2.6 Social Sustainability

2.6 Social Sustainability

Along with the NFS each year, Teagasc also issue the Teagasc National Farm Survey Sustainability Report, based on detailed analysis of data collected through the Teagasc National Farm Survey. In the latest report released in October 2022 Teagasc measure the Economic, Social, Environmental and Innovation sustainability dimensions for Dairy, Cattle, Sheep and Tillage farms in 2021. Earlier in this chapter there was analysis of the economic data from the preliminary results of the NFS 2022 and in chapter eight, details of the environmental and innovation sustainability are examined. The social sustainability element is examined here.

A farm will only be sustainable if employment in agriculture can provide a suitable economic return for the labour employed, but also if farm operators and families have an acceptable quality of life from their farming and non-farming activities. If farming is not socially sustainable, individuals may exit the sector, or there may be a lack of new entrants to farming, with fewer younger people willing to take over farms when older farmers retire. In addition, as agriculture is often the predominant economic activity in many rural areas, the social impacts of a viable farming sector are also important in maintaining employment and social well-being in the broader rural community. The design of social sustainability indicators is subjective in nature. Based on the data available from the NFS, Teagasc report on the following indicators by farm type:

Household vulnerability M

Agricultural education M

Isolation risk M

High age profile M

Hours worked on-farm M

Total hours worked. M

Household viability has been examined earlier in this chapter based on the 2022 preliminary NFS, while the age profile of farmers will be examined later in this chapter. Alongside the main Teagasc National Farm Survey Sustainability Report 2021, Teagasc released results of health and wellbeing and connectivity indicators.

Figure from page 52

Health and Wellbeing Based on the Teagasc data, dairy farmers have experienced the highest levels of stress in the past five years with 55% experiencing stress. Less than half that proportion of tillage farmers have experienced stress, at 26%, while cattle and sheep farmers are in between. However, the proportion of farmers who indicated that farm business-related stress has worsened over the previous five years is at 42%. Again the proportion of tillage farmers in this category is lowest at 21%, while for sheep, dairy and cattle rearing farmers the proportion is at 45% to 47% and cattle other farmers are at 39%.

Figure 2.15 Farm Business Related Stress 2021

Cattle Rearing Cattle other Sheep

Experienced Stress in past 5 Years Stress has Worsened Over

That Time

Despite the high proportion of dairy farmers that experienced stress in the past five years, 89% report their health as good or very good. This is only exceeded by tillage farmers, where 92% report their health as being good or very good. Cattle farmers have about 75% in this category, with sheep farmers reporting the lowest proportion with good or very good health at 70%.

20%

47%

Figure 2.16 Self-reported Farmer Health, by System 2021

Figure 2.16 Self-reported Farmer Health, by System 2021

10 20 30 40 50

Poor Fair Good

Across all farms 22% of farmers reported their health as poor or fair, with this rising to 31% for sheep farmers and 27% for cattle rearing farmers, the two sectors with the lowest Family Farm Incomes.

Looking at connectivity, Teagasc found that more than 70% of farmers used smartphones in 2021, up from less than 40% in 2015. Dairy and Tillage farmers were top for using smartphones at 87% and 82% respectively, with cattle rearing farmers at 78% and sheep and cattle other farmers at close to 70%. Internet access across farm households was at 88% in 2021, up from 76% in 2011, with almost all dairy farm households having internet access at 97%. Cattle other households are lowest at 83% and sheep households are at 85%.

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

Figure 2.17 Use of On-line Livestock Marts

Dairying Cattle rearing Cattle other Sheep

Buy/Sell Online Continue to Buy/Sell Online

Source: Teagasc

During the COVID-19 pandemic most livestock marts began selling livestock on-line as numbers allowed into the mart premises was restricted. Farmers adapted quickly to the new technology for buying and selling livestock and as reported by Teagasc, around 60% of dairy and cattle farmers buy or sell livestock on-line, while the proportion of sheep farmers is at 41%. Interestingly, even though the restrictions on attending livestock marts have been lifted, 80% to 90% of farmers say they will continue to buy or sell livestock online.

Figure from page 54