I see Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue dodged another bullet last Monday night in Athlone at the special general meeting of the Irish Charolais Cattle Society.

The meeting was held to adopt a new rule change by which, instead of the Minister of Agriculture overseeing an arbitration process, ICOS will instead oversee it.

The rule change had irked some breeders who felt the changes downgraded breeders’ rights in a dispute. Nonetheless, the change was passed by a resounding majority and all is normal again. There was a worry that if the rule wasn’t passed no pedigree certs could be issued by the society and the premier sale in Elphin in March could have been in doubt but all’s well that ends well. The Irish Limousin Cattle Society also has to bring in the rule change in the near future.