Mayo firm's survey finds 7 in 10 farmers still doing paperwork at the kitchen table

More than seven in ten farmers surveyed say they usually complete their farm paperwork and administration at the kitchen or dining table, according to new research carried out by Mayo-based furniture manufacturer Hiddenbed Ireland ahead of this year's National Ploughing Championships.

The Hiddenbed Ireland Farm Office Survey received 147 responses from farmers across 24 counties.

It was shared with people who attended last year's National Ploughing Championships, as well as farmers and people living in rural Ireland through Hiddenbed Ireland's wider networks and online channels.

The findings highlight a gap between the amount of administration involved in running a modern farm and the space available to do it.

Among the findings, 76 per cent of farmers surveyed do not have a dedicated office or workspace for managing their farm business, and 72 per cent usually complete their paperwork and administration at the kitchen or dining table.

69 per cent believe a dedicated workspace would make managing their farm business easier, while among those without one, 71 per cent said having a workspace would help.

59 per cent of those without a dedicated workspace cited either a lack of space or not having a spare room as the reason. Twenty-eight per cent of respondents spend at least three hours a week on farm paperwork and administration.

Running a modern farm involves much more than fieldwork, with farmers also managing accounts, invoices, receipts, bank statements, scheme applications, livestock and herd records, veterinary and medicine records, fertiliser and crop records, insurance and other regulatory paperwork. Teagasc's Get Farm Financially Fit guidance advises farmers to establish a good system for managing paperwork, saying a farm office with a good filing system assists greatly in keeping on top of farm and household finances.

Hiddenbed Ireland will use its stand at this year's Ploughing to show how farmers and those working from home can create a workspace without sacrificing a bedroom or living space. The company will showcase its HiddenDesk, a compact wall-mounted workstation, and the Majestic Hiddenbed, which converts a room between a home office and a bedroom, with a full-size desk that transforms into a bed while items remain on the desk.

Michael Lynskey of Hiddenbed Ireland said the fact that 72 per cent of farmers surveyed do their paperwork at the kitchen or dining table stood out.

"Farmers are running businesses. There are accounts, invoices, applications, records and compliance requirements to manage, with more and more of that work being done online. Having somewhere you can sit down, concentrate and keep everything organised can make that side of running the farm much more manageable."

He said space was the issue for many families.

"Our survey found that among farmers without a dedicated workspace, 59% cited either not having enough space or not having a spare room as a reason. That's what we want to highlight at the Ploughing this year. A dedicated workspace doesn't necessarily require a dedicated room."

Hiddenbed Ireland will exhibit at the National Ploughing Championships, which runs from September 15-17 at Screggan, Co. Offaly.