things a little easier but still keep your hand in, then a new Teagasc scheme might be just the ticket. Alongside their farm partnership scheme Teagasc is now promoting a share farming option. This involves a land owner sharing his/her land with another farmer who works part of the land.
The arrangement is based on a legal agreement on how the profits and costs are divided with each running a separate enterprise. “It is important that there is clarity from the outset,” says Ben Roche of Teagasc, Morepark. “That way everyone knows where they stand. It has benefits for both farmers. For example, a tillage farmer could use a suitable neighbouring farm to produce crops and he would have the machinery that might not be cost effective for the land owner to invest in. As well as that, the land owner continues to be treated as a farmer from a schemes and taxation viewpoint.”
One organic farmer who sees merit in the arrangement is Jerry Desmond who farms near Bandon, Co. Cork. “I attended a Teagasc seminar on the subject and I thought it would suit someone like me who doesn’t want to give up farming but would like to slow down a bit,” he says. “I could share some of my better quality tillage land with a younger farmer and reduce suckler numbers.”
He would be interested in talking to another organic farmer with a view to reaching an accommodation and can be contacted on 087 9591982. Share farming is not the same option as farm partnership which operates already on dairy farms and has a different legal basis. Your local Teagasc advisor can provide details of the share farming agreement, or go to www.teagasc.ie for further information.
Well known organic goat’s cheese makers, Inagh Farmhouse, have launched two new products in the St. Tola range. Named ‘Divine’ and...
