For suckler farmers in this country, the refrain has more often been "where's the money?"

Two decades after a memorable visit to the midlands, Martin Claffey returns to the Hidden Heartlands.

The EU Commission has been warned of problems looming for rendering companies in the EU-27 which have been shipping Category I Meat and Bone Meal to the UK for incineration.

Good evening. Here’s all the news you need to know.

Beef processors have welcomed the US authorities’ approval of access for Irish manufacturing beef to the American market.

Live cattle exports to new markets such as Turkey are “so important” because “we need to plan for the rest of the year to ensure that we do not have beef price problems later in the year on foot of an increasing herd”, said outgoing Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney last week.

Six of Europe’s largest beef producing countries could resume shipments to China by the end of this year, EU Farm Commissioner Phil Hogan indicated during a visit to Beijing last week.

There is a real opportunity for Ireland to open the live cattle export market to Turkey, according to the Irish Farmers Association.

Farmers and meat factories are jointly pushing for full access to US beef markets.

THE recent BSE scare underlined once again the importance of the Irish food and agriculture industry, and how a significant part of the nation’s economy can become affected by an unexpected circumstance.

Ireland’s valuable international beef and dairy trade is not expected to suffer after tests confirmed a cow which died from BSE was an isolated case.

Another outbreak of BSE would be a dagger in the heart of, not just farmers, but the entire community.

Government ministers and senior agriculture figures have warned against over-reacting to news that Ireland might have its first case of BSE in cattle for two years.

The formation of a new centre-left party movement will challenge the policies of the Government parties; Representatives of the dairy industry are warning against an over-reaction to a suspected case of BSE in Co Louth; A second man has died following the industrial accident in Portmarnock in Dublin. Just some of the latest and most read stories on irishexaminer.com.

A woman died of breast cancer just days after her third baby was born and after two missed opportunities to diagnose the tumour in her breast, the discovery of a suspected BSE case in Louth ’proves structures are robust’ and Liverpool have rejected a £25m offer for Raheem Sterling. Here’s this morning’s irishexaminer.com round up.

The Department of Agriculture fears that the suspected BSE case in a Louth dairy farm could see Ireland lose its negligible risk status for the disease.

THE discovery of a suspected BSE case on a dairy farm in Co Louth must be a cause for great concern. It casts a shadow over the optimism generated by the end of milk quotas and the ambitions central to Food Harvest 2020.

The Department of Agriculture has identified a suspected case of BSE in Co Louth; Lord of the Rings actor Cristopher Lee has died at the age of 93; Traveller families are refusing to move 200 yards from their old cramped halting site to a new purpose-built €5m housing scheme in Cork. Just some of the latest and most read stories on irishexaminer.com.

China has finally lifted its ban on Irish beef imports, Taoiseach Enda Kenny announced at the opening session of Fine Gael’s national conference.

Robin Wright and Kevin Spacey return for a third season of House of Cards on Netflix from Friday.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney is describing the launch of Irish beef in the United States as a "huge opportunity".

ICSA says farmers will remain sceptical, amid ‘downward manipulation of prices by meat industry’

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney has said the opening of the American market to Irish beef is "a huge prize" for the industry here.