Farmers and livestock marts must be paid monies they are owed by TLT International, the country’s largest live cattle exporter, which has been put into receivership, it was stressed yesterday

The AA has called for an “informal grace period” for motorists after thousands of people swamped motor tax offices yesterday in a last- minute rush to beat a new motor tax deadline.

Tributes came in from the worlds of politics and agriculture following the unexpected death of one of the country’s best-known farming journalists.

Congratulations flooded in from across Europe for Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney’s work in brokering a partial CAP reform in Brussels yesterday — but the main farm organisations at home were understandably apprehensive about what amounts to a major change in the direction of EU agriculture policy.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney was pleased with the fruits of the Irish team of negotiators in concluding the agreement on the Common Agricultural Policy. He enthusiastically welcomed the outcome of the tortuous negotiations which concluded yesterday.

The President of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association has said he expects there will be a conclusion reached on the final CAP negotiations later today.

Teagasc is predicting a 50% shortage in silage made for next winter in wet land areas, based on consultations with advisers in each of its 51 advisory offices across the country.

Ireland’s three main domestic “agri” banks have confirmed that their doors are wide open to farmers struggling to cope with the ongoing fodder crisis.

Thousands of farmers are expected to line the streets of Carrigaline, Co Cork, this morning as part of an IFA protest outside the constituency office of Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney.

Wheat snapped a four-day rally after a survey showed reserves in the US, the biggest exporter, may be larger than a government forecast.

European agriculture ministers endorsed a text put forward by the Irish presidency, proposing member states be given some flexibility on how they distribute their farm payments.

Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association president Gabriel Gilmartin said the European Commission may be required to propose regulations to deal with the evolving horsemeat scandal.

The Garda Fraud Squad has been called in to investigate the deepening horsemeat scandal after beef product at a Monaghan processing plant was found to contain 75% equine DNA.

Irish livestock farmers are calling on the Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney and ABP Food Group to get to get to the bottom of the horsemeat scandal.

The British food safety watchdog has launched an investigation into how beef on sale in the UK and Ireland contained traces of horse and pig DNA.

Tesco Ireland said last night it will not take any more stock from the Co Monaghan factory which produced the burgers until it learns how the horse meat got into the burgers.

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association hosted its Annual Conference 2012 in Dublin last week.

Farmers led by IFA on the streets of Dublin this week, in their first post-budget protest since 2008, was another sign of an austerity time-bomb ticking for a government which promised to protect the most vulnerable to the greatest extent possible by, for example, not reducing any primary weekly rate of social welfare payment.

The budget has hit farming families on the double and could force some out of business, farming bodies warned last night.

Carbon taxes should be suspended for farmers facing soaring feed costs and prolonged silage shortages, said Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association president Gabriel Gilmartin.

Irish farmers receive €1.2bn in grants each year.

Farmers left with insufficient slurry capacity for the winter, due to persistent bad weather, have been reprieved by Environment Minister Phil Hogan.

Advance payments under the 2012 Single Farm Payment scheme will go ahead next Tuesday as scheduled, said Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney.

The Agri-Environmental Options Scheme will re-open shortly to new entrants.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has confirmed the reopening of the €20m Agri-Environment Options Scheme, with a maximum payout of €4,000 per annum for individual applicants.

Connacht Gold chairman Padraig Gibbons has been appointed as chairman of the appeals committee for the controversial 2012 disadvantaged areas scheme (DAS).

The ICSA says farmers are hugely disappointed that the deadline for the spreading of slurry has not been abolished altogether, rather than extended, but one ecology group believes even the extension is putting the environment at risk.

Farmers with bales of straw at Togher Cross in the ICSA West Cork Fodder Relief Initiative; ICSA West Cork chairman Dermot Kelleher (third from left) was one of the main organisers.

Imposing strict deadlines and closing dates on vital farming activities must stop, said Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association president Gabriel Gilmartin.

Amendments to the EU-funded Disadvantaged Area Scheme could see thousands of hard-pressed Irish farmers excluded from payments, farm groups have cautioned.

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) has described as "lunacy" proposed changes to the assessments of third level maintenance grants.

Farm groups have welcomed the European Commission’s decision to agree to an early roll out in October of 50% of the 2012 Single Farm Payment, following talks with Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney.

Banks must make cashflow provision for the extra costs and production losses on farms associated with the poor weather conditions this summer, IFA president John Bryan has said.

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association says many of their members are worried that CAP reform implies savage cuts to their Single Payment.

Farmers have reacted angrily to proposed changes to the student grant means test which could yet include farm land in the eligibility calculation.

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association is urging farmers to submit their Single Farm Payment forms on time by today’s 5.30pm deadline or midnight for online applications.