Aurivo Co-operative hosted over 500 farmers at its ‘Your Farm, Your Future’ events held over one day in Claremorris, Co Mayo and Letterkenny, Co. Donegal to engage in discussions on the future of farming, covering key topics such as succession planning and the increasing global demand for dairy.
The morning meeting was held in Letterkenny before moving to Claremorris in the evening. Both highly engaging meetings began with a panel discussion on farm succession, featuring Austin Finn of the Land Mobility Service, Aisling Meehan, Specialist Agri Solicitor, Martin Clarke of IFAC, and Aurivo dairy farmers Deirdre and Bryan Hynes at the Claremorris meeting and Aurivo dairy farmers Billy McMahon and Christopher Digmas at the Letterkenny meeting. The panel discussions were moderated by Damien O’Reilly of ICOS, Brussels.
The panel emphasised the broad range of options available to farmers planning for the future of their farms. While succession is traditionally viewed as passing the farm from parents to children, alternative arrangements—such as long-term leases, registered farm partnerships, and share farming—are becoming increasingly popular.
Austin Finn highlighted the importance of careful succession planning and outlined the resources available to farmers, including the Succession Planning Advice Grant (SPAG). This grant provides farmers over the age of 60 with up to €1,500 to cover 50% of professional fees for succession planning advice. These options enable farmers to step back from active farming, bring the next generation with a renewed energy into the farm and ensures it remains an active dairy enterprise.
The second panel session also moderated by Damien O’Reilly focused on the global outlook for dairy, featuring insights from John Murray, Director of Meat, Food, and Beverages at Bord Bia; Conor Mulvihill, Director of Dairy Industry Ireland; Shane Henry, Head of Member Services at Ornua; and Donal Tierney, CEO of Aurivo.
John Murray underscored the significant contribution of agriculture to Ireland’s economy, with total exports exceeding €17.4 billion in 2024. Of this, the dairy sector accounted for over €6.5 billion. He highlighted how the global demand for dairy continues to grow in tandem with population increases, offering a promising future for the sector.
Conor Mulvihill emphasised the need for clarity regarding the Nitrates Derogation and acknowledged the positive impact of ongoing environmental measures by farmers. He noted that the latest EPA water quality results show improvements, demonstrating that farmers’ efforts are yielding results.
Attendees also participated in an interactive session on calf health led by the renowned ‘Tommy the Vet.’
Speaking about the event, Donal Tierney, CEO of Aurivo Co-operative said: “Since the abolition of quotas in 2015, Aurivo has welcomed over 190 new entrants to dairy farming, building a reputation for providing support to farmers as they enter the dairy industry. Looking to the future, we remain committed to working with both existing suppliers and potential new entrants to ensure a sustainable and thriving dairy sector,”
The ‘Your Farm, Your Future’ event underscores Aurivo’s strong track record of supporting dairy farmers and showcased the resilience and adaptability of the dairy industry in the Northwest, leaving attendees with valuable insights and practical advice to navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead.