Farming wasteland claim dismissed

Connacht Gold chief executive Aaron Forde yesterday dismissed a claim that the West will become an agricultural wasteland within the next 15 years.

Describing Dr Liam Downey’s recent projections as glib, he said academic analysis of this type makes no meaningful contribution to the task of building a viable, market-driven agriculture and food industry.

“Any analysis of farm performance shows a corps of beef, sheep and dairy farmers in the west that can hold their own with the top performers nationally,” he said. Mr Forde added he is confident farmers can continue as viable producers of quality food.