Product prices key to farm mood

Product price is the main concern for farmers in 2017, with the greatest optimism evident in dairy, pigmeat and poultry farmers, according to a new IFA barometer of farmer sentiment.

A nationwide 425 farmers across all farming sectors, this is the first time the IFA has conducted a barometer as part of its newly published annual Farm Income Review.

Some 53% of respondents identify product price as the key issue they’ll face this year, with 25% citing the impact of Brexit as their key issue of concern.