The highlight of November was hands down the IFA and Teagasc international conference, held to celebrate the United Nations International Year of Family Farming.

I agree with our President, Michael D Higgins, when he said that the preservation of the family farm model is critically important to maintaining a vibrant agricultural sector and for the future prosperity of this country.

Family farms must get a fair price for what we produce and there needs to be greater equity in the food chain if we are to remain viable. It was a most enjoyable day spent with friends. I would like to extend my congratulations to the Whyte family, winners of the FBD UN Year of the Family Farming Awards 2014, the regional winners and to all who entered the competition.

After such celebrations of the family farm model, it is upsetting to think that 29 people have died on Irish farms so far this year. That means 29 farm families now having to deal with the devastating consequences of the death of a loved one. And that’s not to mention all the farm families that are coming to terms with life after a serious injury.

Too many of the accidents taking place on our farms are avoidable. I would plead with all farm families to make farm safety a top priority in 2015. IFA launched its new campaign recently – SAVE LIVES – to encourage farmers to change their work practices, to be more responsive to the potential dangers and to take preventative action to reduce the risks.

It is the first anniversary of the IFA/ Pieta House Mind Our Farm Families phone line, 1890-130-022, this month. The phone line puts farmers and their families in direct contact with a Pieta House trained therapist.

Pieta House offers a compassionate, solution-focused, one-on-one counselling service to those in suicidal crisis. The service is completely free of charge and is helping farm families to cope with and recover from suicidal thoughts. We look forward to working with Pieta House for many more years to reduce the rate of suicide in rural Ireland.

On the home front, we are busy getting ready for Christmas. As well as that, rugby has taken over. Tegan has decided to play rugby and has joined the Portumna Rugby Club. So between driving Craig to Ballinasloe for training and matches, and now Tegan to Portumna, I am never off the road and am becoming a real rugby mum. Happy Christmas to you all.