An 82ac grass farm at Doobeg, Ballymote, Co Sligo, described as a prime fattening parcel of ground is coming to auction later in the month with a guide of €6,000 to €7,000/ac.An Irish Independent report says it is located two miles from Ballymote and 12 miles from Sligo, the property is well-fenced for sheep and comes with a four-bay haybarn, a lean-to and yard with stock handling facilities.According to Sligo auctioneer [...]  Read More...

IFA Environment & Rural Affairs Chairman Harold Kingston has described the decision by the Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney and Environment Minister Phil Hogan to relax measures in the nitrates regulations as an important support to farmers who are trying to avoid a further fodder shortage again this coming autumn and winter. He said, “Farmers across the country have had to use exceptional levels of concentrates over the last [...]  Read More...

IFA President John Bryan has warned the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney that Irish farmers are expecting him to stand his ground and face down Commissioner Ciolos in order to deliver a deal on CAP Reform which supports active productive farmers. The IFA President said, “Irish farmers are saying no to flattening, no to regionalisation and no to any further redistribution that fails to target active productive farmers.  The [...]  Read More...

The decision of the European Commission to approve changes prepared by the Department of Agriculture under the 2012 Disadvantaged Area Scheme (DAS) has been described as most disappointing by Independent MEP Marian Harkin. In a statement Marian Harkin called for the new requirements for payments under the DAS to be interpreted in the most flexible way by the Department of Agriculture. She said ‘I am astounded that the European Commission [...]  Read More...

Independent MEP Marian Harkin yesterday (20 May) called on the Irish government to heed the call of farming organisations and "immediately apply for EU Solidarity funding" to alleviate the worsening fodder crisis.Speaking from the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Harkin noted that "in the middle of the worst economic crisis ever endured by Ireland, we have just two beacons of hope on the horizon - the agricultural sector and our [...]  Read More...