Record crowds cut a dash to ploughing event
National Ploughing Association managing director Anna May McHugh said the wonderful weather was a major factor in attracting such huge crowds to the event.
But another contributing factor was the fact that the championships were not held last year due to the foot-and-mouth scare and people were anxious to make up this year for what they had missed.
Despite the current gloom in agriculture, the mood among the crowds that flocked to Ballacolla was good and the championships which cost 1.5 million to stage, was deemed an outstanding success. Mrs McHugh said farmers had a very difficult year and they needed that uplift. It was their annual holiday and it was tremendous that the weather came right for them this week.
“Everything went very well,” said a delighted Mrs McHugh.
She confirmed that next year’s ploughing championships will be held in Co Meath.
Meanwhile, the ICMSA announced that a farm survey it had conducted at the championships confirmed the depressed state of farm incomes, with virtually all farmers (97%) suffering an income decline this year.
A total of 56% of farmers surveyed expressed pessimism about their future in farming.
Sixty-three percent of farmers expect their incomes to decline by 15 and 20% this year and a further 20% of farmers expect to see their income fall in excess of 20%.
ICMSA president Pat O’Rourke said that 90% of farmers expect no improvement on their income situation in 2003. “This points to the central issue of farm incomes that needs the Government’s attention and this was the message we conveyed to the Taoiseach when he visited the ICMSA stand.”
Mr O’Rourke again proposed to the Taoiseach the establishment of a Commission on Farm Incomes to direct national and EU policies to restore profitability in farming. “I am encouraged that the Taoiseach now has a full grasp of the severity of the problem and the need for action.
“It was agreed that further discussion on this issue will take place in the coming days,” he said.
Concerning the current difficulties in the beef sector, Mr O’Rourke said there must be a collective approach involving the minister, farmers and the meat processors.
In this regard, Mr Walsh has a key role to play.
Mr O’Rourke urged a summit meeting of farm leaders and meat processors representatives to address the current difficulties of lack of markets and low cattle prices.
