The Corrigan family dairy farm is located just outside Trim, Co. Meath where Eoin is farming in partnership with his wife, Roisin, and his parents Sean and Catherine.

The family are expecting to calve down 275 cows this spring and only joined Lakeland Dairies and the dairy industry in 2021.

In that short time, the Corrigan family have become a top-class operation, having won a Lakeland Dairies Quality Milk Award in 2024 and represented the co-op at the NDC / Kerrygold Milk Quality Awards.

Eoin talked about how having family and a proper team behind him makes the whole system an easy operation and said that all his success has come through having the support of good people.

Eoin said: "From day one, when we were thinking of getting into dairying, Colin Anderson (Lakeland Dairies, dairy advisor) came out and did the financials.

"There was a lot of advice, a lot of direction and a lot of help to get going in the right direction when we were getting into dairy."

As Eoin is now into his fifth season of milking, he told Agriland that "the support has followed through over the years and any issues we've had, they (Lakeland Dairies) have always worked with us."

On the first episode of the 'Farming for the Future' series, 'The Spring Surge', head of members relations at Lakeland Dairies, Eamon Duignan said that Lakeland Dairies "are very dedicated and focused towards attracting new entrant to dairying".

Duignan talked about the co-op's "proven track record" as Lakeland Dairies have welcomed 500 new entrants into dairying and the co-op over the last 10 years.

To overcome challenges for milk suppliers and new entrants, the co-op has a wide range of services and supports available.

This support process starts around two to three years in advance of "that first litre of milk entering into the bulk tank".

Duignan said that their Dairy Development Programme works with new entrants from drawing up a business plan, the financial planning, setting up the right infrastructure, the grazing infrastructure and helps the new entrant buy the right stock.

In the next phase, when milk is going into the tank, milk advisors work closely with new entrants to help the produce the highest quality milk, to be compliant with Bord Bia and Red Tractor and with the general day-to-day queries.

Generation renewal was another key talking point and what Lakeland Dairies were doing in this space was highlighted as there is certainly a concern in the sector as the perception can often be that the likes of dairy farming is hardship for little reward.

The frustrating aspect of farming in recent years has been the drastic fluctuation in the cost of production and milk price.

The hope is that major price fluctuations have settled and that there has to be a profit motive on the farm now, otherwise it’s not going to attract younger people.

Duignan said "it's a challenging industry but a very rewarding one as well" as he pointed out that new entrant, Eoin is "producing a top quality food product, working along with family, his parents, wife and daughter and overall the future is looking bright for dairy".

Lakeland Dairies Land Mobility Programme which was pioneered by the co-op from the very start helps farmers, farm families, new entrants, and landowners to consider their options for collaborative arrangements leading to better use of land resources.

The co-op have a dedicated advisor in the Lakeland Dairies catchment area, looking and seeking out farmers that want to take a step back to:

Duignan emphasised that "our board of directors are very proactive in this space", which is critical to entice young farmers into dairying and to show them that there is a pathway into this career.

At farm level, through the co-op's sustainability incentive payment, one of the measures is to add a family member or partner to the shareholding and this person must be on the associated herd number and milk account.

This incentive is also encouraging farmers and farm families to get the conversation going around farm succession.