Category: News

A report published today (Friday) by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that nearly two thirds of people support reducing the size of the national cattle herd to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. About one in three people surveyed (36 per cent) said they oppose reducing the size of the national cattle herd, including 17 per cent who say they “strongly” oppose it. Research also showed that 92 per cent of…

Bord Bia will promote EU beef, lamb dairy and horticulture across Asia, Europe and the U.S in three campaigns for the next three years. The value of the Irish food and drinks exports to Asian has increased 14 per cent to €1.4 billion since 2016. A spokesperson for Bord Bia described the campaigns and “significant” and said that, along with educating millennials on increasing their consumption of fruit and vegetables…

Sunny spells and scattered showers, though some eastern areas probably staying dry. Showers heavy at times and most frequent in north and west with a risk of hail and thunder.

Friday will be cold with sunny spells and scattered showers of rain or hail, with possible sleet on high ground. Showers will be most frequent in the west and north and will become isolated by early evening. Cloud will increase in the west and southwest later with patchy drizzle possible near the coast. Afternoon temperatures of 5 to 8C in a moderate to fresh west to northwest wind.

Thursday’s auctions on LSL. Register at www.lslauctions.com to take part. *Details correct at the time of publication. Auctions are subject to change without notification.

New environmental farming projects are being given £14m of Government funding to go ahead. Northern Ireland’s voluntary scheme, has already issued a total of £63 million, and offers a range of options for farmers to create environmental benefits on their farms. DAERA’s Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) supports farmers to undertake measures to help climate change mitigation. NI’s Minister for Agriculture, Edwin Poots said: “The EFS is an important but voluntary…

More than 100 women have shared their experiences of sexism in Ireland’s farming sector. Launched this week, the social media campaign provides a platform for female farmers to speak up anonymously. Newly founded Women in Agriculture Stakeholders Group, is behind the movement and the lobbying group was set up to represent women in farming. Chair Hannah Quinn-Mulligan, said the campaign was created after her own experiences of sexism. “A salesman…

https://www.lslauctions.com/LotDetail-ALEXG-1402795 We offer this rare opportunity to purchase a parcel of approximately 29.97 acres ina quite stunning location on a very popular tourist route around the west side of theInishowen Peninsula. The well-fenced land comprises of a mixture of good flat grazing and slopedgrazing with an additional share of commonage / grazing rights to the hill adjacent. The land is nestled between Dunree Fort, a well known historical attractionrenowned for…

Farmers must be given the option to be paid by sheep factories electronically, say the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA). The IFA claim than lamb processing factories should be providing this facility following a clear demand from farmers to have electronic payments. Sean Dennehy, IFA Sheep Committee chair said: “We are seeing more and more rural services taken away. The closure of local bank branches in towns throughout the country is…

It is expected that more than 1,000 farmers will take part in a protest against climate change proposals. Organisers say a recommendation in the Climate Action Bill to lower the slaughter age of cattle from 27 to 24 months by 2030 would destroy the summer grass-fed beef system and cost farmers €750/animal.  Farmers are being asked to gather at three locations: Navan, Kinnegad and north Carlow at 1pm on Sunday…

A farmer from Somerset has become the first breeder since Brexit to import live sheep from the EU after managing to complete all the lengthy paperwork required. Twelve Racka sheep who were imported from an Austrian breeder, made the Calais to Dover crossing following six weeks of negotiations with officials.  New owner Rose Overton said Defra officials from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Alpha) had initially claimed it was…

Ireland is facing “a demographic crisis” due to a 40 per cent decline in the number of young farm managers since 2005, according to Macra na Feirme president John Keane. Just over five per cent of farmers are aged under 35, while 30 per cent of farms are owned by farmers over 65 years, said Mr Keane. “This transition towards a more sustainable agricultural sector and rural areas requires Ireland…

Early rain in the west will spread across the UK, hill snow in the north. Brighter, showery conditions to follow into the southwest. Becoming very windy and blustery, especially in the west.

Southeast winds will increase strong to gale force and gusty, and outbreaks of heavy rain will develop in the southwest, sweeping across the country early Tuesday morning as Storm Barra approaches from the Atlantic. It will remain very windy or stormy on Tuesday night as the centre of Storm Barra tracks over Ireland. There will be frequent squally showers – some wintry with hail – and isolated thunderstorms. Severe and…

Tuesday’s auctions on LSL. Register at www.lslauctions.com to take part. *Details correct at the time of publication. Auctions are subject to change without notification.

LSL Auctions has donated two breeding heifers for auction to raise money for the ‘Hooves 4 Hospice’ project to fund a planned Midlands regional hospice. The project depends on farmers or host farmers to rear and donate an animal that then, once ready for sale, will be sold by Tullamore Lions Club (TLC) with the entire proceeds of the sale donated. TLC president Paul Cullen said: “Our target, with your…

Status Orange and Yellow weather warnings have been issued by the national forecaster for the whole of Ireland as Storm Barra approaches. Tomorrow (Tuesday) there is a strong likelihood of coastal flooding with high waves, high tides, heavy rain and storm surge on south and west coasts. Met Éireann has warned the following counties of Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Galway are most at risk from Storm Barra.  The Status…

Monday’s auctions on LSL. Register at www.lslauctions.com to take part. *Details correct at the time of publication. Auctions are subject to change without notification.

Friday’s auctions on LSL. Register at www.lslauctions.com to take part. *Details correct at the time of publication. Auctions are subject to change without notification.

Cold and frosty for western areas early Sunday. Showers elsewhere, with snow over high ground. Organised band of rain clears east Monday, preceded by snow. Wet and increasingly windy Tuesday.

Staying cold but becoming drier for the rest of the weekend. However, it will turn unsettled again early next week, with a spell of windy and showery weather developing on Monday night and Tuesday.

Friday’s auctions on LSL. Register at www.lslauctions.com to take part. *Details correct at the time of publication. Auctions are subject to change without notification.

Farmers will receive new payments for improving and conserving soil and grasslands from 2022, the UK Government has confirmed. However green groups have voiced disappointment that the scheme falls short of what is needed. The UK’s post-Brexit Agriculture Bill was introduced in 2020, which included measures to prevent farmers from being financially incentivised to over-produce at the expense of the environment. These new measures will replace the EU’s Common Agricultural…

A suspected bird flu case in Northern Ireland will result in 27,000 ducks being culled and a temporary control zone being set up in the area. If the case is confirmed in Country Tyrone, a 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone will need to be put in place of the temporary control zone.  Northern Ireland’s chief vet Dr Robert Huey said the site of the suspected case of…

Unsettled with showers or longer spells of rain. Some snow at times in the north, mainly over hills. Often windy, particularly in the southwest on Saturday. Rather cold.

Friday will begin dry with some brighter spells. Overall cloudy though with some scattered showers moving up across the southern half of the country. Highest temperatures of 6 to 9C, in mostly light variable breezes. Later in the day, outbreaks of rain are expected in Atlantic counties.

The European Commission will return more than €21 million to Irish farmers that was taken from direct payments. During 2021, under the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), €879.8 million was deducted from European farmers for the agricultural crisis reserve.  The money was used to ensure the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) did not overrun.  European Farmers are supported through the EAGF to provide a secure supply of safe, healthy and affordable…

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) is calling for an end to paying farmers retrospectively for milk. Farmers in NI are the only place in the UK where dairy processors use a retrospective payment system. David Brown, UFU deputy president said: “At the beginning of November, First Milk, A GB based cooperative announced the price their farms would receive for milk produced in December.  “But here farmers will not know until…

Irish farmers are calling for a bigger share of retail meat sales profit to cover the high input costs on farms. Farmers believe beef prices need to reach €5/kg for them to maintain parity with 2020 incomes and cover increased costs. IFA Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden, said beef prices have moved on by 5c-10c/kg last week but are still behind the strong growth of key export market returns.  The Irish…