West Kerry organic farmers Thomas and Claire O’Connor won the public choice vote in the 2019 National Farming For Nature ambassador awards, sponsored by Bord Bia.

May 12 is the deadline for nominations to find Ireland’s Farming For Nature ambassadors for 2019.

Who are the farmers who manage their land and livestock in a way that benefits nature?

Only 2% of farmers are interested in setting up a diversified farm-based business, according to a survey by Teagasc.

Last week, I attended a conference organised by the National Rural Network, on the potential of farm partnerships.

Farm partnerships have clear advantages in improving lifestyle, building farm scale, and facilitating young entrants to farming, according to a report by the National Rural Network.

Eamonn Pitts reports from a recent Teagasc/National Rural Network conference on prospects for development of the rural economy

A TWO-SPEED economy is emerging in rural Ireland, according to the Economic and Social Research Institute’s Dr Edgar Morgenroth.

THE European Commission’s decision to maintain overall expenditure on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a good result for Irish farmers, according to economist Professor Alan Matthews.

FARMERS should be obliged to attain a safe farm certification similar to the construction sector’s Safe Pass, according to one farm safety expert.

A MERE 4% of Irish farmers are involved in non-farming secondary activities on their own land, according to a study issued by the National Rural Network, Teagasc and LEADER.

PEOPLE in the midlands and south-east have endured the worst impact of the economic downturn, economist Jim Power told those attending yesterday’s National Rural Development conference in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

LEADER and Teagasc offices should be used as incubation premises by farmers and rural entrepreneurs to develop new non-traditional businesses, according to a report by the National Rural Network (NRN) at the Tipperary Institute.

AN industry-wide policy council charged with producing an agri-food and rural development strategy was proposed yesterday by economist and former Government minister Alan Dukes.

TIPPERARY Institute has been formally awarded the contract to establish a National Rural Network to assist the efficient and effective implementation of the Rural Development Programme.