I spoke to two farmers in the co-op this week who were “doing the sums” on the value for money of laying a silage pit this year over the cost of silage wrap. They surmised that with the current cost of plastic, a silage pit would pay for itself in two years.

Minister Eamon Ryan’s message must be getting through as one quipped in to say “sure wouldn’t it be better for the environment at the same time”, with “a lot less plastic going round”.

Food for thought, I told them.