![\"‘Share](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/An-aerial-view-of-the-Gurteen-Farm-where-share-farming-is-in-operation-e1753433573272.png\")
<\/p>\n28 July 2025<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Growing traction among many Irish farmers \u2013 either those seeking a successor or alternatively, those looking for a career pathway into farming – share farming is a relatively new collaborative farming arrangement to Irish shores. <\/p>\n
Involving a landowner and a share farmer entering an agreement whereby they operate two sperate businesses on the one block of ground, such a collaborative farming arrangement has been the mainstay at Gurteen Farm for the last nine years.<\/p>\n
A jointly owned venture of the four West Cork dairy co-operatives, Bandon, Barryroe, Drinagh and Lisavaird, Kerry Desmond joined the Gurteen farm operation in January 2024. Kerry is the third share farmer following the conversion of the farm from its original drystock enterprise to a commercial dairy farm in 2016.<\/p>\n
The Gurteen Farm Share Farming arrangement<\/p>\n
This share farming arrangement involves the landowner, Shinagh Estates and the share famer, Kerry Desmond entering an agreement whereby they operate two separate businesses on the same block of land.<\/p>\n
Shinagh Estates provides the land and facilities and cover the costs associated with farm maintenance; Kerry provides the livestock and labour and he covers livestock health and breeding costs. All other costs are split 60:40, with Kerry covering the 60%.\u00a0 The monthly milk cheque is then divided on this basis \u2013 60:40.<\/p>\n
Kerry is a native of Bandon, Co. Cork and he grew up on a small beef farm. \u00a0He had the traits that Shinagh Estates were looking for in a share farmer. He had been to Clonakilty Agricultural College and completed his level 5 and 6. He had travelled to New Zealand where he gained great experience and, on his return, he completed the two-year farm managers course in Moorepark during which he gained valuable knowledge on two excellent host farms.<\/p>\n
The main learnings that he took from these experiences were to develop the necessary skills to run a successful business and thus return a profit year on year \u2013 this helped him to put the business plan together for his current business structure.<\/p>\n
The share agreement is for seven years and Kerry is optimistic that he will, in time, move on to a leased farm or alternatively get involved with a share farming arrangement with someone else.<\/p>\n
When asked why he has gone this route, he stated: \u201cI was milking someone else\u2019s cows for enough years and wanted to milk my own cows.\u00a0 I heard about share farming models through other farmers and by talking to people locally and I wanted to get involved so as to build my own business.\u201d<\/p>\n
An important stepping stone<\/p>\n
Padraig Cunnane was the second share farmer at Gurteen, he used his time there as a stepping stone to forward his career in farming. In 2024, after operating under a share farming arrangement at Gurteen for four years, he took on a 52ha leased farm just outside Clonakilty and commenced milking.\u00a0 He is currently operating a spring-calving system, milking 120 cows.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on the share-farming opportunity, Padraig remarked: \u201cIt not only opened doors for me, it blew them off the hinges.\u201d<\/p>\n