Asda accused of u-turn on British beef pledge
News
Asda accused of u-turn on British beef pledge
Supermarket giant Asda has been accused of turning its back on British farmers after withdrawing its promise to stock only British beef in their stores.  The retailer’s commitment to using 100 per cent British beef was announced in October last year and pulled back just before Christmas. British Beef Association CEO Neil Shand, said he was massively disappointed by Asda’s u-turn after three months.  “Our members have worked very hard…
Irish are top fruit and veg consumers
News
Irish are top fruit and veg consumers
More fruit and vegetables are consumed daily by the Irish, compared to other European Union (EU) member countries. A third of Ireland’s population (33 per cent) consumes five portions or more of fruit and vegetables a day, according to new data released by Eurostat – the EU body that publishes Europe-wide statistics. One average, more than half the EU’s population (55 per cent) said they ate between one and four…
Ireland Weather Forecast: Saturday and Sunday
News
Ireland Weather Forecast: Saturday and Sunday
Rain will quickly clear on Saturday morning with sunny spells and showers following from the west, hail with isolated thunderstorms are possible, while some may turning to sleet through the evening hours. Temperatures will drop through the day. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 4C generally, holding a little milder near Atlantic coasts. It will be a mostly dry start to Sunday. However, rain will develop in the southwest and spread…
British Dairy-Tech show postponed until April 2022
News
British Dairy-Tech show postponed until April 2022
Show organisers of the British Dairy-Tech show ave confirmed this year’s event will be pushed back to 7 April. Aimed at progressive dairy professionals, Dairy-Tech is one of the biggest dairy shows in the UK and Ireland, with more than 80 new product launches and almost 300 exhibitors.  The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) said the increase in Covid-19 cases since Christmas is the reason for the show…
Ireland grows truffles for the first time
News
Ireland grows truffles for the first time
The discovery of black truffles could give Ireland a foothold in the market and a welcome boost for farmers and landowners. Due to high demand, the truffle industry is growing rapidly and in the next 20 years could be worth €4.5 billion annually.  Project organiser Prof. Paul W. Thomas from the University of Sterling in Scotland, confirmed the black truffle had been successfully been grown in Ireland for the first…
LSL Select Price Report – Cattle Mart 17/02/2023
News
Livestock movements between NI and GB to be made easier
Industry bodies are working to make the process of moving livestock between Northern Ireland and Great Britain simpler. Following the UK’s exit from the EU, the numbers of cattle and sheep exported from Northern Ireland to Britain decreased sharply in 2021. Stakeholders, Defra and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) are hoping to find a solution that streamlines live imports and exports of sheep and cattle.  National…
Help suckler farmers with more financial support
News
Help suckler farmers with more financial support
More financial support is needed to prevent suckler farmers leaving claim the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA). Roscommon IFA branch chair Jim O’Connor said suckler farmers are concerned about the sector’s viability. “There are huge numbers of beef cows being culled and reduced from the national herd and that is very regrettable. We need to get more financial support to maintain the suckler herd and the viability of family farms in…
Ireland Weather Forecast: Thursday
News
Ireland Weather Forecast: Thursday
A wet and windy start on Thursday, with outbreaks of rain clearing eastwards during the morning, followed by sunny spells. There will be frequent blustery showers, some heavy with hail and isolated thunderstorms. As the day progresses the showers will turn increasingly wintry, with sleet or snow in some areas by evening. Afternoon highs of 4 to 8C turning colder by the evening, in a fresh to strong and gusty southwest…
Peatland found to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
News
Peatland found to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Restoring peatland can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), and provide financial benefits for farmers, according to a new report. Peatlands are lands on peat soils that comprise of at least 80 per cent organic material. If they are still actively forming new peat they have been named as the most space efficient place for long-term carbon store and sink. The study was carried out by the EU Carbon-Connects and…
Ireland's snail farmers need support to grow industry
News
Ireland’s snail farmers need support to grow industry
Snail farmers are demanding more support for the industry in order to grow their business and met demand. Escargot Ireland represents 25 of the country’s snail farms and claims supporting the emerging sector is a “no-brainer”. Deirdre O’Connor bought 4,000 breeder snails and set up Skellig Escargot on the family suckler farm during the Covid lockdown. “We have been hearing so much about climate change and global warming and wanted to…
News
Ireland weather forecast: Wednesday
A cold and frosty start on Wednesday, with frost in some places during the morning. It will be a dry and sunny day overall apart from isolated coastal showers. Highest afternoon temperatures of 4 to 6C, with light westerly winds. In the evening, cloud will thicken from the Atlantic with rain spreading eastwards across the country, alongside strengthening southerly winds. The rain will briefly fall as sleet on some higher…
Irish farmers push for food price increases
News
Irish farmers push for food price increases
Food prices will have to increase to keep in line with production costs otherwise farmers face a loss-making situation, say Ireland’s biggest farming body. Production costs and agricultural output for farmers over recent months have risen sharply backed by the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office. Irish Farmers’ Association president Tim Cullinan believes food prices will have to go up. “If production costs are going up, absolutely food costs…
British farmers to be paid to create re-wild countryside
News
British farmers to be paid to create re-wild countryside
Farmers will be given funding to restore habitats and re-wild Britain with two new Government schemes to be launched this week. Environment Secretary George Eustice will unveil the new Local Nature Recovery scheme as part of the Government’s drive to increase biodiversity in the UK. Funding will be provided to plant trees, build new habitats, restore peat and wetland areas.  There is also a Landscape Recovery scheme which is aimed…