Rise in registered farm partnerships
Often used as the first step in succession planning, more than 4,000 Irish farms entered registered farm partnerships in 2025.
As revealed in the Teagasc Achievements 2025 publication, launched yesterday, February 17th, and stemming from Teagasc and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine data, some 4,220 registered farm partnerships were formed in 2025, up from 3,836 in the year previous.
Registered Farm Partnership (RFP) are a legal arrangement where two or more individuals operate as a single business, sharing profits, decision-making and responsibilities. Such a model is often used to bring the next generation into the farming business at an earlier stage while also officially recognising their role in the farming operation.
Upward trajectory was also recorded in the numbers attending Teagasc Transferring the Family Farm events. These annual clinics are designed to help farm families through the process and all aspects that need to be considered when transferring the family farm. Through 2025, these events amassed an attendance of 1,310, up from 1,240 in the year previous. Teagasc in conjunction with dairy cooperatives in the West Cork region also piloted bespoke succession planning workshops with farmer milk suppliers and their cooperatives. Additionally, Teagasc’s Generational Renewal Week in September 2025 showcased the opportunities for young people in agriculture and how farm families can navigate their own farm succession journeys.
Additionally, the publication revealed that that average age of Irish farmers continued to creep upward in 2024. Presented through data from the Teagasc National Farm Survey, the average age of dairy farm holders in 2025 was 55, cattle rearing and cattle other farm holders were 61.1 and 59.7 years old, respectively, while the average age of sheep and tillage farm holders was 59.6 and 56.7 years old, respectively.
Table 1: Average age of farm holder by farm system
| Dairy | Cattle Rearing | Cattle Other | Sheep | Tillage | |
| 2023 | 54.1 | 61.1 | 58.6 | 59.1 | 55.4 |
| 2024 | 55 | 61.1 | 59.7 | 59.6 | 56.7 |
For further insights, view the publication Teagasc Achievements 2025 (PDF)