Farmer exodus from land, says Deenihan

MORE than 70% of farmers in North Kerry will have left the land by 2005, it was claimed yesterday.

More than 1,000 farmers in the area had quit farming in the last 10 years and the trend was continuing, Fine Gael TD Jimmy Deenihan also claimed.

He said: “The number of farmers who’re simply giving up is quite frightening. They’re leaving the land on a weekly basis and I know of many who say this will be their last year farming.”