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HomeFarming NewsNew ag entrant achieving ‘good income from relatively small farm’
Catherina Cunnane
Catherina Cunnanehttps://www.thatsfarming.com/
Catherina Cunnane hails from a sixth-generation drystock and specialised pedigree suckler enterprise in Co. Mayo. She currently holds the positions of editor and general manager at That's Farming, having joined the firm during its start-up phase in 2015.
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New ag entrant achieving ‘good income from relatively small farm’

Kylie Magner from Magners Farm in Moyglass, County, Tipperary has scooped the second Newbie project new entrant competition.

Kylie and her husband, Billy, purchased the 20-acre farm in 2004. They subsequently worked abroad for seven years working before returning to Moyglass. Here, Kylie set about farming the land while Billy worked off-farm.

She developed a free-range poultry enterprise on the farm selling eggs at local markets initially. During Covid-19, a farm gate collection and online sales have ensured a market for the farm’s eggs.

Kylie said: “I am delighted to accept the award from Newbie (Horizon 2020 project) and Teagasc. The past few years have been busy setting up our pasture range egg business. We are looking forward to developing further income streams on our farm with Mobile Hen.”

“It is great to be involved in farming at the moment. There are some positive initiatives around regenerative agriculture which we are very proud to be associated with.”

As a licenced egg packer, Kylie can sell her egg direct to consumers and packing eggs for other farmers, a potential revenue stream that she can use in the future.

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Mobile Hen at Magners Farm

Furthermore, she has developed a portable hen coup called the Mobile Hen, that facilitates rotational grazing of the free-range hens around the farm. She is developing this as another element of the business.

Cattle and sheep have been added to the farm to graze ahead of the hens and add new products to the farms offering of produce.

Kylie has also added a chicken broth product that is produced from spent hens eliminating waste from the system.

John Moriarty, Newbie project advisor with Teagasc, said: “Kylie is a great example of a new entrant to agriculture achieving a good income from a relatively small farm.”

“Kylie has innovated to grow the business adding new products and income streams. This competition has seen a number of excellent entries and finalists; it was a great achievement to come out on top.”

Newbie Network

The Newbie Network is an EU Horizon 2020-funded project with 10 European partners.

Newbie offers a unique platform by bringing together new entrants, successors, advisors, researchers, important regional and national actors, and relevant stakeholders in national networks to enable new entrants to establish a sustainable farm business in Europe successfully.

New entrants are anyone who starts a new farm business or becomes involved in an existing farm business at any stage of their lives.

New entrants across sectors and regions face common barriers: access to land, capital, knowledge, and labour.

The Newbie Network will identify and highlight new business models that overcome some of the barriers faced by new entrants through 90 case studies and a video library available to new entrants across Europe.

These will be shared through various European and national activities, including national discussion circles, videos, and bilateral exchanges.

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