Farmers produced goods in 2012 despite bad weather
Latest Central Statistics Office figures indicate they increased the value of their farm output last year to 25% above a 2007-2009 baseline.
This puts them within 8% of the Food Harvest 2020 target — with seven years left to reach the 33% goal. And better farming conditions this year, along with favourable price trends, except for grain, could leave farmers already within reach of the 10-year target which was set for them only three years ago.
It was revealed last week that agri-food exports are up by 8% so far this year — confirming that Food Harvest 2020 is well ahead of schedule.
The value of primary output increased from the baseline figure of €4,596m to €5,756m, an increase of €1,160m, compared to a 2012 target of only €300m, according to the Food Harvest 2020 Milestones for Success 2013 report issued by Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney last week.
The report outlines milestones reached by farmers in important areas which contributed to the big output increase.
It was aimed to have 9,000 farmers participating in discussion groups, but the number of farmers in Teagasc discussion groups has grown to 13,000, with an estimated 2,000 more in non-Teagasc groups.
It was aimed to have 5,000 profit monitors completed annually, but there was over-achievement here as well, with 6,342 e-profit monitors (an online detailed financial analysis tool) completed in 2012.
Establishing a new sheep demonstration farm was another 2012 target.
The sheep research/demonstration farm was established at Athenry, and is focused on optimising grass production, technical efficiency and best management practices for lowland sheep producers.
There has also been delivery on expanding the Beef BETTER Farm Programme to non-suckling systems, with the Teagasc/IFJ BETTER Farm beef programme now encompassing 37 beef farms.
Another milestone was achieved with delivery of the Teagasc two-year Professional Diploma in Dairy Farm Management, validated by UCD, which commenced in Sept 2012, with an initial intake of 19.
A new set of benchmarks have been set for the primary food sector in 2015, to help increase the value of primary output by another €700m per year.
The key actions envisaged are:
* 10,000 farmers participating in development discussion groups
* 5,000 profit monitors completed
* milk solids of 359 kg per cow
* measurable improvement in beef farm greenhouse emissions
* animal breeding programmes to help advance annual genetic gain from €15 to €18 in dairy EBI and €5 to €10 in beef SBV
* restoration of Annex 1 habitats/species to favourable conservation status
* reduced prevalence of herds with BVD persistently infected animals.
Meanwhile, 2012 also saw over-achievement in value-added (up €1,220m compared to a target of 500m) and in exports (exceeding the €9bn target).
