New measures introduced under the EU Aid Package at national level should be co-funded, innovative, and young-farmer proofed, according to Macra na Feirme national president Seán Finan.

Being a country girl Síle Seoige, feels a strong connection to the Know Your Neighbour promotion, as she tells Rita de Brun

I was delighted to see in the programme for government a significant support for the next generation of farmers — with commitments to maintain the young farmer schemes, to use the taxation system to encourage land mobility and succession, to ensure access to affordable credit and a review of agricultural education.

Generational renewal and putting the building blocks in place for young farmers is crucial for growth in the agricultural sector, Macra na Feirme national president Seán Finan said.

Macra na Feirme says the 2016 National Reserve fund must target young farmers to help them get established in the industry.

The availability of a fully resourced National Reserve in 2016, and subsequent years is essential for young farmers, according to Macra na Feirme president Sean Finan.

Farming is suffering while Teagasc is under resourced, the president of Macra na Feirme Seán Finan has claimed.

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

Macra na Feirme has started the process of appointing a programme manager to promote land mobility countrywide.

Irish farms may be left without a next generation to work them after a study showed there was no successor primed to take over in almost half of all holdings.

AGRICULTURE and rural businesses will be hamstrung in their efforts to drive economic recovery if proposed budget cuts go ahead, warns IFA president John Bryan.

THE fairer sex is gaining an edge in the world of farming, with four females through to the final stages of the search for the country’s top farmer.

FARM groups have said a new obligation to seek planning permission before reclaiming land runs counter to Ireland’s reputation for environmental excellence, and could slow down succession on the family farm.

FARM groups have welcomed the release of two new farm support schemes — the €53m Dairy Equipment and the Rainwater Harvesting Scheme and the support for Private Storage for the Pigmeat Sector.

LEADERS in the farming, industry and health sectors all plan to host safety awareness events in a bid to curb soaring on-farm accident mortality figures.

ADDRESS UNKNOWN, with his sights lowered, can land the nap in the Listed Silver Stakes at the Curragh tonight.

MORNING prices again proved more than a good friend to punters at Clonmel last night.

IT is not proposed to extend the spreading periods for organic fertilisers, Environment Minister John Gormley has told the Dáil.

OVER €1 million in limited additional funding is being provided for the Early Retirement Scheme in farming.

MACRA na Feirme has insisted that the proposed new agri-environment scheme must accommodate new entrants to farming.

THE proposed dismantling of Bord Bia – the Irish Food Board – was described yesterday as inexplicable and counter-productive.

THERE has been a mixed reaction to the move by Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith to proceed with the allocation of extra quota.

FARMERS have taken a hard hit in the budget, their leaders claimed last night as they studied the various measures.

ANY cuts in farm schemes in next week’s budget will hit jobs in the farming and agri-food sector which support 300,000 livelihoods, the Irish Farmers Association said yesterday.