Tim, Philip and Aileen were at the Positive Farmers conference. I’ve a group of teacher friends on a WhatsApp group and I put in the news that the lads were gone to Positive Farmers. One answered “is there a negative farmers conference?”

It reminded me that we sometimes give a terrible “poor mouth” impression of our industry to non-farmers. They hear us saying no to change.

We want to be on the world stage. We want the rules to reflect the standards that we in Europe value. We have high animal welfare standards. We are good farmers.

Our food production is heavily regulated. Mercosur and CAP negotiations always give farmers bad press. But the wrangling and dealing has to be done in the media. Politicians at local level and EU level have to be made understand the consequences of EU and world trade deals down on the farm in order to defend farming.

A Mercosur trade deal has hung over our heads for many years.

Beef that is produced in South America under fewer stringent welfare and environmental conditions can sit on the shelf right beside our premium red and white meat. Why wouldn’t we feel aggrieved?

My teacher friend gets it but doesn’t get it. She sees the efforts of farmers to manage the situation as negativity.

Mercosur – it’s personal

Meanwhile, the reality is that Mercosur could have good elements too. It creates a huge opportunity for trade between Europe and South America. There will be more access to dairy markets for our dairy produce and probably better equity across the system. Conceding that might damage our credibility or possibly enhance it, if we are honest.

We have to hold the line set out by the IFA believing that our national president, Francie Gorman, knows what he’s doing. To us, it’s personal. It’s family farming. We watched him on his protest journey with his lovely young son, Tom. We were proud of him. We are all around the country doing our best. We have, or hope to have, sons and daughters in the farming business, some of us even looking to our grandchildren.

We have to hold the line set out by the IFA believing that our national president, Francie Gorman, knows what he’s doing. To us, it’s personal

My six-year-old grandson, Ricky, was learning about farming in school last year. The teacher asked him if he’d be a farmer when he grows up. He told her: “I’m already a farmer.”

Isn’t that the essence of it, the confidence, the commitment, the passion for it.

My positive farmers returned. I was minding my granddaughter Katie for Philip and Aileen and the supper was ready. They were delighted with the young profile of people at the conference. It matters, they felt part of it. Michael Murphy had frightened them a bit with a negative outlook for markets and milk price at the start.

By the time the conference was over, the messages were clear, back to basics; focus on growing, feeding and utilising grass and reducing ration. Cost must be controlled in a downturn situation. Aileen took plenty of notes ant they were very impressed by the young stock discussions.

Successful conference

One in five heifers don’t make it to calve down and all the effort and money we put into them. Aileen and Philip were going to buck that trend. That’s a successful conference when you come back, driven with new goals. They left and Tim returned.

We had a great discussion and I, too, have my goals and interrogations for the season ahead. Doreen Corridan, NCBC, had interesting things to say as did Brendan Horan of Teagasc and others. The papers will follow and we’ll revisit again.

A big message was the number of concerned people that were asking about me and wishing me well. It is hugely appreciated.

I’m back on chemotherapy. One round is done.

Onward.