Teagasc Generational Renewal Week 2026 to showcase opportunities and practical supports for the future of Irish farming
Generational Renewal Week 2026, taking place from Monday, 7 to Friday, 11 September, will bring farmers, farm families and the wider agricultural community together for a week focused on planning for the future, creating opportunities for the next generation and supporting farm families as their businesses evolve.
Teagasc farm management specialist, Ruth Fennell said: “Generational renewal is about more than farm succession or transferring assets. It is about ensuring that farm families have the information, advice and practical tools they need to make informed decisions about the future, from education and career opportunities, to pension planning, business planning, access to finance and collaborative approaches to farming.”
Through a combination of webinars, farm walks, in-person engagement and new video content, the week will showcase real-life experiences, practical advice, and a range of options available to farmers at different stages of their careers.
A new series of three videos will form an important part of this year’s programme, focusing on Education; Pension Planning; and Business Planning and Access to Finance. The videos will provide practical information and encourage farmers and farm families to consider the steps they can take now to strengthen the future of their farm businesses and support the next generation.
The week will also provide opportunities for farmers to meet directly with Farm Management specialists. The Teagasc Farm Management specialists will have a Generational Renewal stand at the Newford suckler herd Open Day in County Roscommon for discussion groups on Tuesday, 8 September and Wednesday, 9 September, providing an opportunity for farmers to drop in, discuss their own circumstances and explore the range of options and supports available to them.
The programme will also feature opportunities to see collaborative farming approaches in practice, highlighting how partnerships, share farming and land leasing can create new pathways into farming and help farm businesses develop sustainably.
Inspiring the next generation
A major new element of Generational Renewal Week this year will see more than 50 Teagasc advisers visit primary schools nationwide, delivering interactive sessions showcasing the positive impact of Irish agriculture and inspiring the next generation to explore opportunities in farming.
The initiative reflects the wider ambition of Generational Renewal Week, to look beyond the immediate challenges facing individual farm families and focus on the people, skills, knowledge and opportunities that will shape the future of Irish agriculture.
By bringing together farmers, advisers, specialists and the next generation, the week aims to encourage conversations about the future and highlight the many different routes available to those who want to build a career in agriculture.
A week of practical events
The week opens on Monday, 7 September at 8pm with the Generational Renewal Live Webinar, chaired by Emma-Louise Coffey. The Kinsella and Atkinson families and Teagasc Farm Management Team members will share practical insights into navigating the succession process.
On Tuesday, 8 September at 8pm, the Nursing Home Support Scheme (Fair Deal) Webinar will provide an opportunity to learn more about the Fair Deal Scheme and how it can impact farm succession. Ultan Hynes, Head of Service for the Nursing Home Support Scheme at the HSE will provide up to date information.
On Wednesday, 9 September at 12pm, the focus turns to Collaborative Farming Options, with a Dairy Farm Walk hosted by young farmer Kieran Kennedy in Nenagh, County Tipperary. The event will showcase how Kieran has built a successful dairy farming career without land of his own, demonstrating the potential of collaborative arrangements where there is no family successor. This walk will highlight how Registered Farm Partnerships, Share Farming and Land leasing can be used to allow existing farmers to step back to a degree of their choosing.
The Options, Taxes and Reliefs Webinar takes place on Thursday, 10 September at 8pm, exploring transfer options, tax reliefs and collaborative approaches through practical family farm case studies.
The week concludes on Friday, 11 September at 6pm with a Beef, Sheep and Tillage Farm Walk at the Tyner family farm in Shillelagh, County Wicklow. The family will share their experience of bringing the next generation into the business through a Registered Farm Partnership and Succession Farm Partnership.
Generational Renewal Week 2026 at a glance:
- Monday, 7 September | 8pm
Generational Renewal Live Webinar - Tuesday, 8 September | 8pm
Nursing Home Support Scheme (Fair Deal) Webinar - Tuesday, 8 and Wednesday, 9 September
Generational Renewal stand with Farm Management specialists at the Newford Open Day for discussion groups - Wednesday, 9 September | 12pm
Collaborative Farming Options Dairy Farm Walk, Kieran Kennedy, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary - Thursday, 10 September | 8pm
Options, Taxes and Reliefs Webinar - Friday, 11 September | 6pm
Beef, Sheep and Tillage Farm Walk, Tyner Family, Shillelagh, Co. Wicklow - Throughout the week
- New videos will be published covering Education, Pension Planning, and Business Planning & Access to Finance
- More than 50 Teagasc advisors visiting primary schools nationwide to inspire the next generation
Generational Renewal Week 2026 provides an opportunity for farmers and farm families to start the conversation, explore their options and plan positively for the future.