Paula Hynes: Evolution, not revolution - there are new policymakers in town

Farmers right across the EU have not been content with the last few years, but will the new Commissioner be able to change things for the better?
Paula Hynes: Evolution, not revolution - there are new policymakers in town

MEP Maria Walsh, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen, Pete Hynes

It has been a week of early starts on the farm, International Dairy Week kicked off on Sunday and with the time difference we had to be up at the crack of dawn to watch Becky's class. 

She won the Sherri Martin Memorial Intermediate showmanship in 2024 at IDW with 42 competitors in the class. We knew it was a tall order for her to go back and try and win it again, and this year, the class was even bigger with 50 handlers entered. It was also the first outing for the heifer she had chosen for the class. 

The show decided to split the class into two heats with the top two from each heat returning to the ring to battle it out for the title. Becky, cool as ever, won her heat with the judge commenting that she was a "perfectionist" on the halter with her heifer, as she returned to the ring for the final. 

The judge chose to make the final four handlers swap heifers to see their ability on heifers which were strange to them. Becky is well used to handling new heifers and learning their quirks fast and after they were put through their paces. I can honestly say there were tears of joy shed here as we watched Becky clinch the title again and become back to back winner. 

I think this win undoubtedly meant even more to Becky given that she sourced the heifer herself and is a joint owner of the heifer with the McGrath family. She worked with Daphne on the few days prior to the class and felt herself that she had her well tuned to give her a chance of winning the class.

Not one for big celebrations, Becky jumped straight back into action after the class to help young three year old Tommy compete in the fancy dress showmanship class. She has had many great mentors who have helped her improve her skillset so it is nice to see her passing those skills down to the next generation of handlers and help them with their confidence. 

Becky Hynes winning the Sherri Martin Memorial Showmanship at International Dairy Week 2025 in Australia
Becky Hynes winning the Sherri Martin Memorial Showmanship at International Dairy Week 2025 in Australia

The show was a great success for the show string she was working with as the also clinched Honorable Mention in the Illawara Intermediate championship along with Reserve Champion Senior Brown Swiss.

I can only imagine how exhausted she is now with the show over; managing a big show string for nearly 10 days at a show is tough going, and even more so with temperatures tipping 38 degree celsius some days. She will be home in a week's time and we can’t wait to see her and she herself is looking forward to seeing all the new arrivals on the farm.

Meeting the Commissioner

With the farm busy now and cows calving, it was a 4:30am start for us on Thursday to get cows milked and calves fed before Pete headed for Dublin for a meeting at Europe House with the newly appointed European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen who was on his first official visit to Ireland as Commissioner. 

Prior to the meeting, we felt he would be a very positive Commissioner for Agriculture, from Luxemburg, he is a man of family values, his cousin is the Minister for Agriculture in Luxemburg and most importantly he has been keen to meet farmers right across Europe.

With the Commissioner keen to meet Irish farmers and stakeholders to get their views on generational renewal, women in agriculture, emissions and sustainability, Pete was there to discuss mental health in agriculture and was quick to point out that by tackling the rest of the challenges farming faces, including financial stability.

He was keen to stress that Ireland is undoubtedly a European leader in addressing mental health in agriculture, initiatives such as An Feirm Ground and the crucial research the UCD have undertaken surrounding mental health must continually receive funding as the challenges farmers face grow and evolve, further adding that one of the core values of mental wellbeing is that one must be honest with themselves in how they are feeling.

If we are all being honest with ourselves in this room, farmers right across the EU have not been content with the last few years, they have been challenged on every level.

The European Union must embrace the very core of its values which is unity, that farmers are made to feel like they are part of the EU and valued and that we as a farm are trying to create a future for our daughters who are so passionate about dairying but in turn the EU must ensure they can guarantee a future for farming. 

The Commissioner accepted this and given that he is one of seven siblings who grew up on a dairy farm, he had first hand experience what it is like to work on a farm and also on a very personal level, he understood how the workload, bureaucracy and finances can ultimately challenge a farm and a farm family and in his new role he intends to tackle those issues. 

The Commissioner also stated that one of his core values is “evolution, not revolution” going on the say that he is adamant he will make agriculture an enticing sector for the younger generation and he had gained a very positive view of Irish agriculture on his visit and was highly impressed. 

For me, as a farmer, I would have to agree with the Commissioner as regards evolution, not revolution, as an industry, we have spent too long battling our corner, too much energy fighting to survive.

Undoubtedly, farming will constantly evolve but we will achieve more working together with policymakers, and while we will constantly be faced with challenges, with more unity we will be better able to deal with those challenges through unity.

Having met the Commissioner, Pete is convinced Christophe Hansen will make a very positive impact on agriculture across the EU. It seems it has been a positive week in general for agriculture as we also have a newly appointed Minister for Agriculture, Minister Martin Heydon who is also like the Commissioner, from a farming background. 

We have met Minister Heydon on numerous occasions, he was on our farm a couple of years ago and has always been a very approachable person who is quick to react to situations and deal with challenges, very keen to work with people and carries many of the same core values as the Commissioner and a great believer in the importance of the family farm. 

With newly appointed proactive policy makers taking charge of agriculture both at home and abroad, it looks like the ball is in our court as farmers, they clearly want to work with us so we either want to work with them as teammates or dig our heels in and struggle to let go of our farmer stubbornness.

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