Farmers are constantly told to concentrate on what happens inside the farmgate and not to worry about things they can’t control outside it.

For any farmer who doesn’t have 150 acres or isn’t milking cows, this old cliché has now become redundant.

Rising fertiliser and feed costs, as well as increases in fixed costs such as advisory and accountancy or financial services, mean margins are already tightening.

Get a part-time job. You might have to anyway

On the output side, retailers continue to use food as a loss-leader to increase their footfall and such reductions in food price are passed on to the farmer through the processor.

The farmer has no one to pass on the price cuts to and is forced to absorb them. So, farm costs are rising, while production prices are dropping.

No more blood to give

Unless there is a sufficient economy of scale, and this level of scale is obviously open to debate, the livestock farmer in his or her current guise simply cannot continue. The stone has no more blood to give.

However, instead of wallowing in pity and crying out for the good ol’ days, we should accept what we cannot change and see what can be done.

For what it’s worth, I’ve a few suggestions for any farmer who might be wondering about the folly of it all.

First, join every scheme going. An uncle here says, there’s no money in farm work, but there is money in paperwork.

Be it the next version of GLAS, BDGP, the Sheep Welfare Scheme (if it opens again), ANC, agroforestry, knowledge transfer, whatever – there’s a few euro in it for stuff you probably should be doing anyway.

Second, entitlements. If you’re any way confident that the current Basic Payment Scheme won’t change too much in the new CAP, then it might be worth investing in low-value entitlements for any naked land you have.

Codding the people

Third, get a part-time job. You might have to anyway, so better to get out there and see what you can do.

There’s no shame in it and it’s hardly your fault most people these days have been codded into paying for everything except decent food.

Fourth, keep stocking rates sensible and bale more silage (for sale).

Take all “expert advice” with a pinch of salt. I’m not saying the experts are wrong, but they don’t know your land or anything about your setup.

Fifth, go to the pub at the weekend and/or volunteer with some local community group.

Spend an hour at the mart every few weeks, whether you think you need to go or not.

You’ll get a sense of where the trade is at and you’ll meet someone to share your woes or maybe even crack a joke.

Finally, remember that life is short. Cattle will come and go. Sheep will come and go. You too will come and go.

And as someone once said, don’t forget to wear sunscreen!

Kieran Sullivan and his brother farm part-time in Co. Waterford. You can follow him on Twitter: @kieran_sullivan

Read more

Farmer Writes: crossing Suffolk rams with Scotch ewes

Farmer writes: We need to talk about stocking rates