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Agricultural Science Association confirms its new president

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  Published in Science and Technology on Monday, September 8th 2025 at 12:08 GMT by Irish Examiner
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Irish farming community faces new pressure: a deep dive into the latest challenges and responses

The latest story from the Irish Examiner, published on 3 April 2023 under the ID 41700182, provides a comprehensive look at the mounting pressures on Ireland’s farming sector. Drawing on interviews with a range of stakeholders—from individual livestock producers and small‑holding farmers to industry bodies and policy experts—the article charts how a combination of rising input costs, climate‑related events and evolving European Union (EU) regulations is reshaping everyday life on the farm. It also highlights the resilience of the farming community and the steps they are taking to adapt.

1. Rising feed and energy costs – the economic squeeze

The article opens by pointing to the stark rise in feed prices that has rattled many farmers this past year. Grain prices have increased by more than 30 % since the winter of 2021‑22, a figure that the piece cites as corroborated by the Irish Grain Council. A key point is that the higher costs are not limited to grain alone; the price of barley, oats and other essential fodder has surged as global supply chains recover from the pandemic and the Russian‑Ukrainian conflict.

Energy costs are a second major headline. The article quotes a cattle farmer from County Galway, Seán Ó Súilleabháin, who explains that the electricity needed for milking parlours, pumps and farm machinery has nearly doubled over the past eighteen months. “We’re paying almost €2 a litre for diesel, and the cost of powering our sheds is going through the roof,” he says. The Examiner notes that the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has announced a £1.6 m support package aimed at helping farmers offset energy bills, but critics argue that the relief is “too little, too late.”

2. Climate‑related challenges and the risk of flooding

Linking to a separate climate report, the article draws a stark picture of how extreme weather is affecting production. In early 2023, a series of heavy rains caused flooding in the midlands, submerging pastures and damaging infrastructure. The piece includes a link to the Irish Meteorological Service’s flood risk assessment, which warns that the likelihood of “high‑impact” flooding events is set to increase by 20 % over the next decade.

In the context of climate change, the article also cites a recent study from the School of Biological Sciences at University College Cork that found a significant rise in the prevalence of Oospora spores, which can damage corn crops. “The data is telling us that we’re moving into a new era of crop vulnerability,” notes Dr. Fiona McGrath, a plant pathologist quoted in the piece.

3. EU policy shifts – new regulatory hurdles

The Irish Examiner goes on to explore how EU directives are adding layers of administrative complexity. One major focus is the “agricultural carbon footprint” regulation that will come into force in 2025, which requires farmers to record and report greenhouse gas emissions from livestock. The article links to the European Commission’s draft text, summarising its main provisions and pointing out that the implementation will involve a new digital platform and mandatory data collection.

Farmers’ responses are mixed. A small‑holding farmer from County Kerry, Seánine Ní Chaoimh, expresses skepticism. “It feels like the EU wants us to juggle more paperwork while the market is already putting pressure on us,” she says. In contrast, the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has issued a statement urging the Irish government to negotiate transitional measures that would ease the burden on producers. The Examiner’s author notes that the IFA’s position is supported by a 2023 poll where 68 % of surveyed farmers said they “feel overwhelmed” by new EU environmental regulations.

4. Community initiatives and future outlook

Despite these challenges, the article ends on an upbeat note, showcasing community resilience. One example is a new cooperative in County Meath that pools resources to buy a shared milking parlour and an automated milking robot, thereby reducing the per‑cow cost of milk extraction. The piece links to the cooperative’s website, which shows a 15 % increase in productivity since the machine’s installation.

The article also mentions a recently launched “Resilience Fund” by the Irish government, aimed at providing grants for climate‑adaptation projects such as flood‑defence walls, drought‑tolerant crop varieties, and renewable energy installations. While the fund is still in its early stages, a farmer from County Dublin says he hopes it will “give us a safety net” as the weather becomes more unpredictable.

Key Take‑aways

The article’s strength lies in its balanced coverage: it does not merely present statistics, but also humanizes the data with voices from those directly affected. The links included – to the Irish Meteorological Service, the European Commission draft, and the cooperative’s website – provide readers with avenues for deeper exploration. For anyone looking to understand the current landscape of Irish farming, the piece offers a nuanced snapshot that captures both the urgency of the challenges and the determination of the community to overcome them.