Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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658. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a study will be commissioned into the impact of micro-farms on the domestic economy and on the agrifood sector in particular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18841/20]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Teagasc published a report on the Sustainability of Small Farming in 2017. The report focused on a sample of farms with less than €8,000 of 'Standard Output' (i.e. the average monetary value of the agricultural output at farm-gate price). They found that 37% of farms nationally were classified as small farms, farming 16% of the total farmland area and producing approximately 5% of the total standard output of Irish agriculture.

In terms of economic sustainability, the report found that smaller farms tended to be less productive and less efficient and employed lower levels of labour. They tended to rely heavily on direct payment support and/or off-farm employment. Collectively, small farms accounted for 13% of the national envelope for CAP Pillar 1 payments. Half of all small farms were classified as economically vulnerable. Despite this, 85% of small farm operators intended to continue farming.

In terms of environmental sustainability, the report found that smaller farms tended to have lower nitrogen and phosphorous balances on a per hectare basis. They also produced lower levels of GHG emissions in absolute terms, although they were less efficient in terms of units of output produced. 

The report also notes that small farms in the EU play a number of important socioeconomic roles including maintaining rural welfare; keeping rural areas populated; contributing to the rural non-farm economy and providing environmental public goods such as attractive landscapes.

Teagasc plan to carry out this survey again in 2021, although the timeframe may be impacted by Covid-19 restrictions.