2.10 Employment
2.10 Employment
The agri-food sector is an important employer nationally and particularly in rural and coastal areas. The agri-food sector covers primary agriculture, forestry, fishing, along with the manufacturing of food and beverages and manufacture of wood and products of wood and cork (except furniture). In 2022, according to the CSO’s Labour Force Survey (LFS) the sector employed 164,900 people, or 6.5%, of the total workforce in Ireland, which had almost 2.6 million people at the end of 2022.
The numbers employed in the sector decreased by about 5,500 people compared to 2021 but were similar to 2020. Most of the decline in numbers employed was in the farming sector but numbers employed dropped in the forestry and fishing sectors also. The numbers employed in the manufacture of beverages increased by 1,200 to 9,000 in 2022 but the numbers employed in the manufacture of food declined by about 900.
The LFS Indicates that the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector employs over 101,000 people. However around 57% of farm holders or their spouses have an off-farm employment which is likely considered as their main employment, and therefore their work on the farm is not included in the LFS. According to the CSO 2020 Agricultural Census, there were 278,580 family and regular non-family workers on Irish farms, indicating that many farm holders and their family members work part -time on the land in addition to their main employment. This number has actually increased from each of the two previous agriculture censuses, with 272,016 family and regular non-family workers in 2010 and 257,948 in 2000.
In a June 2023 working paper issued by the IGEES staff in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment entitled Labour Market Dynamics and the Rising Incidence of People Working Multiple Jobs in Ireland it found that “there is a disproportionate number of persons working in Agriculture who have multiple jobs.” In 2022, 26% of the approximately 80,000 multiple job holders were employed in Agriculture in their second job down from 41% in 2002. The working paper outlines “Despite this fall in the share of secondary employment in Agriculture, persons with second jobs are still disproportionately likely to work in Agriculture in their second job compared to the labour force more generally, with just four per cent of the total number of persons in employment working in agriculture. It is also important to note that while the relative share of persons with a second job in agriculture fell, absolute numbers have continued to increase, with 10,200 more people now employed in a second job in the agricultural sector compared to Q4 2002.”
Table 2.7 Employment in the Agri-Food Sector, Average for 2020-2022
| 2020 2021 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Crop and animal production | 96,300 | 100,900 | 95,500 |
| Forestry & fishing | 6,000 | 6,125 | 5,650 |
| Manufacture of food & beverages | 54,725 | 57,400 | 57,750 |
| Manufacture of wood | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Total Agri-food employment | 163,025 | 170,425 | 164,900 |
| Total Employment all sectors | 2,253,025 | 2,389,225 | 2,547,300 |
| Agri-Food as % of total | 7.2% | 7.1% | 6.5% |
Source: CSO
In 2000, the Agri-Food sector employed 196,775 people, representing 11.1% of the total workforce in Ireland, which then stood at 1,772,900. The numbers employed in the Agri-Food sector have reduced somewhat over the past 22 years, while total employment across all sectors has risen. In 2022, the average number of people employed in the Agri-Food sector was 164,900, down 31,875 compared to the year 2000 or by 16%. At the same time, total employment in Ireland increased to an average of 2,547,300, an increase of 774,400, or 44%. As Agri-Food sector employment decreased and overall employment increased, the percentage of people employed in Agri-Food sector has dropped and it stands at 6.5% of total employment in 2022.
Most of the 101,150 people working in agriculture, forestry and fishing are self-employed as individual farmers. However, particularly on larger farms, there are workers employed. As part of the Frontier Series Output, the CSO have in recent times issued a release called the Monthly Estimates of Payroll Employees using Administrative Data. The May 2023 release showed that there are 28,100 employees in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector.
Table 2.8 Employment in the Agri-food Sector 2000-2022
| Year Crop and Forestry & Manufacture Manufacture Total Total Agri-Food animal fishing of food & of wood Agri-food Employment as % of production beverages employment all sectors total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 122,625 | 6,250 | 58,125 | 9,775 | 196,775 | 1,772,900 | 11.1% |
| 2005 | 107,175 | 4,750 | 58,150 | 9,850 | 179,925 | 2,037,850 | 8.8% |
| 2010 | 101,775 | 8,525 | 46,375 | 5,800 | 162,475 | 1,925,575 | 8.4% |
| 2015 | 103,925 | 5,525 | 56,150 | 3,975 | 169,575 | 2,057,350 | 8.2% |
| 2022 | 95,500 | 5,650 | 57,750 | 6,000 | 164,900 | 2,547,300 | 6.5% |
Source: CSO
The largest drop has been in crop and animal production, which has seen employment levels fall by about 27,125 while fishing and forestry have seen a drop of about 600. There is a decrease of just 375 jobs in the manufacture of food and beverages from 58,125 to 57,750 and a drop of 3,775 in the manufacture of wood products and products of wood and cork.
Operating Surplus (OS)
Employment in the Agri-Food sector is calculated based on detail in the quarterly Labour Force Survey. Due to the seasonal nature of Agri-Food sector employment, the figures used here are an average of the four quarters for each year. Included are the numbers employed in the following 2-digit NACE codes: 01 crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities; 02 forestry and logging; 03 fishing and aquaculture; 10 manufacture of food products; 11 manufacture of beverages and 16 manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials.
Operating surplus is defined and calculated by the CSO by subtracting compensation of employees from farm income accruing from farm output. The figure is comprised of the operating surplus earned by farmers and that earned by agricultural contractors. It is an estimate of income before deductions for interest payments on borrowed capital, land annuities and rent paid by farmers to landowners for the use of their land. It does not include income from non-farming sources and may not be equated to household income.
Figure from page 65
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