Farming: Industry must develop career progression pathways to attract and retain talent – FRS Co-Op
A nationwide survey by FRS Co-Op reveals that less than 13% of farm operators believe there are career progression opportunities in farming.
Ireland’s farming industry must find ways to reduce the level of unsociable working hours and define better career pathways for progression if the sector is to attract and retain workers into the future, a nationwide survey of farm workers has found.
According to the 2025 survey of FRS Co-Op’s 1,200 farm operators across Ireland, the majority of people who work on farms do so because they enjoy working outdoors and working with animals.
However, less than 13% of farm operators said working on a farm provides opportunities to progress in their career.
When asked what the farming industry needs to do to attract new talent, over 50% of farm workers cited the need for higher wages. This was followed by reducing the number of unsociable hours of work on farms and defining clearer pathways for career progression.
The findings come at a time when Ireland’s farming industry is increasingly reliant on external labour support, with 9 out of 10 farms now using external labour to various degrees throughout the year.
Over 80% of farm workers who responded to the FRS Co-Op survey said Irish farms are better prepared for the increased workloads during the spring calving season following the expansion on farms after the end of EU milk quotas.
The FRS Co-Op survey also reveals that just over 50% of its farm operators do not own their own farm. Of this cohort, almost 80% said they would like to manage their own farm in the future, suggesting there is potential to attract new entrants to the farming sector.
