Outlook for thousands of farmers looks bleak

EVEN before the word "decoupling" formed part of the EU's ever-expanding pot of jargon, it was accepted that the dairy sector would lose about half of its producers over the next 10 years.

That represents a loss of about 13,000 from the diminishing pool of those involved in agriculture,

It is conservatively estimated that another 30,000 will go if the latest CAP moves are implemented.