Coughlan emphasis on sustainability, balance important

AS the emphasis swings towards ‘big is beautiful’ in farming, and many of the weak and small are being quietly discarded, it is encouraging to hear newly-elected Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan stress the importance of sustainability and balance in the countryside.

She acknowledges the benefits of scale. But sustaining small and medium sized farmers, if necessary through supports linked to part-time farming, will be equally important in her Ministry, she told her first briefing of agricultural journalists.

Coming from the west, she is familiar with many of the difficulties experienced by small farmers.