Clouds could have a silver lining for Irish farmers

Ireland can turn the weather disasters of 2012 to its advantage.

It will take our agriculture a while to recover from our wettest summer in 50 years. But there could be a bright side for Ireland to look at, in the major global weather disaster of the year — the worst drought the US has seen in nearly a century.

That has left a 165 million tonnes hole in global grain and oilseed supplies, which had already been at tight levels.