Ireland had more than 133,000 farms in 2023
With all things green and Irish celebrated on St. Patrick’s Day, let’s look at Ireland and its agricultural sector.
According to Ireland’s Central Statistics Office’s Farm Structure Survey in 2023, Ireland was home to 133,174 farms (115,655 male farm holders versus 17,519 female farm holders).
For context, the states of Ohio and Tennessee combined have about 139,000 farms. the 2022 U.S. Census of Agriculture says.
Of those Irish farms, more than half were beef farms helping to raise the 7.3 million head of cattle in the country, a number that was higher than the human population in 2023.
The lean towards beef production could be based on the makeup of Irish farmland.
About 92 percent of all agricultural land in Ireland is used for pasture, silage, or hay.
“Ireland benefits from its oceanic climate and plentiful precipitation throughout the year allowing for a long grass-growing season from February to the end of November…,” Sustainbeef, a French and Irish collaboration says.
But that doesn’t mean Irish farmers aren’t raising row crops.
Ireland has about 667,184 acres of cropland, and Irish farmers grew barley on about 69 percent of those acres.
Other crops grown in Ireland include wheat, potatoes, and oats.
In Irish culture, a four-leaf clover is regarded as a symbol of good luck.
And Irish growers plant clover to bring good fortune to their livestock and land.
The ag department actually recommends farmers reseeding 10 percent and overplanting 15 percent of their farms with clover annually.
“White clover can increase animal performance as it is a higher quality feed, and it can reduce the need for chemical nitrogen,” says Teagasc, Ireland’s agriculture and food development authority. “Recognition of the high forage quality and the nitrogen (N) fixation benefits of grass-white clover pastures has led to a resurgence of interest in its use as a means of reducing the economic and environmental costs in livestock agriculture.
Ireland is a large European ag exporter.
In 2025, exports totaled more than €21.2 billion (US$24 billion) with beef, butter, and cheese among the top commodities.
In total, ag exports to go about 180 countries and account for around 10 percent of total Irish exports.
The country’s ag industry is also a large employer.
About 173,000 people (roughly the population of Sioux Falls, S.D.) worked in industries related to Irish agriculture and food production in 2025.
With a brief look at Irish ag out of the way, time for a quick history lesson.
March 17 is celebrated as St. Patrick’s Day as that’s the day St. Patrick died.
St. Patrick is responsible for using shamrocks to explain the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) to the pagans and bringing Christianity to Ireland; this feat is sometimes described as St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland.