Past and present Billy Coleman award winners dominate the 100-strong entry list for today’s Carlow Rallysprint at Mondello Park.

Irish motorsport is in the middle of its award season and sandwiched between last week’s Dunlop presentation and tomorrow night’s Valvoline Irish Forest Championship ceremony were the interviews for the prestigious Billy Coleman award.

BRITISH film director David Puttnam will open one of the country’s best known food festivals on Saturday by addressing an international food conference.

A FORMER garda was last night elected president of the 87,000 member Irish Farmers Association.

John Bryan from Co Kilkenny is leading the ballot so far in the Irish Farmers Association presidential election.

BALLOTING to elect the next president of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) began last night. The first votes were cast in more than 70 of the IFA’s 947 branches countrywide.

A HUGE logistical operation is about to get under way for the leadership elections in the Irish Farmers’ Association.

BRINGING viability back to all farm enterprises is a goal of Richard Kennedy, one of the three candidates for the presidency of the Irish Farmers’ Association.

ENSURING that farmers are treated as equal partners with government, processors and retailers must dominate the Irish Farmers’ Association agenda over the coming years.

CARLOW farmer Derek Deane has formally launched his campaign to be the next president of the Irish Farmers’ Association.

THREE candidates have been nominated to contest the election of the next president of the Irish Farmers Association.

THE campaign is well under way for the election of the next president of the Irish Farmers Association.

FARMERS have welcomed the relaxation of brucellosis testing controls announced by Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith.

INTERESTED parties were have been invited by Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith to make submissions aboutthe detailed contents ofa new agri-environmental scheme which will be introduced in 2010.

A GREAT reluctance to apply for Farm Assist has been detected among farm families, even though they may be entitled to the social welfare payment, a farm leader has said.

ALARM clocks and wake-up telephone calls had people jumping out of their beds at dawn around Tullamore yesterday.

A DECISION by Teagasc to reduce Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) fees by 3% has been welcomed by farm leaders, but they insist further cuts are needed.

THE European Com-mission has approved Ireland’s application for official brucellosis free status, Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith announced yesterday.

THE sourcing of chicken for the Defence Forces from a Northern Ireland processor who is not part of the Bord Bia quality assured scheme was discussed at a meeting between the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) and Defence Minister Willie O’Dea.

THE sourcing of chicken for thedefence forces from a processor outside the state which is not accredited to the Bord Bia quality assurance scheme was sharply criticised yesterday.

The Irish Farmers Association says the sourcing of chicken for the Defence Forces from outside of the Republic is a national disgrace.

GLANBIA, the €2.2 billion turnover global food group, was urged yesterday to set up a multi-million-euro reserve fund to support milk producers in difficult times.

FOR the first time in Ireland, licensed deer stalkers will be called out byfarmers to shoot protected species of wild deer if they are damaging crops, forests or causing traffic accidents.

Wild deer roaming the countryside will be culled by conservationists in a bid to protect farmlands and maintain herds humanely, it emerged today.

The Irish Farmers Association is warning that consumers will be hit if EU plans to halve the use of toxic products in crops by 2013 go ahead.

YOUNG farmers are leading growing demands for a big protest in Dublin over the suspension of the installation aid and early retirement schemes in the budget.

A PETITION calling for the complete re-opening of farm schemes suspended in the budget is being taken up by Macra na Feirme among young farmers countrywide for presentation to Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

FARMERS should be given flexibility to spread slurry and farmyard manure for the remainder of the year owing to the very wet weather recently.

KERRY GROUP chief executive Stan McCarthy can expect a bulging post bag over the next few days as part of a milk price campaign by the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA).

THE Irish Farmers’ Association accused an Taoiseach Brian Cowen yesterday of an “obstinate refusal” to publicly veto agricultural cuts proposed by European commissioner Peter Mandelson in the world trade talks.

FARMERS were reminded yesterday that Thursday is the deadline for the submission of applications for the single farm payment.

FARMERS have called for tighter bluetongue controls as the virus continues to spread in Britain and Wales.

TESTS have revealed 24 imported cattle in one consignment had been exposed to bluetongue in the past but are free of the virus, Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Mary Coughlan disclosed last night.

A FARM adviser who has devoted a lifetime to working with farmers in the county was glowing in his tributes to the talent and co-operation of sheep producers he worked with when they honoured him on his retirement.

IFA DEPUTY president Derek Deane yesterday called on Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan to immediately resolve a problem over a delay in grant approvals under the Farm Improvement Scheme.

FARMERS have celebrated a 100% grain harvest price rise in two years.

THE 50% payout of the single farm payment in mid-October would greatly alleviate cash flow difficulties for farmers as a result of the very wet summer, according to IFA deputy president Derek Deane.

THE deputy president of the Irish Farmers Association, Derek Deane, has called on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Mary Coughlan to press for an 80% advance payment on single farm payments in mid-October.

THE Irish Farmers’ Association is seeking derogation for participants in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme because of the wet weather.

A FLOOD of complaints from farmers not getting replacement cost for reactors has led to IFA pursuing compensation issues at Department and EU level.

A BITTER row between farmers and the Department of Agriculture and Food over the level of red tape surrounding EU schemes and directives is set to escalate today.

A STANDOFF has developed between the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) and the Department of Agriculture and Food over farm inspections.

IFA deputy president Derek Deane has called on Teagasc and private agricultural consultants to ensure that farmers who are applying for the 60% Farm Waste Management grant scheme are given the necessary help in submitting applications to the Department of Agriculture to meet the December 31 deadline.

THE IFA has called for the full implementation of the Charter of Farmers’ Rights including reduced inspection levels, advanced notice of inspections, one single farm visit and earlier payments for 2006.