It's time to say farewell as Joanne Sheehan steps in

IN one of the very rare, yet still unfortunate, moments that I overheard Charlie McCreevy delivering his budget last week, a phrase shot out at me: “to facilitate young, trained farmers”.

The rest of the delivery was, happily, lost to me but I knew I’d heard that phrase before.

It’s a Macra phrase. Invented by Macra and used interminably to hammer home arguments supporting ... young, trained farmers.

It’s obviously working. When an organisation can insert its phraseology into the conciousness and, evidently, planning processes of Government, you know that organisation is putting its agenda where it counts in national decision-making.

If for this reason alone, we can call Macra na Feirme a success.

Taking all the other aspects of Macra into account reveals a much broader success, sustained over time.

If the development of the organisation, so far, is anything to go by, one could surmise that Macra will become a social partner of even greater influence.

Not that Seamus Phelan was being in any way complacent when he heard the Finance Minister’s budget.

The minister’s decision not to renew the 100% stock relief measures for young, trained farmers was seen at HQ as a blow for young farmers.

Seamus Phelan said that the removal of the relief was a major setback for forward thinking young farmers who were trying to grow their businesses.

“At a time when only 10% of farmers are under the age of 35, with 45% over 55, the removal of this relief is very badly timed,” he said.

Mr Phelan said the reinstatement of this relief was now top of Macra’s agenda in the partnership talks.

Meanwhile, he welcomed the extension of the stamp duty exemption for young, trained farmers, which, said, was an important incentive to encourage the transfer of farms.

While there is no better man than Seamus to keep his eye on the ball and focus on the minister’s shortcomings, as opposed to being content with what was achieved, this isn’t a discussion on the budget. Rather, it’s by way of farewell.

Over the past three years it has been a rewarding pleasure for me to cover Macra events on this page.

This week is my last one.

During this past three years I have moved from a position of relative ignorance of Macra affairs to a position where I can see the vital contribution the organisation makes to rural life in this country. Beyond these shores, Macra is part of a network of young farmers’ organisations that is making an increasingly co-ordinated impact on governmental approaches to farming, rural life and the young communities in these areas.

As an organisation that supports young people in a rural setting, Macra’s input will be ever more vital as social cohesion continues to dissipate and the pressures on agriculture grow in the years to come. To mix metaphors, while I go on to pastures new, I can only advise Macra to keep ploughing the same furrow.

It’s the seeds of your own futures you are planting.

Meanwhile, Seandun’s finest, Joanne Sheehan, of Farming Advertising Sales here in the Irish Examiner - will be contributing to this page from next week onwards.

Many of you will know Joanne already (she’s been known to get about a bit). Joanne has been in Macra for all of ten years and has held a range of positions in her club, Whitechurch, and regional executive. Her crowning glory was winning the 1995 ‘Make and Model’ competition. Contact her by e-mail: [e-mail] or fax: [phone]. I’m sure she’ll be great and I wish Joanne, and all in Macra, the very best in the future.