ICSA: Teagasc’s focus on off-farm work ‘shows how bad things are’

The ICSA farmer group has described the focus on finding off-farm employment at this year’s Teagasc Rural Development Conference as evidence of "just how bad things have become in drystock farming".

ICSA rural development chairman Billy Gray said his fellow members are deeply frustrated that the beef and sheep sector’s failure in their efforts to gain a greater return from meat factories and from retailers.

“It is a sad indictment of the state of agriculture in Ireland today when even Teagasc has given up on prospects for the drystock sector,” said Mr Gray.