The Dealer was out for a quiet pint at the weekend with a relative who was home from England. Said relative would keep his finger on the pulse as to matters in Irish farming. I fully expected a grilling on the fodder situation as a result of the dire weather. Instead, I was questioned on why the nation had set up a committee to save the fada in the Irish language. Well, I nearly choked on the pint I was drinking with the shock of it.

Fodder says I to him, not fada. At least we had a good laugh about it. In all seriousness though, the actual national fodder and food security committee is expected to meet again soon for an update on spring planting and fodder stocks.