ICOS announces AgRenew Ireland Summit – New Blood, Stronger Farming – securing the next generation of farmers and co-op leaders
Announcement of AgRenew Ireland Summit – “New Blood, Stronger Farming” is the theme of a high-level summit focused on the critical issue of next generation farming which will take place in Naas, Co. Kildare on November 5th next. The AgRenew Ireland Summit is organised by the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) in association with the Golden Jubilee Trust and the Irish Presidency of the EU. The summit will be opened by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Martin Heydon TD with a range of guest speakers. The EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen will also speak to the gathering, from Brussels. Pictured are Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD; Joe Collins, Chair, Golden Jubilee Trust and Edward Carr, President of ICOS.
In association with the Golden Jubilee Trust and the Irish Presidency of the EU.
“New Blood, Stronger farming” is the theme of a high-level summit focused on the critical issue of next generation farming which will take place in Naas, Co. Kildare on November 5th next. The AgRenew Ireland Summit is organised by the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) in association with the Golden Jubilee Trust and the Irish Presidency of the EU.
The summit will be opened by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD with a range of guest speakers. The EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen will also speak to the gathering, from Brussels.
Only 4% of Irish farmers are under 35, while 37% are over 65. Many hurdles stand in the way of young people smoothly taking over the running of the family farm and subsequently getting involved in their local co-operative. Across Europe, the average farmer age is 57 while just 1 in 30 are women farmers under the age of 40.
The AgRenew Ireland Summit, supported by the Golden Jubilee Trust, brings together key stakeholders with the fundamental aim of addressing the challenges facing willing young farmers and finding legitimate and workable pathways to securing the next generation of farmers and co-op leaders.
Panelists will include young farmers, academics, politicians and co-op leaders. It will culminate in a series of dedicated breakout sessions aimed at assembling constructive proposals to support new blood and stronger farming into the future.
The barriers to generational renewal are wide and varied from access to land, access to finance, red tape and bureaucracy. In a changing world, geopolitical uncertainty, climate change, market volatility and stricter rules and regulations have added further challenges for young people who want to dedicate their lives to working the land for a living.
This summit will hear directly from young farmers who have overcome these challenges and are creating a future for themselves on the family farm.
Speaking at the launch of the summit at government buildings today, ICOS President Edward Carr said: “Generational Renewal was not a phrase we often heard in the past but now it is front and centre to every discussion and debate about the future of farming both in Ireland and across Europe. We need to get serious about tackling the main barriers which are turning young people away at the farm gate. This summit brings together sharp minds from Ireland and abroad and we will hear real life stories from farmers young and old about the challenges and the solutions for the next generation of farmers and food producers. We know what the challenges are, we know the age profile of farmers, and we have the reports at national and EU level to back that up. What is needed now is action and this summit will look to focus on the immediate workable solutions to speed up the process of getting new blood into farming.”
Minister Martin Heydon said, “The challenge of generational renewal in farming is widely recognised at both national and EU level. It is important that we have skilled, innovative young farmers coming into the sector to secure a viable and sustainable future for Irish farming. In Budget 2027 we have reformed Succession Farm Partnerships as recommended by the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming and recommendations around CAP supports are being considered in the context of the next round, post 2027.
“Under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 there is substantial investment in achieving generational renewal and measures include the Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers’ Scheme, to help young farmers establish their farming businesses, the TAMS capital investment measure, where a higher grant rate of 60% for qualified young farmers is available. We must ensure farming offers a rewarding and sustainable livelihood for the next generation. As Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, we have an important opportunity to advance this issue at European level. I welcome this initiative by ICOS and the Golden Jubilee Trust to bring together key stakeholders, identify practical solutions and help young people build their futures in Irish agriculture.”
Joe Collins, Chair of The Golden Jubilee Trust said: “The Golden Jubilee Trust is very pleased to support the AgRenew Ireland Summit, which addresses one of the most important challenges facing the future of Irish farming and the co-operative movement. The Trust has a long-standing commitment to supporting education, research and innovation that strengthens Irish agriculture and co-operatives. Generational renewal is central to that mission. We need to encourage fresh thinking and new ideas while building on the knowledge and experience of established farmers. This summit is a great opportunity to bring generations together, identify solutions and help to secure a strong and sustainable future for Irish farming and our co-operatives.”
Media are warmly invited to attend and must please register
Please email tim@mkc.ie
When: Thursday November 5th 2026. Registration 9.15 am – 4.30 pm.
Where: Kilashee House Hotel, Naas, County Kildare