Farmer numbers ‘must be retained’

FARMERS and farm-connected people must remain a high percentage of the total rural population, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv told a North Cork County IFA meeting in Mallow.

He said despite political objectives the reality is the number of full-time farmers in Ireland is dropping and will continue to do so.

The reason is that it takes more and more land for a farmer to have a standard of living comparable to that enjoyed by people on the average industrial wage.