Pocket Book with 101 Rural Business Ideas Launched

“Innovation in the Countryside - 101 Ideas”, a new pocket book with a range of potential business ideas for rural Ireland has been published by Teagasc and the Irish Farmers’ Journal. The book is being launched at the National Ploughing Championship in county Kilkenny this week.

The full colour pocket guide shows there is no shortage of good ideas for setting up a business in rural Ireland. The categories of ideas described include agri-services, tourism, manufacturing, retail, food, energy, services and alternative land uses. Topics covered include farm shops, cheese making, selling on Ebay, hedge laying, boat marinas, care of the elderly, cut foliage, growing vegetables, converting redundant buildings and many more potential business ideas for rural Ireland illustrated.

The book is reader friendly with each idea having a simple star rating to give an indication of initial start up costs, profit potential, and the business challenge involved. Detailed approaches to researching business ideas are also provided. The book is written and researched by Paul Mc Carthy, Teagasc Rural Business Specialist based in Athenry and Peter Young from the Irish Farmers’ Journal.

Teagasc provides support and mentoring to rural entrepreneurs across Ireland. Paul McCarthy said; ”In the current climate, with off farm employment options more limited, farmers have to look at new ways of making money from their farm. Some are finding that the small businesses are more successful and satisfying than the off farm job ever was.”

The book has a cover price of €10, but will be available on special offer of €5 at the Ploughing Championship on the Teagasc and Farmers’ Journal stands.