Save lives

IFA has launched a new ‘’Save Lives’’ farm safety campaign, which centres around nine key messages to encourage safety on the farm. The campaign messages will be promoted widely, including on the 2015 IFA calendar, which will be available free in the Irish Farmers Journal edition of 13 December.

Farm Assist

IFA Rural Development Committee chair Flor McCarthy has called for GLAS payments to be disregarded in the means test for Farm Assist in a similar way to REPS and AEOS. IFA has raised this matter with the Department of Social Protection and it is important that it is clarified before the scheme is implemented.

Dog attacks

In the wake of recent attacks on sheep flocks, IFA National Sheep Committee chair John Lynskey is reminding farmers of the IFA protocol for farmers on sheep kills by dogs. This 10-point plan is a simple, easy-to-follow protocol aimed at helping sheep farmers who encounter a dog attack on their flock. Check it out at www.ifa.ie

Dairy measures

IFA National Dairy Committee chair Sean O’Leary was in Brussels last week to attend the first meeting of the EU Commission’s Citizen Dialogue Group on the International Aspects of Agriculture, which addressed global food trade issues.

Finance seminars

IFA representatives have been speaking at a series of seminars being held around the country in conjunction with IFAC and FBD. The seminars focus on tax planning, agri schemes and financial planning. Two further seminars will take place next week – 9 December in Loughrea and 10 December in Ballybofey. See www.ifa.ie.