Young farmers

The search is on for the 20th FBD Young Farmer of the Year. Organised by Macra na Feirme, supported by IFA, the awards invite farmers aged 35 and under to compete to be crowned the 2018 FBD Young Farmer of the Year. As well as the overall winner, there are sector awards and feature awards for the best emerging female farmer and best emerging male farmer, along with awards in land mobility and farm collaboration. Enter or nominate at Macra.ie/yfy.

Cattle prices

Livestock chair Angus Woods has said with the kill dropping, cattle prices are continuing to rise. In addition, prices in the UK are maintaining their upward movement and demand for beef remains very strong across the UK and EU markets. You can get IFA cattle price reports twice weekly on the IFA website and app.

EID tagging

Following an IFA meeting with Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and his Department on electronic tagging last week, the minister has accepted that the costs associated with EID are a major issue that must be resolved. The minister agreed to fully engage with the IFA on the issue and, following a meeting last week, the sheep committee is preparing a submission, as requested by the minister. Keep updated at www.ifa.ie.

Ash dieback

Forestry chair Pat Collins has welcomed the review of the national response to ash dieback disease to provide more management options to farmers. However, he said that the reconstitution element of the scheme must be available to all forest owners affected by the disease. He said management can play a key role in preserving potentially disease-tolerant trees. However, if the management strategy is unsuccessful, farmers must be able to avail of the reconstitution grant.