Farm inspections campaign continues

THE campaign by members of the Irish Farmers Association in not allowing on-farm access to Department of Agriculture and Food officials for unannounced inspections continued yesterday.

IFA president Padraig Walshe said the campaign had thrown up a litany of cases with farmers penalised for the most ridiculous and flimsy items.

Penalties were being imposed for not having a map of where rat bait was laid, for having dog food stored in a farm building, for water coming off a laneway being categorised as slurry and for not having a garage receipt for the disposal of burnt tractor oil.