Little did Oliver Cromwell think when he infamously threatened people with the prospect of going “to hell or Connaught”, that a Mayo farmer would win the prestigious prize of Ireland’s Young Farmer of the Year.

MACRA na Feirme announced yesterday that it is to hold a series of briefing meetings of young farmer groups with a strong farm safety theme.

THE 2020 Strategy Committee for agri-food, forestry and fisheries is drawn from senior experts and participants in all aspects of the sector.

MACRA na Feirme has called on the Government to take advantage of the entrepreneurial spirit of trained young farmers rather than strangling them with cuts and pushing them out of business.

THE €9 million saved in animal disease control costs “should be invested in young farmers’ installation aid”.

A MAJOR new initiative to encourage new entrants to dairy farming was announced yesterday by Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith.

THE Irish Farmers Association last night accused the Government of leaving farm schemes with a €400 million shortfall for next year.

MACRA na Feirme has called on the boards of all co-op societies to review their structure in terms of including young people.

MACRA na Feirme, whose annual conference begins in Clonmel tonight, has announced the long awaited appointment of a new chief executive. He is Edmond Connolly, Aughnabroone, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford, the current assistant chief executive of South Tipperary County Enterprise Board.

MACRA na Feirme has called for a 5% annual increase in Ireland’s national quota to be allocated to new and recent entrants to dairying.

Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan tonight defended her allocation of an EU sugar industry restructuring fund to processor Greencore amid accusations from farmers she was backing big business over farming families.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern last night closed the door on the chances of extra cash being allocated to farmers to get them to sign up to the partnership deal.