Holly Mullan

Project Title: Beyond the ‘Young Farmer’: Challenges Faced by Older Potential Farm Successors.

Overview: Holly’s research focuses on farm succession issues in Ireland’s beef and sheep sectors. With many farmers increasingly delaying the transfer of ownership and control to the next generation, concerns over farm viability are growing. Holly’s work specifically examines the role of “older potential farm successors” in this process—an underexplored yet influential group that plays a crucial role in shaping future farm ownership decisions.

Holly holds degrees in Business with Marketing and Agri-Food and Rural Enterprise, alongside years of teaching experience that deepen her insight into the agri-food sector’s challenges. Raised in a rural farming community with a background in beef farming, Holly has a personal understanding of the pressures and complexities faced by farmers and rural communities. To date, Holly has engaged with farmers, potential successors, and agricultural stakeholders across Ireland to investigate the specific challenges facing potential farm successors.

Programme Area: Rural Economy and Development Programme

Supervisors: Dr Emma Dillon, Dr David Meredith, Professor Anne Marie Ward and Dr Stuart Henderson

Location: Teagasc, Ashtown

Funding Source: Teagasc