Macra concerned over access to land for young farmers due to new forestry deal

Concerns have been expressed that a national forestry investment plan will restrict access to land for young farmers, by national farm organisation Macra. 

Commenting on the creation of the Gresham House Irish Forestry Fund with Coillte and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, Liam Hanrahan, Chairman of the Macra Agricultural Affairs committee said this not the correct approach for the expansion of forestry in Ireland and will have a negative impact on generational renewal and access to land for young farmers.

He described the lack of generational renewal as the biggest treat to Irish agriculture.

“The consequences of an English investment fund putting further pressures on an already highly inflated land market will have major consequences for land mobility and access to land for young farmers. This will put further pressure on land prices and the ability of young farmers to access the finances required," Mr Hanrahan said.  

The EU Commission on Ireland's Strategic plan already observed a lack of direct support in addressing access to land for young farmers to achieve generational renewal, he stressed.  

"This investment fund that will compete with young farmers for land, will have a major impact on the viability of young and new entrant farmers and further calls into question Ireland’s commitment to achieving meaningful generational renewal and supporting young farmers to access land," Mr Hanrahan said.

"This development would make one question whether it's in line with the strategic objectives of CAP from an EU perspective, along with the allocation of forestry premiums in these instances, with further questions from a carbon perspective.  

"The greatest restrictors for young farmers continues to be access to land and access to finance, this fund will exacerbate the situation for young farmers, and is a backwards step for land mobility in Ireland.  We are making a bad situation worse and we need to rethink the approach", Mr Hanrahan concluded.