€1bn farm building revolution under way

A BUILDING revolution is taking place on Irish farms with more than €1 billion being invested in new facilities.

The drive, triggered by new EU environment requirements, is boosting the flagging construction industry.

Teagasc director Professor Gerry Boyle told the FarmFest and Bioenergy ’08 event at Mellows College in Athenry, Co Galway, yesterday that this investment is about creating sustainable farming units for the medium to long term.

He said building sustainable farming and rural businesses for the future was the main theme of the event, which was officially opened by Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith.

“Teagasc is all about the long-term sustainable development of agriculture, the food industry and rural-based business.

“While other industries have gone through a recent boom, farming and rural business have been developing on a steady, even keel over the past 10 years during the Celtic Tiger.

“Now, as some other sectors of the economy are slowing, most notably the construction industry, the sustainable development that has been taking place on farms and in innovative indigenous food and rural-based businesses is coming to the fore,” he said.

Mr Boyle said artisan food and speciality food producers are a brilliant example of how innovative rural businesses can carve out niche markets and develop in a sustainable way to survive and prosper in the years ahead.

“The speciality food market is one of the fastest growing, worth €500m annually in Ireland with a large European market worth €33bn on our doorsteps,” he said.

The sector in Ireland employs 3,000 people, while farmers’ markets, with the help of local support organisations, is worth in excess of €10m annually.

More than 70 food companies representing the variety and quality of artisan foods available were displayed at Farmfest ’08.

Minister of State Tony Killeen, who officially opened Bioenergy ’08, said with oil and other fossil fuels at record price levels, the need for alternative, home-produced, secure sources of energy is becoming more important.

“The good news is there are many potential alternative and climate-friendly renewable sources of energy that we can exploit.”

More than 600 pedigree sheep were exhibited at the event, but IFA president Padraig Walshe said the sector’s future is dependent on factories returning a viable lamb price to producers and the Government delivering on its commitments to the sector.

He said the sheep sector is worth €400m to the economy, with 34,000 farmers producing three million sheep for export.