DEAR SIR: Greenfield Farm has proven itself to be an invaluable reference point for anybody with a serious interest in dairy farming. The real value of totally transparent financial information on all aspects of the capital costs and the ongoing income and expenditure figures is enormous. This financial information that is generated and then shared with everyone is akin to having free access to what is normally strictly confidential. The other big plus is being able to directly relate this to the day-to-day farm management. The Irish Farm Managers Association wants to see the continuation of the project. The farm has been of enormous benefit to our members and to all dairy farmers. With new challenges coming down the line, such as labour, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, etc, surely Greenfield Farm is in a perfect position to show what can be done at farm level to manage such issues accordingly. My organisation is not happy with the how employees were made aware that the farm is closing – through social media. It makes a mockery of efforts to improve the way people are looked after on Irish farms when these precedents are set. We are calling for all the partners to come together to find a solution.

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