IT will take a political miracle to agree a new world trade deal this year, according to experts monitoring the talks.

THE IFA has disclosed that Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith has reaffirmed his decision to ring-fence €18 million in unused Common Agricultural Policy funds for the sheep sector and that it will be paid out in 2010.

EUROPEAN farmers angry over a collapse in milk prices threw eggs, burned tyres and hay and poured milk onto the streets of Brussels yesterday.

A TOTAL of 15 European Union member states, including Ireland, have called for major improvements in support for hard-pressed dairy farmers.

AGRICULTURE and forestry-related global conferences being held in Ireland are giving a welcome boost to the economy.

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.

AT least 10 other European Union member states yesterday backed Ireland’s position on the milk market crisis at a meeting in Luxembourg.

ALL the necessary controls are now in place to enable the restoration of Irish pork and bacon supplies to consumers.

A MEETING of the Poultry Expert Group has been arranged for Tuesday, December 9, to discuss the issues facing the industry.

FARMER fury over Government cutbacks in the sector was aired at the first of a series of countrywide meetings in Claremorris, County Mayo, last night.

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

BLOOM, the country’s largest gardening event, which attracted 50,000 visitors when it was first staged last year, returns to the Phoenix Park in Dublin on the June Bank Holiday weekend.

BROAD agri-industry support has emerged for a national farm lobby protest to be staged in Dublin next Thursday when European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso addresses the Forum for Europe in Dublin Castle.

THERE is an increasing awareness that food security cannot be taken for granted in a world where demand is rising rapidly and is expected to double by 2050.

THE European Commission has proposed the suspension of import duties on all cereals except oats for the current marketing year, which ends on June 30, 2008.

AGRICULTURE, Fisheries and Food Minister Mary Coughlan said that her department was being kept up-to-date on developments on the recent foot and mouth outbreaks in Surrey and was closely monitoring the situation.