Leo Varadkar took his first bold step onto the pristine furrow — time stopped, breaths were held, and ploughing matriarch Anna May McHugh put her hands to her face in shock.

Most milk producers would settle for a fixed milk price scheme for 2018, at the current price.

A breakfast time cocktail of Brexit, Borris, and Big Phil got the final day of the National Ploughing Championships off to a bright start at Screggan, yesterday.

One in three Irish farmers do not think that farming impacts negatively on climate change.

The high optimism levels revealed in the annual Irish Examiner ICMSA farming poll are remarkable, for a sector which provides so many of its members with such low incomes.

As ever, the 2017 Irish Examiner/ICMSA farming survey provides an invaluable and interesting snapshot of current attitudes and opinions, writes Larry Ryan.

Just two-in-five farmers wear sun screen.

Perhaps the major attraction for the 280,000 or so visitors at this week’s Ploughing Championships is the good nature and upbeat attitude of the farm families of Ireland.

One-third of farmers who get ANC (disadvantaged) payments believe they are unfairly distributed.

Rural communities are to receive extra funding for CCTV and text alert schemes to help tackle the scourge of crime.

The Basic Payment Scheme remains the most popular scheme among farmers, with almost two thirds (64%) “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the scheme, out of the 569 surveyed in the 2017 Irish Examiner/ICMSA National Opinion Poll.

It was a day for disposable ponchos, colourful brollies, designer wellies, and hoodies galore as rain lashed the National Ploughing Championships at Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly, yesterday.

A single candle flickered on a counter in the headquarters of the National Ploughing Championships at Screggan in Tullamore yesterday.

Only one in five interviewed for the 2017 Irish Examiner ICMSA farming poll was concerned about their level of debt.

Increasing live cattle exports is still seen by farmers as the primary way to boost Ireland’s beef sector.

An opinion poll finding that just 42% of farmers have a private pension scheme is linked to the volatility of the sector and needs to be tackled by Government, according to one of the country’s largest farming organisations.

Farmers would still prefer to see Simon Coveney as Taoiseach, despite him losing out in the Fine Gael leadership contest.

Places that the boom never reached the first time around now feel they are being forgotten all over again, writes Elaine Loughlin.

More than half of farmers want a Brexit minister and do not believe the Government is doing enough to prepare for the UK’s exit from the EU.

The threat posed by Brexit is driving the view that Ireland needs a specific ministry to deal with it, says the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA).

Most farmers believe the Government should increase spending in next month’s Budget rather than cut taxes.

The vast majority of farmers are opposed to a state visit to Ireland by US president Donald Trump, with an opinion poll also finding a majority of rural dwellers believing he will damage America’s global standing.

The vast majority of farmers are opposed to a state visit to Ireland by US president Donald Trump, with an opinion poll also finding a majority of rural dwellers believing he will damage America’s global standing.

The percentage of farmers who are very optimistic about the future of the industry continues to fall, with just one fifth of respondents expressing full confidence.

ANY poll held to judge how US President Donald Trump is regarded must have a very short shelf life — consistency has hardly established itself as a watchword of his presidency. 

Farmers are back spending as the recovery finally starts to percolate into rural areas.

Europe’s largest pop-up town was a blaze of bright lights last night as the tillage fields of Offaly awaited today’s start of the 86th National Ploughing Championships.

The Government has stressed that “all means under the law will be availed of to protect the security of the state” as a new poll found that fewer than half of people living in rural Ireland believe sufficient safeguards have been put in place against a possible terror attack.

The positive effects of the economic recovery may finally be finding its way into rural areas with fewer people disagreeing that it has benefitted them and their family.

Almost 70% of those living in the countryside believe the divide between urban and rural Ireland is wider than ever.

Everywhere we look, in every sub-sector of Irish farming, we see that uncertainty and vagueness about what the immediate future holds — some will say that that’s the nature of any business — but farming and primary food is different, writes John Comer.

THERE has been a slight increase in the number of farmers who are unsure what will happen to their land in future.

You can find your bull's perfect match with a simple swipe - welcome to 21st century farming!

Europe's largest pop up town was a blaze of bright lights last night as the tillage fields of Offaly awaited today’s start of the 86th national ploughing championships.

The National Ploughing Championships officially get underway tomorrow but early arrivals are being met with very foggy conditions.