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a city street with a clock tower in the middle of it

<h3>Introduction</h3><p>You don’t often see tractors and trucks deliberately slowing traffic unless something is seriously off.</p><p>That’s exactly what happened recently, with fuel protests causing delays across major routes and drawing attention to something that’s been building for a while now, the cost of fuel, and how quickly it’s rising.</p><p>For those working in farming, transport or contracting, it wasn’t surprising, it was just visible.</p><figure id="figure-dzge9d74b8mnp07pr8" class=""><img id="dzge9d74b8mnp07pr8" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1657206456366-ac81460011ee?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzOHx8aXJpc2glMjBmYXJteWFyZHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzU1ODk2Mjh8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="a group of cows standing in a field" title="a group of cows standing in a field" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1657206456366-ac81460011ee?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzOHx8aXJpc2glMjBmYXJteWFyZHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzU1ODk2Mjh8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>It’s not just expensive — it’s moving quickly</h3><p>Fuel prices have always gone up and down, but the pace of change lately is what’s catching people. Diesel prices in Ireland are now sitting at over €2 per litre, with the average around €2.09.</p><p>What’s more noticeable is how quickly those increases have come through. In some cases, diesel prices have jumped significantly within a short period, with increases of over 50 cent per litre recorded within a single month during recent spikes.</p><p>That kind of movement makes it very difficult to plan or manage costs.</p><figure id="figure-yh04owfa8mmnp0cekz" class=""><img id="yh04owfa8mmnp0cekz" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1660544097200-6216428f0b2a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHx0cmFmZmljJTIwaW4lMjBkdWJsaW58ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1NTg5ODkxfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="a green bus on the street" title="a green bus on the street" class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1660544097200-6216428f0b2a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHx0cmFmZmljJTIwaW4lMjBkdWJsaW58ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1NTg5ODkxfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Farming feels it through green diesel</h3><p>For agriculture, the pressure shows up most clearly in green diesel — and on a farm, it adds up quickly. Fuel isn’t something that can be trimmed back. If ground needs to be worked or livestock managed, machinery has to run.</p><p>From slurry and fertiliser spreading to silage and daily feeding, diesel sits behind nearly every job. During busy periods, tractors can be running for long hours over consecutive days, and that’s where the cost really starts to build.</p><p><img id="pmycw4nw0hmnp0f3m3" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; object-position: center center;" title="A fenced in area next to a body of water" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1727875639913-4100b2642075?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw4fHxpcmlzaCUyMGZpZWxkfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTU4OTk2OHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="A fenced in area next to a body of water" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1727875639913-4100b2642075?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw4fHxpcmlzaCUyMGZpZWxkfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTU4OTk2OHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></p><h3>It feeds directly into food production</h3><p>Fuel doesn’t just affect the cost of running a tractor, it feeds into the entire system.</p><p>As fuel prices rise, so do:</p><ul><li>Transport costs.</li><li>Input delivery costs.</li><li>Processing and distribution costs.</li></ul><p>There are already warnings that food prices could rise by around 8%, which could add up to roughly €600 per year for households.</p><p>At the same time, fertiliser is becoming a growing concern. A significant share of global fertiliser supply normally moves through the Strait of Hormuz, and with ongoing disruption, large volumes are now being delayed or held up. Around one-third of global fertiliser trade passes through that route, so any slowdown has immediate knock-on effects.</p><p>That’s starting to tighten supply just as farmers need it most, with shipments being delayed and prices rising sharply. In some cases, fertiliser prices have increased by 25–30% or more in a short period.</p><p>For farming, that creates a double pressure, higher fuel costs on one side, and rising or uncertain fertiliser availability on the other. And when both move at the same time, the impact doesn’t stay on farms, it feeds straight through into food production and prices.</p><figure id="figure-hfq4rmsehhmnp1082p" class=""><img id="hfq4rmsehhmnp1082p" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1655130944281-072e0644db75?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxmZXJ0aWxpc2VyfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTU5MDk1Mnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="a machine in the field" title="a machine in the field" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1655130944281-072e0644db75?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxmZXJ0aWxpc2VyfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTU5MDk1Mnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>There’s no easy way around it</h3><p>One of the main reasons fuel is such a pressure point is that there aren’t many alternatives.</p><p>In rural Ireland especially:</p><ul><li>Machinery depends on diesel.</li><li>Transport depends on diesel.</li><li>Supply chains depend on diesel<br></li></ul><p>Unlike other costs, there’s no quick substitute. You can’t switch it off or reduce usage without affecting output.</p><figure id="figure-69dd4yp5pmnp11l3h" class=""><img id="69dd4yp5pmnp11l3h" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1758236503889-42d4e57d4f1a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxSdXJhbCUyMGlyaXNoJTIwZmFybSUyMHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzU1OTEwMzB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="Cows resting in a green pasture with stone walls." title="Cows resting in a green pasture with stone walls." class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1758236503889-42d4e57d4f1a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxSdXJhbCUyMGlyaXNoJTIwZmFybSUyMHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzU1OTEwMzB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Pressure building across the system</h3><p>What came through during the protests was that this isn’t just about short-term frustration.</p><p>There’s a growing concern about sustainability, not environmental, but economic.</p><p>When fuel costs move this quickly, businesses don’t have time to adapt. And if those costs remain high, it starts to raise questions about long-term viability, particularly in sectors that rely heavily on transport and machinery.</p><p>That has knock-on effects for farming, because agriculture depends on those same services to function.</p><figure id="figure-u7cm70g9fmnp13e46" class=""><img id="u7cm70g9fmnp13e46" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1702563437324-eaeb112bef9c?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHx0cmFjdG9yJTIwb24lMjBmYXJtJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTU5MTExM3ww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="a red tractor is parked in the middle of a field" title="a red tractor is parked in the middle of a field" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1702563437324-eaeb112bef9c?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHx0cmFjdG9yJTIwb24lMjBmYXJtJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTU5MTExM3ww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>More than just disruption<br></h3><p>The protests themselves caused delays, but they also highlighted something bigger.</p><p>Fuel sits underneath almost everything in the economy. When it rises sharply, the impact spreads quickly, from farms to transport, and ultimately to consumers.</p><p>And unlike some other costs, it’s not something that can be absorbed easily over time.</p><figure id="figure-rlwqk2ybslmnp14nhx" class=""><img id="rlwqk2ybslmnp14nhx" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1668303672808-6e8d7cae3fdc?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxBZ3JpY3VsdHVyZSUyMENvbnN1bHRpbmd8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1NTg5NTI1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="a tractor in a field" title="a tractor in a field" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1668303672808-6e8d7cae3fdc?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxBZ3JpY3VsdHVyZSUyMENvbnN1bHRpbmd8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1NTg5NTI1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The protests weren’t really about blocking roads, yhey were about highlighting pressure, and how quickly it’s building.</p><p>For farming, that pressure is hard to absorb. Fuel is a core input, and when it moves sharply, everything else follows.</p><p>And when something that fundamental becomes unstable, it doesn’t take long before it shows up across the entire system.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p><p>*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.</p>

Fuel Protests and Rising Costs: What It Means for Irish Farming

A flock of sheep and lambs in a green field.

<h3>Introduction&nbsp;</h3><p>When a new scheme is announced, the headline number tends to do most of the talking. In this case, it’s €22 million, the budget for the current National Sheep Welfare Scheme. But for most farmers, the real question isn’t the size of the pot. It’s what actually lands back on the farm.</p><p>And more importantly, whether it makes a difference.</p><figure id="figure-vpuy4r35qqmngfytct"><img id="vpuy4r35qqmngfytct" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1695072180363-15265a156353?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxpcmlzaCUyMHNoZWVwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTA3MTg3OXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="irish sheep" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1695072180363-15265a156353?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxpcmlzaCUyMHNoZWVwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTA3MTg3OXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></figure><h3>A continuation rather than a reset</h3><p>This isn’t a completely new scheme. It’s more a continuation of the approach that’s been in place over the past number of years, supporting routine flock management while trying to improve overall animal health.</p><p>The increase to €22 million reflects a step up in support, but it also reflects where the sheep sector currently sits. Margins are tight, and schemes like this have become part of how many farms stay viable.</p><figure id="figure-9dz23tcyhtmngfyv3p"><img id="9dz23tcyhtmngfyv3p" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1614183654058-0bac05af5ab0?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGVlcCUyMGZhcm18ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1MDcxODgyfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="sheep farm" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1614183654058-0bac05af5ab0?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzaGVlcCUyMGZhcm18ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1MDcxODgyfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></figure><h3>What the payment looks like in practice</h3><p>At farm level, everything comes back to the payment per ewe.</p><p>Under the current scheme, farmers can receive up to €13 per breeding ewe, depending on the actions completed.</p><p>To draw down the full payment:</p><ul><li>Two mandatory actions must be completed, each worth €4 per ewe.</li><li>One optional action must also be carried out, worth €5 per ewe.</li><li>That brings the total to €13 per ewe if all requirements are met.</li></ul><p>Alongside this, the separate Sheep Improvement Scheme brings total targeted support up to €25 per ewe when both schemes are combined.</p><p>Compared to previous years, that represents a significant increase in direct support for the sector.</p><figure id="figure-a2av8h9itjmngg24rr" class=""><img id="a2av8h9itjmngg24rr" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1584998350419-2bba342d6e71?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxpcmlzaCUyMHNoZWVwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTA3MjA0MHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="white sheep on green grass field near lake during daytime" title="white sheep on green grass field near lake during daytime" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1584998350419-2bba342d6e71?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxpcmlzaCUyMHNoZWVwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTA3MjA0MHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>What farmers are being asked to do<br></h3><p>One of the reasons the scheme works, and why uptake has been strong, is that the actions themselves are not overly complicated.</p><p>The mandatory actions include things like:</p><ul><li>Shearing.</li><li>Body condition scoring.</li><li>lostridial vaccination.</li></ul><p>The optional actions focus on:</p><ul><li>Foot bathing.</li><li>Parasite control.</li></ul><p><br>These are all standard management practices on most sheep farms. The scheme doesn’t introduce anything radically new, it simply attaches a payment to work that is already part of running a flock properly.</p><figure id="figure-avwb4ur1vrmngg4l90"><img id="avwb4ur1vrmngg4l90" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1759759264131-5938edb1b97c?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxMnx8SVJJU0glMjBTSEVFUCUyMEZBUk0lMjB8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1MDcyMTU2fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="A sheep grazing in a grassy field under clouds." title="A sheep grazing in a grassy field under clouds." class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1759759264131-5938edb1b97c?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxMnx8SVJJU0glMjBTSEVFUCUyMEZBUk0lMjB8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1MDcyMTU2fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Timing matters as much as payment</h3><p>As with any scheme, deadlines are part of the process.</p><p>Actions need to be completed by mid-October, with a later deadline available into late November. However, choosing the later option generally means a delay in payment into the following year.</p><p>That can matter more than it might seem. For many farms, timing of payments is just as important as the amount, particularly where cash flow is tight.</p><figure id="figure-l26s2axno9mngg6ep2"><img id="l26s2axno9mngg6ep2" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1494079218307-7fa091ab4df2?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxTSEVFUCUyMEZBUk0lMjB8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1MDcyMjQ3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="group lamb eating grass" title="group lamb eating grass" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1494079218307-7fa091ab4df2?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxTSEVFUCUyMEZBUk0lMjB8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1MDcyMjQ3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Why this level of support is needed<br></h3><p>Sheep farming has always been one of the more challenging sectors in Irish agriculture.</p><p>Costs have been rising steadily, feed, fertiliser, labour, while output prices don’t always follow at the same pace. That leaves a gap, and schemes like this are designed to help fill it.</p><p>The level of participation in previous schemes shows that farmers are engaging with these supports, not because they are complicated or innovative, but because they are practical and necessary.</p><figure id="figure-z9qgp8o6sdmngg9qjv" class=""><img id="z9qgp8o6sdmngg9qjv" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1720654068545-d1776911a873?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxpcmlzaCUyMGZhcm0lMjB8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1MDcyMzk1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="A sheep laying on top of a lush green hillside" title="A sheep laying on top of a lush green hillside" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1720654068545-d1776911a873?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxpcmlzaCUyMGZhcm0lMjB8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc1MDcyMzk1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>More than just a payment</h3><p>While the financial side is important, there’s another element to this type of scheme.</p><p>By linking payments to specific actions, it encourages consistency in how flocks are managed. Even simple things like regular condition scoring or parasite control can have a noticeable impact over time.</p><p>So while the payment is the incentive, the longer-term aim is to lift overall standards across the sector.</p><figure id="figure-6kv3beynnfmnggc16h" class=""><img id="6kv3beynnfmnggc16h" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1745597281062-d95bc32d2206?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyOHx8aXJpc2glMjBmYXJtJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTA3MjM5Nnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="Sheep graze peacefully in a green pasture." title="Sheep graze peacefully in a green pasture." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1745597281062-d95bc32d2206?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyOHx8aXJpc2glMjBmYXJtJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTA3MjM5Nnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>What it means on the ground</h3><p>In isolation, €13 per ewe won’t transform a farm.</p><p>But across a flock, it adds up. And when combined with other supports, it becomes a meaningful contribution to overall income.</p><p>At the same time, it doesn’t remove the underlying pressures in the sector. It supports the system, it doesn’t fundamentally change it.</p><p>That’s the reality most farmers are working within.</p><figure id="figure-i0llh5ioxmnggep5z" class=""><img id="i0llh5ioxmnggep5z" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1730144586323-21eb1d73e291?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw4fHxpcmlzaCUyMGZhcm15YXJkfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTA3MjYyOHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="A field with a stone wall and mountains in the background" title="A field with a stone wall and mountains in the background" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1730144586323-21eb1d73e291?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw4fHxpcmlzaCUyMGZhcm15YXJkfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NTA3MjYyOHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The move to a €22 million scheme is a clear signal that the sheep sector continues to need support.</p><p>It also reflects a wider approach, maintaining production while gradually improving animal health and welfare standards. For farmers, the scheme is relatively straightforward: carry out work that is already part of good practice and receive a payment in return. For the sector as a whole, it highlights something that hasn’t really changed:</p><p>Sheep farming in Ireland remains heavily reliant on support, not just to improve outcomes, but to remain economically viable.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p><p>*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.</p>

Understanding the €22m Sheep Welfare Scheme for Irish Farmers

man in blue jacket standing in green plants

<h3>Introduction&nbsp;</h3><p>If you ever get a chance to look at southern Spain from above, even just on a map, there’s a stretch near Almería that stands out straight away. It doesn’t look like farmland in the usual sense, it looks almost white, continuous, like something artificial. That’s because it is.</p><p>Across that part of Andalusia, somewhere in the region of 32,000 to 35,000 hectares are covered in greenhouses, forming what’s widely recognised as the largest concentration of greenhouse production anywhere in the world.</p><p>And it’s not just for show. From that footprint alone, the region produces between 2.5 million and 3.7 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables every year, with a turnover of over €3 billion. That’s not just a productive region, it’s a supply system feeding a large part of Europe.</p><figure id="figure-orxjd54upomnc3taed" class=""><img id="orxjd54upomnc3taed" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1708796705570-33fd29ef67d0?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxncmVlbmhvdXNlJTIwZmFybWluZ3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQ4MDk2MDJ8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="greenhouse farming" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1708796705570-33fd29ef67d0?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxncmVlbmhvdXNlJTIwZmFybWluZ3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQ4MDk2MDJ8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></figure><h3>It’s built around control, not conditions</h3><p>What makes it interesting isn’t just the scale, it’s how it operates.</p><p>This isn’t farming that waits for the right weather window, the whole system is built around removing that uncertainty as much as possible. Inside the greenhouses, conditions are managed; light, temperature, humidity. It’s not perfect control, but it’s enough to keep crops growing consistently. And that’s really the key point: consistency.</p><p>Where most farming systems are still tied to seasons, this one isn’t in the same way. Crops can be grown year-round, and often in multiple cycles, which keeps supply moving regardless of what’s happening outside.</p><figure id="figure-jtm31u3vz4mnc3zlya" class=""><img id="jtm31u3vz4mnc3zlya" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1558384223-5fda53fd3980?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxncmVlbmhvdXNlJTIwd2l0aCUyMGNyb3BzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDgwOTkwNnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="white wooden framed window" title="white wooden framed window" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1558384223-5fda53fd3980?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxncmVlbmhvdXNlJTIwd2l0aCUyMGNyb3BzfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDgwOTkwNnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Most of it doesn’t stay in Spain<br></h3><p>What’s grown there isn’t mainly for local use. Roughly 80% of production is exported, mostly into northern European markets; Germany, France, the Netherlands, the UK. And once you start looking at it that way, the scale becomes more real. For example, it’s estimated that around 25% of the UK’s imported peppers come from this one region. So what’s happening in Almería isn’t separate from the rest of Europe, it’s built directly into the supply chain.</p><figure id="figure-10lc0ovx3kmnc411p9" class=""><img id="10lc0ovx3kmnc411p9" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1758524053218-a80cebab26ad?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxBZ3JpY3VsdHVyZSUyMENvbnN1bHRpbmd8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0ODA5NjY5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="Man watering plants in a greenhouse" title="Man watering plants in a greenhouse" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1758524053218-a80cebab26ad?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxBZ3JpY3VsdHVyZSUyMENvbnN1bHRpbmd8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0ODA5NjY5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>High output from relatively limited land</h3><p>Another thing that stands out is just how much is produced from a relatively small area. Up to 3.7 million tonnes of vegetables coming off roughly 35,000 hectares is a very high level of output compared to field-based systems.</p><p>That comes down to a few things working together:</p><ul><li>Controlled growing conditions.</li><li>Intensive crop management.</li><li>Efficient irrigation.</li><li>A climate that brings strong sunlight for much of the year.</li></ul><p><br>Put all that together, and you get a system that’s designed to produce continuously rather than seasonally.</p><figure id="figure-dbn9gsim6omnc42ssl" class=""><img id="dbn9gsim6omnc42ssl" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1720487222334-f91d9d74c852?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxncmVlbmhvdXNlJTIwd2l0aCUyMHZlZ2V0YWJsZXN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0ODEwMDgyfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="A close up of two tomatoes on a plant" title="A close up of two tomatoes on a plant" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1720487222334-f91d9d74c852?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxncmVlbmhvdXNlJTIwd2l0aCUyMHZlZ2V0YWJsZXN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0ODEwMDgyfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>There’s a lot of labour behind it<br></h3><p>For all the talk about systems and efficiency, it’s still a very labour-heavy model. Across the wider sector, it supports more than 100,000 jobs, from growing through to packing and export.</p><p>That’s part of what makes it work, but it’s also where some of the pressure sits, particularly around working conditions and how the system is managed at scale.</p><figure id="figure-m6v0pkfshrmnc44m9j" class=""><img id="m6v0pkfshrmnc44m9j" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1757581831860-418438265743?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxncmVlbmhvdXNlJTIwd29ybGVyfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDgxMDEzOXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="Greenhouse with plants covered by protective netting" title="Greenhouse with plants covered by protective netting" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1757581831860-418438265743?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxncmVlbmhvdXNlJTIwd29ybGVyfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDgxMDEzOXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>It works — but it’s not without pressure</h3><p>There’s no question the model is productive. But it comes with its own challenges. Water is one of them, this is one of the driest parts of Europe, so production depends heavily on carefully managed irrigation and alternative water sources.</p><p>Then there’s the plastic itself. Covering tens of thousands of hectares brings obvious questions around waste and long-term sustainability.</p><p>None of that stops the system working, but it does mean it’s under more scrutiny than it might have been in the past.</p><figure id="figure-uw07ddliynmnc45tf8" class=""><img id="uw07ddliynmnc45tf8" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1767022088614-caaceaa971d6?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw4fHxmaWVsZCUyMGluJTIwc3BhaW4lMjB8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0ODEwMjAwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="Rocky mountain range with dry fields and trees" title="Rocky mountain range with dry fields and trees" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1767022088614-caaceaa971d6?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw4fHxmaWVsZCUyMGluJTIwc3BhaW4lMjB8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0ODEwMjAwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Where Ireland fits into all of this<br></h3><p>At first glance, it feels like a completely different world to Irish farming. Different climate, different crops, different scale. But the connection is there, because it’s all feeding into the same market.</p><p>When one region can produce millions of tonnes of vegetables year-round, and ship most of it across Europe, it shapes how supply works everywhere else. For Irish growers, particularly in horticulture, that creates a very real comparison point.</p><p>You’re not just producing against local conditions, you’re competing with a system that can deliver:</p><ul><li>Consistent volumes.</li><li>Predictable supply.</li><li>High output from a relatively small footprint.</li></ul><figure id="figure-rnadj1l6hjmnc47mk4" class=""><img id="rnadj1l6hjmnc47mk4" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1742828830966-5c64a4d480ae?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxpcmlzaCUyMGFncmljdWx0dXJlfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDgxMDI3Nnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="Sheep graze peacefully in a green pasture." title="Sheep graze peacefully in a green pasture." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1742828830966-5c64a4d480ae?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxpcmlzaCUyMGFncmljdWx0dXJlfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDgxMDI3Nnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Two systems, operating side by side</h3><p>In reality, there are two very different models at play here.</p><p>The system in southern Spain is built around control, scale and consistency. Irish farming, by contrast, is still largely tied to natural conditions, more seasonal, more variable, and generally operating on a smaller scale.</p><p>Neither is necessarily better, but they’re working under very different rules and when both feed into the same market, those differences start to matter.</p><figure id="figure-zzlxbfxefbmnc48qhp" class=""><img id="zzlxbfxefbmnc48qhp" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1730234606122-8509faee6580?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxpcmlzaCUyMGZpZWxkc3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQ4MTAzNTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="A body of water surrounded by grass and rocks" title="A body of water surrounded by grass and rocks" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1730234606122-8509faee6580?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxpcmlzaCUyMGZpZWxkc3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQ4MTAzNTV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The “sea of plastic” in Almería is often talked about because of how it looks. But what it represents is probably more important. It’s a version of agriculture that’s less dependent on weather, more focused on output, and tightly connected to supply chains.</p><p>That doesn’t mean it’s the direction everywhere goes but it does set a benchmark, whether intentionally or not. Because once that level of consistency and volume exists in the system, it becomes part of what buyers expect.</p><p>And that’s when it starts to influence everyone else.</p><p><br></p><p>*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.&nbsp;</p>

Spain's Greenhouse Revolution: Lessons for Modern Farming

<h3>Introduction&nbsp;</h3><p>When people compare aquaculture across Europe, Ireland often gets mentioned alongside Norway and Scotland. On paper, though, they’re operating in completely different leagues.</p><p>Norway is producing at a scale that’s hard to grasp. In 2024 alone, it exported 1,255,654 tonnes of salmon, rising to 1,414,909 tonnes in 2025. Scotland, while smaller, is still a major producer, with salmon output reaching 192,000 tonnes in 2024.</p><p>Ireland sits much further down the scale. According to the latest data, total aquaculture production here was 35,737 tonnes in 2023, with a farm-gate value of €168 million.</p><p>That gap in output is the starting point for understanding how each country competes, and why Ireland takes a different approach.</p><figure id="figure-8t03aj03xmn7xaanb"><img id="8t03aj03xmn7xaanb" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1646225717772-0d853e1a3220?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxpcmlzaCUyMGNvYXN0fGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDU1Njc3M3ww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="irish coast" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1646225717772-0d853e1a3220?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxpcmlzaCUyMGNvYXN0fGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDU1Njc3M3ww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></figure><h3>A smaller sector by design<br></h3><p>Ireland’s aquaculture industry isn’t just smaller, it’s structured differently.</p><p>There are 280 licensed aquaculture production units operating around the coast, employing 1,961 people. Across those sites, there are over 545,000 individual structures, everything from shellfish ropes to trestles and cages.</p><p>That gives you a sense of how the sector is spread out. It’s not dominated by a handful of large, industrial sites. Instead, it’s made up of a mix of smaller operations, many of them family-run or locally based.</p><p>That contrasts sharply with Norway and Scotland, where production is more concentrated and scaled.</p><p><br></p><figure id="figure-mfb59yuckumn7xac6p"><img id="mfb59yuckumn7xac6p" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1719866009003-7673f2d93315?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxM3x8aXJpc2glMjBjb2FzdGxpbmV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0NTU2NjM1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="A herd of sheep standing on top of a lush green hillside" title="A herd of sheep standing on top of a lush green hillside" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1719866009003-7673f2d93315?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxM3x8aXJpc2glMjBjb2FzdGxpbmV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0NTU2NjM1fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h2>What Ireland actually produces<br></h2><p>Another key difference is what’s being farmed.</p><p>In Ireland, aquaculture is not dominated by salmon. In 2023:</p><ul><li>Finfish production totalled 9,940 tonnes, with a value of €101 million.</li><li>Of that, salmon accounted for 9,289 tonnes, worth €94.8 million.</li><li>The remaining 25,797 tonnes came from shellfish and other species, worth €67.4 million.</li></ul><p><br>So while salmon is the main driver of value, the majority of volume comes from shellfish. That matters, because it places Ireland in a different part of the market compared to Norway and Scotland, where salmon dominates both volume and value.</p><figure id="figure-u0pwxm15rkpmn7xj4lu" class=""><img id="u0pwxm15rkpmn7xj4lu" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1552340745-d5955f49c5c5?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxpcmlzaCUyMHNhbG1vbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQ1NTcxOTJ8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="selective focus photography of brown fish" title="selective focus photography of brown fish" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1552340745-d5955f49c5c5?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxpcmlzaCUyMHNhbG1vbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQ1NTcxOTJ8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>The structure of salmon farming</h3><p>Even within salmon, the scale is very different.</p><p>In 2023, Irish salmon farming was carried out by five companies across 16 production units. The average sea-site produced around 774 tonnes of salmon, with an average value of €7.9 million, and employed around 14 people per site.</p><p>That’s a relatively modest scale compared to Norway or Scotland, where individual sites can be significantly larger and more intensive.</p><p>It also affects cost. Smaller production units mean less opportunity to spread fixed costs or invest in large-scale efficiencies.</p><figure id="figure-74oeth06nomn7xkha2" class=""><img id="74oeth06nomn7xkha2" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1715700266217-1b049c7fe2b3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2fHxub3J3YXklMjBmaXNoJTIwZmFybSUyMHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQ1NTY5OTZ8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="a row of white houses sitting next to a body of water" title="a row of white houses sitting next to a body of water" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1715700266217-1b049c7fe2b3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2fHxub3J3YXklMjBmaXNoJTIwZmFybSUyMHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQ1NTY5OTZ8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Costs and margins in the Irish system</h3><p>The financial picture reinforces that.</p><p>In 2023, the Irish aquaculture sector recorded:</p><ul><li>Total income of €187.4 million.</li><li>Total costs of €182.2 million.</li><li>On paper, that leaves a narrow margin, and in fact, the sector recorded a net loss of €7.9 million and an operating loss (EBIT) of €4.1 million.</li></ul><p>That tells you something important. The sector is operating, but it’s tight. There isn’t a lot of room for inefficiency or shocks.</p><p>By contrast, large-scale producers in Norway benefit from economies of scale that help manage costs more effectively across higher volumes.</p><figure id="figure-dm453q15aimn7xmln2" class=""><img id="dm453q15aimn7xmln2" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1552577411-662ee9408873?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxNXx8c2VhZm9vZCUyMG1hcmtldHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQ1NTY2NDN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="different fish, fruits, and vegetable on display in the market" title="different fish, fruits, and vegetable on display in the market" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1552577411-662ee9408873?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxNXx8c2VhZm9vZCUyMG1hcmtldHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQ1NTY2NDN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Competing on different terms</h3><p>Given all of that, Ireland isn’t really competing head-to-head with Norway or Scotland on volume or cost. It competes differently.</p><p>Norway’s strength is scale,&nbsp; producing over 1.25 million tonnes of salmon exports annually, supplying global markets efficiently.</p><p>Scotland operates a similar model at a smaller scale, with 192,000 tonnes of salmon production feeding into premium export markets.</p><p>Ireland, on the other hand, sits somewhere else. It produces:</p><ul><li>Smaller volumes.</li><li>Amix of salmon and shellfish.</li><li>Relies more heavily on niche and premium markets.</li></ul><p>That’s a very different competitive position.</p><figure id="figure-4qqzv3j0bmn7xpofj" class=""><img id="4qqzv3j0bmn7xpofj" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1628859742240-269783f56d17?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxTY290dGlzaCUyMGZpc2glMjBmYXJtJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDU1NzUwNHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="white and silver round coins on blue surface" title="white and silver round coins on blue surface" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1628859742240-269783f56d17?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxTY290dGlzaCUyMGZpc2glMjBmYXJtJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDU1NzUwNHww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>The growth question<br></h3><p>One of the more striking things about Irish aquaculture is how stable output has been.</p><p>Production has remained around the 35,000–40,000 tonne mark for a number of years. That’s in contrast to countries like Norway, where output has expanded significantly over time.</p><p>The question isn’t whether Ireland can produce more, it’s whether the system allows it.</p><p>Licensing, planning and regulatory processes are often cited as limiting factors. At the same time, the structure of the sector, smaller, more dispersed operations,&nbsp; naturally constrains rapid expansion.</p><figure id="figure-cut8sbmzowmn7xrqx0" class=""><img id="cut8sbmzowmn7xrqx0" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1709586660449-310a0b49d712?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxpcmlzaCUyMGNvYXN0fGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDU1NzU5Mnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="a view of a beach with houses on a hill in the background" title="a view of a beach with houses on a hill in the background" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1709586660449-310a0b49d712?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxpcmlzaCUyMGNvYXN0fGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDU1NzU5Mnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Where Ireland fits</h3><p>In the end, Ireland isn’t trying to be Norway. And it isn’t structured like Scotland either.</p><p>It’s operating a different model:</p><ul><li>Smaller-scale production.</li><li>A stronger role for shellfish.</li><li>A&nbsp; focus on value rather than volume.</li></ul><p><br>That model has strengths, particularly in quality and reputation, but it also has limits, especially when it comes to scaling up.</p><figure id="figure-7w2y2xxhommn7xtfj0" class=""><img id="7w2y2xxhommn7xtfj0" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1595787072379-e1a4cbcfd26a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxJUklTSCUyMEZJU0h8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0NTU3NjcyfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="sailboat on sea under white clouds during daytime" title="sailboat on sea under white clouds during daytime" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1595787072379-e1a4cbcfd26a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxJUklTSCUyMEZJU0h8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0NTU3NjcyfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Global demand for seafood continues to grow, and aquaculture will play a bigger role in meeting that demand.</p><p>For Ireland, the challenge is deciding what role it wants to play in that system. It already competes, just not on the same terms as the larger producers.</p><p>The real question is whether it stays as a smaller, specialised player, or whether there’s a push to expand. Because right now, the gap between Ireland and countries like Norway and Scotland isn’t just about output.</p><p>It’s about how the entire system is set up to operate.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p><p>*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.</p>

How Irish Aquaculture Competes with Norway and Scotland

a lush green field with a mountain in the background

<h3>Introduction</h3><p>Most global climate reports pass by without much impact at farm level. There’s usually enough going on closer to home, weather, markets, ground conditions, without trying to interpret global energy data.</p><p>But occasionally, something cuts through.</p><p>A recent report highlighted by RTÉ found that the Earth is now storing heat at a rate equivalent to 18 times the total energy used by humanity every year. More importantly, this has been the pattern for the past two decades.</p><p>It’s a stark way of describing what is, at its core, a simple issue: the system is no longer in balance.</p><figure id="figure-qbwczm7wdcmn3rck82" class=""><img id="qbwczm7wdcmn3rck82" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1615092296061-e2ccfeb2f3d6?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxnbG9iYWwlMjB3YXJtaW5nfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDMwNDk0M3ww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="silhouette of trees during sunset" title="silhouette of trees during sunset" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1615092296061-e2ccfeb2f3d6?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxnbG9iYWwlMjB3YXJtaW5nfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDMwNDk0M3ww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Where the imbalance is building</h3><p>What makes the finding more relevant is where that energy is going.</p><p>More than 90% of the excess heat is being absorbed by the oceans. For Ireland, that matters more than it might at first glance. Our climate is closely tied to the Atlantic, and changes in ocean behaviour tend to feed directly into weather patterns.</p><p>When ocean temperatures shift, so too does the way weather systems develop, how much moisture they carry, how quickly they move, and how predictable they are.</p><p>The effect is rarely dramatic in isolation. It tends to show up more gradually, in how conditions behave over time.</p><figure id="figure-tehrazeicnmn3re2uo" class=""><img id="tehrazeicnmn3re2uo" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1614326749765-a28c925d06cf?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxNnx8aXJpc2glMjBvY2VhbnN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0MzA1MDEzfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="grayscale photo of cliff near sea" title="grayscale photo of cliff near sea" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1614326749765-a28c925d06cf?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxNnx8aXJpc2glMjBvY2VhbnN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0MzA1MDEzfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>A trend rather than an event<br></h3><p>This is not a short-term development. Globally, the period from 2015 to 2025 has been recorded as the hottest 11 years on record, which gives a sense of how consistent the underlying trend has been.</p><p>From a farming perspective, the issue is not temperature alone. It is how reliable conditions are, how seasons transition, how long ground remains workable, and how often plans have to be adjusted.</p><p>That variability is what creates pressure.</p><figure id="figure-8mesyfjevhmn3rge4t" class=""><img id="8mesyfjevhmn3rge4t" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1693563920446-3e77e164827c?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxMnx8Z2xvYmFsJTIwd2FybWluZ3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQzMDQ5NDN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="a dirt field with rocks and a tree" title="a dirt field with rocks and a tree" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1693563920446-3e77e164827c?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxMnx8Z2xvYmFsJTIwd2FybWluZ3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQzMDQ5NDN8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Implications at farm level</h3><p>On the ground, the effects are practical rather than theoretical.</p><p>Conditions may not look dramatically different year to year, but they are less predictable. Periods of wet weather can persist longer than expected, while opportunities to carry out field work or grazing can narrow.</p><p>That tends to affect:</p><ul><li>Soil trafficability.</li><li>Grazing windows.</li><li>Timing of spreading and planting.</li><li>Overall soil condition over the season.</li></ul><p><br>None of this is unfamiliar. What is changing is the frequency and consistency with which these challenges arise.</p><figure id="figure-qv6nsgb9acmn3rhrb6" class=""><img id="qv6nsgb9acmn3rhrb6" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1566115953302-3846c76a8629?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0NHx8SVJJU0glMjBGQVJNJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDMwNTE4NXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="aerial photo of green field" title="aerial photo of green field" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1566115953302-3846c76a8629?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0NHx8SVJJU0glMjBGQVJNJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDMwNTE4NXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Energy, cost and policy</h3><p>Alongside weather, energy is increasingly shaping the environment in which farms operate.</p><p>In Ireland, emissions are currently declining at around 2.7% per year, while reductions of more than 5% annually are required to meet 2030 targets. That gap is significant, and it points to further policy pressure ahead.</p><p>At the same time, energy underpins key farm inputs; fuel, fertiliser and transport, meaning changes in the energy system are felt directly in production costs.</p><figure id="figure-xw0p25iqemn3rj0pv" class=""><img id="xw0p25iqemn3rj0pv" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1454779132693-e5cd0a216ed3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxlbmVyZ3l8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0MzA1MjQ5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="time lapse photography of square containers at night" title="time lapse photography of square containers at night" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1454779132693-e5cd0a216ed3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxlbmVyZ3l8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0MzA1MjQ5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Progress and pressure within the energy system<br></h3><p>There has been clear progress in renewable energy.</p><p>In 2024, renewable sources accounted for 41.3% of Ireland’s electricity supply, with a target of reaching 80% by 2030.</p><p>However, demand is increasing at the same time. Between 2015 and 2024, data centres were responsible for 88.2% of the increase in electricity demand in Ireland.</p><p>This creates a more complex picture. While supply is becoming cleaner, overall pressure on the system remains.</p><figure id="figure-9g2y4x71enmn3rkob9" class=""><img id="9g2y4x71enmn3rkob9" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1508514177221-188b1cf16e9d?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzb2xhciUyMGVuZXJneXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQzMDUzMzB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="solar panel under blue sky" title="solar panel under blue sky" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1508514177221-188b1cf16e9d?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxzb2xhciUyMGVuZXJneXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQzMDUzMzB8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>A changing operating environment</h3><p>Taken together, these factors point to a gradual shift rather than a single turning point.</p><p>A more active climate system, driven by excess energy, brings greater variability. At the same time, the transition in energy policy introduces additional economic and regulatory pressures.</p><p>For farms, this translates into a more complex operating environment, one where both physical conditions and external requirements are evolving.</p><figure id="figure-r5hdxa609vmn3rlyql" class=""><img id="r5hdxa609vmn3rlyql" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1553706348-62ddb2e659d3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxM3x8aXJpc2glMjBmYXJtfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDMwNTM4Mnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="green grass field hill" title="green grass field hill" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1553706348-62ddb2e659d3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxM3x8aXJpc2glMjBmYXJtfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDMwNTM4Mnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The figure at the centre of this, energy being stored at 18 times global human consumption each year, is striking, but it is ultimately a signal rather than a conclusion.</p><p>It points to a system that is carrying more energy and behaving accordingly.</p><p>Irish farming has always adapted to changing conditions. That remains true.</p><p>What is different now is the pace of change, and the extent to which global developments are shaping local realities.</p><p>Over time, that connection becomes harder to ignore, not because of the headlines, but because of how it shows up in day-to-day decisions on farms.</p><p><br></p><p>*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.</p>

Ireland's Energy Imbalance: Impacts on Local Farming

<h3>Introduction</h3><p>Trade deals don’t usually get much attention at farm level. Most of the time, they sit in the background, something happening in Brussels or further afield, with no obvious impact day to day.</p><p>But every so often, one comes along that feels different. And this proposed EU–Australia agreement is starting to look like one of those.</p><p>Talks between the EU and Australia have been dragging on since June 2018, and most people had half-written them off after things fell apart in 2023, largely over agriculture. Now they’re back on the table again, and there’s a sense this time that both sides want to get something done.</p><p>At the centre of it all, as usual, is farming.</p><figure id="figure-d7c3ky0i2pmn26tw5g" class=""><img id="d7c3ky0i2pmn26tw5g" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1628057414816-f616f5a65a29?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxBdXN0cmFsaWFuJTIwZmFybXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQyMTAwMjF8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="black and white cow on green grass field near lake during daytime" title="black and white cow on green grass field near lake during daytime" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1628057414816-f616f5a65a29?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxBdXN0cmFsaWFuJTIwZmFybXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQyMTAwMjF8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>It comes down to beef and sheepmeat<br></h3><p>Strip everything else away, and the real sticking point is simple enough: how much product Australia will be allowed to send into the EU.</p><p>The figures being talked about at the moment are in the region of:</p><ul><li>30,000 tonnes of beef.</li><li>20,000 tonnes of sheepmeat.</li></ul><p>They’re not agreed yet, and they may shift, but they give a fair idea of the direction things are heading.</p><p>And that’s where the concern starts.</p><figure id="figure-q5249g9ry5mn26vmbx" class=""><img id="q5249g9ry5mn26vmbx" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1693618052382-41fb0a9f098e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxzaGVlcCUyMGluJTIwYXVzdHJhbGlhfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDIxMDA5Nnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="a herd of sheep standing on top of a dirt field" title="a herd of sheep standing on top of a dirt field" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1693618052382-41fb0a9f098e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxzaGVlcCUyMGluJTIwYXVzdHJhbGlhfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDIxMDA5Nnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>It’s not just about how much — it’s where it lands</h3><p>On paper, those volumes might not look huge across the entire EU market. But markets don’t work like that in practice.</p><p>What really matters is where that product ends up.</p><p>If it’s competing in the same space as Irish beef and lamb, retail shelves, foodservice, key export markets, then even relatively modest volumes can have an impact. Not necessarily overnight, but gradually.</p><p>There’s also the knock-on effect. The minute buyers know more supply could be coming, it changes how they think. Processors get more cautious. Retailers have more options. Prices don’t need to collapse, they just soften.</p><p>That’s usually how these things show up.</p><figure id="figure-s9qdi2fjf9mn26wo87" class=""><img id="s9qdi2fjf9mn26wo87" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1758236503889-42d4e57d4f1a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxpcmlzaCUyMGNhdHRsZSUyMGZhcm18ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0MjEwMTYwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="Cows resting in a green pasture with stone walls." title="Cows resting in a green pasture with stone walls." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1758236503889-42d4e57d4f1a?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxpcmlzaCUyMGNhdHRsZSUyMGZhcm18ZW58MHx8fHwxNzc0MjEwMTYwfDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Why Ireland is paying attention</h3><p>Ireland is particularly exposed here, simply because of how much we rely on export markets, especially within the EU and UK.</p><p>Australia, on the other hand, is one of the big global players. It’s used to operating at scale and supplying large, competitive markets across the world.</p><p>At the moment, its access to Europe is limited. If that changes, even slightly, it becomes a more regular presence in a market where Irish farmers are already working on tight margins.</p><p>And once that door opens, it rarely closes again.</p><figure id="figure-l3ioojococmn26y3oj" class=""><img id="l3ioojococmn26y3oj" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1625492132356-9a1a05950bd0?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxhdXN0cmFsaWElMjBmbGFnfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDIxMDIwOXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="red white and blue flag" title="red white and blue flag" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1625492132356-9a1a05950bd0?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw0fHxhdXN0cmFsaWElMjBmbGFnfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDIxMDIwOXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>It’s not just Australia — it’s everything together<br></h3><p>What’s really driving concern isn’t just this deal on its own. It’s what it sits alongside.</p><p>The EU–Mercosur agreement, involving countries like Brazil and Argentina, is a good example. Under that deal, the EU agreed to allow 99,000 tonnes of beef imports annually, with a reduced tariff.</p><p>Again, taken in isolation, that might seem manageable. But when you start adding it to what’s being discussed with Australia, and then factor in other trade agreements, it becomes something else entirely.</p><p>It’s the cumulative effect that matters. A bit more beef here, a bit more lamb there. None of it overwhelming on its own. But over time, it builds into a more competitive market.</p><p>And even if every tonne isn’t fully used, the option is there, and that alone changes behaviour in the trade.</p><figure id="figure-px8xcz0i7pmn2736xb" class=""><img id="px8xcz0i7pmn2736xb" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1568560648804-e2fd166364c0?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxM3x8aXJpc2glMjBmYXJtJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDIxMDQ0Nnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="two black and white cattle in green fern plants" title="two black and white cattle in green fern plants" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1568560648804-e2fd166364c0?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxM3x8aXJpc2glMjBmYXJtJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDIxMDQ0Nnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>What that actually looks like on farms<br></h3><p>This isn’t the kind of thing that shows up suddenly in a cheque or a price drop you can point to.</p><p>It’s slower than that.</p><p>It might mean:</p><ul><li>Prices not quite pushing on when you’d expect them to.</li><li>Margins tightening a bit further.</li><li>More ups and downs in the market.</li><li>Processors having more leverage when negotiatinG.</li><li>Individually, none of those changes look dramatic. But together, they can shift the feel of a system over time.</li></ul><p>And that’s usually when farmers start to notice.</p><figure id="figure-c2317u92t8mn274l8f" class=""><img id="c2317u92t8mn274l8f" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1742828830966-5c64a4d480ae?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyOXx8SVJJU0glMjBGQVJNJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDIxMDUxMXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="Sheep graze peacefully in a green pasture." title="Sheep graze peacefully in a green pasture." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1742828830966-5c64a4d480ae?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyOXx8SVJJU0glMjBGQVJNJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3NDIxMDUxMXww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>The bigger picture — and the real question<br></h3><p>At some level, this is about more than Australia or Mercosur or any one deal.</p><p>It’s about the direction things are moving in. European agriculture is gradually becoming more exposed to global competition. That’s not new, but it’s becoming more noticeable.</p><p>For Irish farming, the question is how to operate in that environment. There are still clear strengths, grass-based production, traceability, reputation in key markets. Those things matter, and they’ll continue to matter.</p><p>But they have to do more of the heavy lifting as competition increases.</p><figure id="figure-ky17d2oykmmn275osk" class=""><img id="ky17d2oykmmn275osk" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1594810205183-18a8b0ce6c13?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxldXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQyMTA1Njh8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="blue and white flags on pole" title="blue and white flags on pole" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1594810205183-18a8b0ce6c13?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxldXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NzQyMTA1Njh8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>There’s no deal signed yet, and nothing is guaranteed. Agriculture has a habit of being the last piece agreed, or the piece that stops agreements altogether.</p><p>But the direction of travel is fairly clear. Markets are opening, slowly but steadily. And with that comes more competition, more pressure, and more uncertainty around where prices will settle.</p><p>None of this changes farming overnight. It never does. But over time, these kinds of decisions shape the ground that farms operate on.</p><p>And that’s why this one is being watched a bit more closely than most.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p><p>*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.</p>

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