Farming survey: Recovery finally making impact in rural regions

There is still a degree of ambivalence regarding whether rural Ireland has felt the force of the recovery, with 27% of those questioned neither agreeing nor agreeing.

The figures also show that the decline in negativity is most pronounced among those with an off-farm income and among those in middle age. So 46% of those with an off-farm income agreed that the economic recovery had benefitted them, versus 40% of those without off-farm work.

And 48% of those aged 35 to 44, and 46% of those aged 45 to 54 years, agreed with the sentiment, compared to 39% of those aged over 55.

One area not feeling so cheerful about the effects of the economic recovery was the tillage sector.

Just 15% of tillage farmers believed the recovery had positively affected them and their families, compared with other sectors such as dairy and livestock, in which nearly half believed the economic recovery had benefitted them.

Regionally, those polled in Tullamore most inclined to claim they have felt the benefit of the economic recovery, while those questioned at Cappamore in Co Limerick were least likely to agree.

Arguably, the perception that the economic recovery has benefitted an increased number families is mirrored in a related finding that more people have spent additional money on cars, family holidays and clothing in the past year.

That finding is tempered by comparing it with poll results from 2013 when a significant number of farm families said they were cutting back on those and similar items, but the findings from this year’s poll indicate that, while restrained, there has been an increase in people who have upped their discretionary spending in the past 12 months.

Irish Examiner ICMSA farming poll

The Irish Examiner ICMSA farming poll was designed to provide a robust and accurate snapshot of the attitudes, beliefs and opinions of the farming community about a range of issues, both farming and social. The survey involved 569 interviews with farm dwelling adults in the Republic of Ireland.

Fieldwork was completed by Behaviour & Attitudes over a two-week period between August 13 and 27, with interviewing undertaken onsite by Behaviour & Attitudes interviewers across eight agricultural shows. The sample size is large and the data has a statistical margin of error of +/-4%.

The sampling approach involves a random probability method, with interviews being undertaken with attendees provided they worked and/or lived on a farm. 429 interviews were with farmers themselves, 31 with non family, farm employees, and the balance with spouses (66), most of whom -5 out of 6- personally work on the family farm as well.

All data is copyrighted by the Irish Examiner and Behaviour & Attitudes and should be attributed to this source where quoted.