Irish co-ops such as Lakeland Dairies, Glanbia and Aurivo were in the firing line of DUP Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots at Stormont this week.
Answering a question from Foyle MLA Mark Durkan, the minister said that he wanted to see milk processed in NI, not shipped south of the Irish border.
“Too many large conglomerates have moved in, bought up milk plants in NI, closed them down, taken all of the stuff south of the border and paid the milk farmers far too little for the good product that they produce”, the minister suggested.
He maintained that NI farmers are not making money as a result, yet the co-ops and supermarkets continue to do “very well”.
Under the NI-Irish protocol agreed as part of the withdrawal agreement, milk from NI will continue to flow unhindered across the border from 1 January 2021 onwards.
Battle of the breeds hits Twitter
Kildare farmer Michael Behan became famous last weekend on social media for his calf delivered by C-section out of a Belgian Blue cow and sired by the Charolais AI bull Lisnagre Laurance.
It’s thought that two copies of the disruptive myostatin gene Q204x came into play giving the high birth weight.
The large calf attracted a huge amount of comments on Facebook and Twitter but a rough exchange of words between an Aberdeen Angus breeder and a Charolais breeder caught the attention of many.
The war of words erupted after a disagreement on using the bull, which is claimed to be easy-calving, on Belgian Blue cows.
All’s well that ends well and the calf is up and sucking and making great progress. There have been a few prospective buyers also with over €5,000 being offered for the cow and calf from one prospective show circuit buyer.
Doctors differ and patients die.
Cullinan tight-lipped on progress of IFA reforms
Newly elected IFA president Tim Cullinan is keeping his cards close to his chest on the progress of reforms he promised during his election campaign late last year.
I heard at the Meath AGM farmers looked for an update on plans to split the livestock committee into a suckler and beef committee and restructure staff numbers.
Cullinan declined to go into detail on both but asked farmers to trust him, saying he had promised to reform the association and he would deliver on that promise.
Engagement has already taken place with the IFA’s board on reforms and, from May, there are plans for twice-yearly regional meetings.
Tractor run for charity trip
Transition year students from Hamilton High School in Bandon, Co Cork, are hosting a charity tractor, truck and car run this Sunday, 23 February.
The run will take place in Clonakilty Showgrounds and registration starts at 11.30am. The run will begin at 1pm, with a separate route designed for the trucks. Trophies will be awarded to the best tractor, truck and car.
Registration is €20 and all money raised will be donated to the charity ‘Habitat for Humanity’ to help fund a trip to Romania, where students will participate in the building of emergency accommodation for the community of Moinesti, which has been affected by flooding.
New commissioner ready to plough his mark
Irish farmers might be surprised to find they share a concern in common with their European counterparts – an innate suspicion of non-farming folk.
This suspicion has been addressed by the new Polish Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski. He assured MEPs this week that although he wasn’t a farmer, he was raised on a farm run by his parents.
Some Irish farmers might miss former Agriculture Commissioner and Kilkenny man Phil Hogan, but the new fella assures us he knows a shovel from a sliotar.
New European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski. \ Law and Justice Flickr
Hunt is on for farmers under 40
I was interested to hear about a proposal raised at the Meath IFA AGM by county chair John Curran. He wants branch chairs to bring a farmer under 40 to the next county executive to get new blood into the organisation. There’s no doubt generational renewal and attracting young people is a pressing issue. I’d suggest the branch chairs contact the local Junior B manager for tips on dragging lads out against their will.
Pierce leaves UCD for Enterprise Ireland
The Dealer has heard that Karina Pierce is leaving UCD to go to greener pastures in Enterprise Ireland.
The well-respected dairy lecturer will be missed by colleagues and students but leaves to take up a position in the agriculture and innovation branch with Enterprise Ireland, I’m told.
Pierce has been at UCD for over 10 years.
Irish co-ops such as Lakeland Dairies, Glanbia and Aurivo were in the firing line of DUP Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots at Stormont this week.
Answering a question from Foyle MLA Mark Durkan, the minister said that he wanted to see milk processed in NI, not shipped south of the Irish border.
“Too many large conglomerates have moved in, bought up milk plants in NI, closed them down, taken all of the stuff south of the border and paid the milk farmers far too little for the good product that they produce”, the minister suggested.
He maintained that NI farmers are not making money as a result, yet the co-ops and supermarkets continue to do “very well”.
Under the NI-Irish protocol agreed as part of the withdrawal agreement, milk from NI will continue to flow unhindered across the border from 1 January 2021 onwards.
Battle of the breeds hits Twitter
Kildare farmer Michael Behan became famous last weekend on social media for his calf delivered by C-section out of a Belgian Blue cow and sired by the Charolais AI bull Lisnagre Laurance.
It’s thought that two copies of the disruptive myostatin gene Q204x came into play giving the high birth weight.
The large calf attracted a huge amount of comments on Facebook and Twitter but a rough exchange of words between an Aberdeen Angus breeder and a Charolais breeder caught the attention of many.
The war of words erupted after a disagreement on using the bull, which is claimed to be easy-calving, on Belgian Blue cows.
All’s well that ends well and the calf is up and sucking and making great progress. There have been a few prospective buyers also with over €5,000 being offered for the cow and calf from one prospective show circuit buyer.
Doctors differ and patients die.
Cullinan tight-lipped on progress of IFA reforms
Newly elected IFA president Tim Cullinan is keeping his cards close to his chest on the progress of reforms he promised during his election campaign late last year.
I heard at the Meath AGM farmers looked for an update on plans to split the livestock committee into a suckler and beef committee and restructure staff numbers.
Cullinan declined to go into detail on both but asked farmers to trust him, saying he had promised to reform the association and he would deliver on that promise.
Engagement has already taken place with the IFA’s board on reforms and, from May, there are plans for twice-yearly regional meetings.
Tractor run for charity trip
Transition year students from Hamilton High School in Bandon, Co Cork, are hosting a charity tractor, truck and car run this Sunday, 23 February.
The run will take place in Clonakilty Showgrounds and registration starts at 11.30am. The run will begin at 1pm, with a separate route designed for the trucks. Trophies will be awarded to the best tractor, truck and car.
Registration is €20 and all money raised will be donated to the charity ‘Habitat for Humanity’ to help fund a trip to Romania, where students will participate in the building of emergency accommodation for the community of Moinesti, which has been affected by flooding.
New commissioner ready to plough his mark
Irish farmers might be surprised to find they share a concern in common with their European counterparts – an innate suspicion of non-farming folk.
This suspicion has been addressed by the new Polish Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski. He assured MEPs this week that although he wasn’t a farmer, he was raised on a farm run by his parents.
Some Irish farmers might miss former Agriculture Commissioner and Kilkenny man Phil Hogan, but the new fella assures us he knows a shovel from a sliotar.
New European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski. \ Law and Justice Flickr
Hunt is on for farmers under 40
I was interested to hear about a proposal raised at the Meath IFA AGM by county chair John Curran. He wants branch chairs to bring a farmer under 40 to the next county executive to get new blood into the organisation. There’s no doubt generational renewal and attracting young people is a pressing issue. I’d suggest the branch chairs contact the local Junior B manager for tips on dragging lads out against their will.
Pierce leaves UCD for Enterprise Ireland
The Dealer has heard that Karina Pierce is leaving UCD to go to greener pastures in Enterprise Ireland.
The well-respected dairy lecturer will be missed by colleagues and students but leaves to take up a position in the agriculture and innovation branch with Enterprise Ireland, I’m told.
Pierce has been at UCD for over 10 years.
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