New shop window for Celt farmers
It’s the internet, or world wide web, where the president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association, and Gareth Vaughan, president of the Farmers Union of Wales, hope to score.
They launched Terracelt, which aims to provide farmers, rural businesses and the general public with a host of services on a single site.
A joint project between the FUW and the ICSA, it has received a grant in excess of €500,000 from the EU’s Interreg fund.
Malcolm Thompson said www.terracelt.com will be the first internet stop for anyone wanting information on agriculture and rural issues.
“Terracelt will be the gateway to all things rural in Ireland and Wales. It will be a showcase for producers and will provide a wealth of information for the general public. With an increasingly urbanised society, it is important that the public understands and appreciates the role played by farmers in food production and the protection of the environment,” said Thompson.
Gareth Vaughan said members have come forward with a number of ideas in recent years about ways to improve farm incomes by diversifying and adding value to the food they produce.
“Members of several committees also made comments that the traditional relationship between farmers, shops and the consumer were changing.
“Consumers are becoming more sophisticated, not only demanding better quality but also greater traceability. They want to know exactly where their food has come from and under what conditions animals are kept.
“Some farmers have already seized the opportunities that new technology offers, by selling food direct to consumers via the internet.
“But, as internet use continues to grow, we believe the opportunity exists for very many more farmers to develop their businesses and add value to their produce in this way,” he said.
The Terracelt site will include video case studies of farmers who have successfully diversified in a variety of ways.
The hope is that other farmers will gain inspiration, and also diversify to improve farm incomes. Both presidents paid tribute to the EU Interreg fund, because the grant had enabled the brainchild of the ICSA and the FUW to become a reality.
Work on the site is already under way, and the finished project will be unveiled at the Royal Welsh Show in Wales during July, and at the National Ploughing Championships at Mogeely in East Cork at the end of September.
The site will include a market section, where farmers can sell their produce, such as lamb and beef, direct to the consumer over the net.
Farmers will also be able to sell goods and services, such as livestock, feed and machinery to their colleagues in the rural community. Video interviews with farmers who have successfully diversified their business will be featured. These will focus on the positive aspects of the business, and also highlight some of the pitfalls to be avoided by those who want to follow the same path.
Farmers who want to diversify will be able to access information and forms enabling them to apply for grant aid, where available.
Farm holidays will be promoted, as well as other tourism ventures undertaken by farmers, who will also be able to compare the prices they would get for their animals in Wales and Ireland.
A section will be devoted to employment opportunities, both permanent and seasonal, on both sides of the Irish Sea.
There will be an eating-out guide, featuring restaurants, cafes, hotels and pubs that serve Welsh and Irish produce.
A virtual farm computer game will be designed primarily to appeal to the younger generation.
There will also be a campaigns section, where matters of concern to farmers and the public can be discussed.
An extensive marketing campaign will be organised to coincide with the Terracelt site going on line later this summer.
Michelle Hurd, project manager with Tinopolis, the site developers, said Terracelt needs to be a true representation of the farming communities of Ireland and Wales. But at the same time it must reach out to the average consumer, to encourage them to use the facilities these farming enterprises offer.
“It is a demanding challenge that has been set to the designers involved, as we need to create a web portal which appeals and works for both target audiences.”
The name Terracelt is derived from terra - the Latin name for earth or land - and celt, an abbreviation of Celtic.
“Being a trilingual site - using English, Welsh and Irish - it was felt a name was needed that could be readily understood by people of all languages, and Terracelt fitted the bill,” said Gareth Vaughan.
Malcolm Thompson said: “This is a site that is rooted in the Celtic lands of Ireland and Wales, and has a logo that is both stylish and modern, reflecting contemporary life in both countries.”
The site logo incorporates abstract symbols of both countries. The ‘T’ includes an extended, highly stylised Welsh dragon wing, while the ‘C’ embraces an Irish shamrock.
It was flashed onto the big screens in the Millennium Stadium at last week’s reception, along with the logos of the ICSA and the FUW.
The farmers followed in illustrious footsteps, with the same screens hailing the British and Irish Lions and Argentina’s exciting draw previous night, before the former headed on their rugby tour to New Zealand.
