Strong demand for rental land is being tempered by a note of caution as the lettings season opens. While Teagasc is urging farmers to adopt a prudent approach on land rentals, auctioneers report a “strong appetite” for grazing ground as the lettings season kicks off.

Teagasc’s head of knowledge transfer Joe Patton said dairy farmers appeared to be more careful on land rentals, following an extremely difficult 2023 and 2024. “I think what we’ve seen is more and more farmers being cautious and doing their sums on the value of additional rental land to their business,” Patton said.

The market for grazing ground is strong, with good holdings making anywhere from €250/ac to €430/ac, depending on size and facilities.