Mayo farmer chosen to take part in dynamic new initiative

Darren McGuire, a young farmer from Mayo, has been chosen to take part in the new Kepak Young Sheep Farmer Forum – a dynamic new initiative designed to empower the next generation of Irish sheep farmers through innovation, sustainability, and leadership.

From Westport, Darren is a final-year student at Mountbellew Agricultural College and is actively involved in the family farm, which manages 250 crossbred and hill ewes. He has gained valuable experience through a work placement with a Teagasc advisor, working alongside hill farmers.

The Forum was officially launched by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, at an event hosted on one of Kepak’s supplier farms, owned by Damien Flynn in Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath.

Set against the backdrop of Teagasc’s 2024 National Farm Survey – which found the average age of Irish sheep farmers to be 56 – the Forum aims to inject fresh thinking and renewed energy into the sector. 

Developed in collaboration with Bord Bia and Mountbellew Agricultural College, it brings together 15 young farmers from diverse educational and sheep farming enterprise backgrounds (including part-time and full-time farmers) to address the key challenges facing Irish sheep farming. By actively engaging young people in the future of farming, the Forum supports Ireland’s wider goals around generational renewal; a critical priority for the long-term sustainability of rural communities and agricultural production. In 2023, Less than half (46.5%) of farm holders had a succession plan in place, according to the latest data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO, 2023).

The initiative’s core mission is to make sheep farming more attractive and viable for young people, while promoting sustainable and profitable practices. Through youth-led dialogue, hands-on experience, and access to industry networks, Kepak aims to support the next generation in shaping a future-focused and resilient sheep sector.