DEAR SIR:

It is great to see in the Irish Farmers Journal last week that a Department group supports a suckler cow payment. Hopefully the policy makers will agree to providing the finance. The suckler cow herd is long overdue financial supports - any supports must attempt to stabilise the herd and provide a positive approach to suckler cow farming. Also it cannot be seen as an opportunity for others to capitalise and charge excessive prices for suckler cows. It would be interesting to see how such a scheme would be rolled out if it gets the go ahead.

The suckler cow sector has to be saved for the long-term and has to be seen in a positive way for existing farmers and young farmers. All beef industry stakeholders should ensure a positive future for beef farming with a good price given for the beef. Meat factories and farmers should be working together to make beef farming a success story rather than a negative story. The dairy and tillage industry are more supportive to their farmers.

On the article about the 21% rise in livestock deaths in spring, it goes to show how powerful, bad and disruptive the weather was last spring.

Farmers will have to factor in dealing with unpredictable weather patterns in the future.