A Sustainable Agricultural Strategy for Mayo
Mayo County Council, in conjunction with its partners: Teagasc, the Department of Agriculture & Food, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Irish Farmers Association and the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association form the Mayo Agricultural Working Group and the Planning, Environment and Agriculture Strategic Policy Committee have developed “A Sustainable Agricultural Strategy for Mayo”.
The purpose of the strategy is to set out a series of actions that will guide the sector to capitalise on its opportunities and overcome the barriers to developing this significant component of the Mayo economy.
The strategy highlights the contribution that agriculture makes to the Mayo economy: with some 13,500 people employed at farm level; farm income of €128 million; farm output at an estimated €250 million; and an estimated €500 million value to the Mayo’s economy.
The strategy aims are as follows:
- Improve farm incomes in the long-term
- Maximise the value of all food produced
- Ensure farmers are encouraged to play a key role in the county’s future development
- Support continued investment in the sector
- Ensure sustainability from an environmental perspective.
The strategy sets out clear actions for the traditional sectors of Beef, Sheep and Dairy together with the less developed areas of Forestry, Agri- Tourism, Renewable Energy and High Nature Value Farming.