The RUAS Winter Fair will be held at a new location this year. It is the event’s 30th year and the venue is the new Eikon Exhibition Centre at Balmoral Park, Maze, on 10 December.
Speaking at the launch of the event, Colin McDonald of RUAS said: “With 30 years under its belt, the Winter Fair is about to begin a period of major change. 2015 sees the event taking place at the Eikon Exhibition Centre at Balmoral Park. The new location will allow easy access to the Winter Fair for visitors from much further afield.
‘‘We’ve brought everything good about the Winter Fair at its former home to the new location and provided ourselves with the opportunity to make things even better in every regard,” McDonald added.
As the premier event in the national dairy calendar, it provides an opportunity for farmers and industry specialists to meet and interact. A total of 200 trade exhibitors are expected to take part.
Judge
In the livestock ring, competition will be fierce as quality livestock from across the island of Ireland compete for the coveted title of supreme champion.
The judge this year is Selwyn Donald from the Arran stud, near Wellington, New Zealand. Selwyn is no stranger to the show ring in this part of the world having judged at the Livestock Event at the NEC last year.
The 2015 Winter Fair, sponsored by Danske Bank, takes place on Thursday 10 December from 9am to 5pm.
Keep up to date at www.winterfair.org.uk, on the Winter Fair Facebook page or by following @ruaswinter fair on Twitter.
Admission for adults is £10, £8 for 12 to 18-year-olds, £8 seniors (over 65), while under-12s free when accompanied by an adult. RUAS members are free of charge. Discounted rates are available online www.winterfair.org.uk.
Figures published by DARD last week, in its annual Farm Performance Indicators booklet, highlighted the pressure on farm finances across many sectors compared with previous years.
The average gross margin in dairy enterprises was £877 per cow, which is down from £1,052 in 2013/14. Given the current pressure on the industry, a more substantial reduction can be expected for 2015/16.
In terms of cereal crops, they all had lower average gross margins per hectare in 2014/15 compared with any of the four previous years. For 2014/15, the average gross margin per hectare for spring barley was £578, winter barley £708, spring oats £676, winter oats £953 and winter wheat £793. However, growers of ware potatoes saw their margins increased by £203/ha to £2,582 in 2014/15.
Suckler cows, separated into non-LFA, disadvantaged areas (DA) and severely disadvantaged areas (SDA), had gross margins per cow increase slightly for non-LFA and DA to £172 and £186, respectively, but SDA was almost unchanged at only £149 per cow.
Gross margins for breeding sheep enterprises across areas all increased in 2014/15. Non-LFA flocks had gross margins of £58 per ewe and for DA flocks it was £34. SDA margins increased significantly from £18 to £39 per head for crossbred flocks and from £7 to £25 for hardy hill breeds.
In the pig sector, average gross margin per head fell in 2014/15 by £4 to £28.
Performance trends
Data in the booklet came from the annual accounts of a representative sample of 360 farms from across NI. However, prices for commodities produced on many farms have changed significantly since the end of the last financial year. For example, the average milk price received during 2014/15 was 28.3p/l, which is over 10p/l ahead of current base prices for September milk.
The main livestock based enterprises are all witnessing lower prices this autumn when compared with last year.
The DARD figures also rank performance into four categories from ‘‘excellent’’ to ‘‘poor’’, based on gross margin per head (or per hectare for tillage).
Dairy farmers take protest to Belfast City Hall
Farmers For Action NI (FFA) and Fair Price Farming NI have both invited dairy farmers to join them outside Belfast City Hall between 12pm and 3pm this Thursday (12 November) in support of the European Milk Board’s Europe-wide protests.
The protests are in response to what the European Milk Board (EMB) describes as an ‘‘ignorant EU milk policy’’ and ahead of a meeting of the Agriculture Council of Ministers on 16 and 17 November.
The main demand from the EMB is that Brussels should implement its market responsibility programme.
It involves a series of measures designed to prevent market imbalance.
The first phase (the market falls 7.5% below an index which reflects production costs) uses private storage aid, and schemes such as encouraging suckled calf production to increase consumption, until the market returns into balance.
In the second phase of the programme (market index falls by 15%), bonuses are paid for cuts to production and a levy taken from those farmers who have increased production compared with the previous year. In the third phase (market index falls 25%), a universally applicable reduction in the supply of milk by 2% to 3% is applied across the EU for a defined period (eg six months).
According to the FFA, Thursday’s protest will highlight again the European Union’s complete inadequacy in recent years to listen to the EMB’s EU milk market solutions.
DARD reassurance on 2015 payments
The Department has responded to concerns expressed by some local politicians about the possibility that farmers who receive eligibility inspections relating to 2015 subsidy payments will face a long wait for their money.
In a statement DARD said that they will make every effort to ensure that 2015 payments, including those due to businesses that are inspected, are made as promptly as possible.
Last week mid-Ulster SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone said that he had received enquiries from farmers that were told that their basic payments could be delayed to as late as March 2016 as a result of inspections that are yet to be processed.
While DARD did not provide a specific timetable in their statement, further details of payment targets are expected to be announced in the coming weeks by Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill.
Cattle stolen in Co Armagh
Police in Newtownhamilton are appealing for information following the theft of cattle from Silverbridge.
Sometime between 5pm on Thursday, 29 October and 7.30am on Friday, 30 October, 13 cattle were taken from a field on Drumalt Road.
The PSNI can be contacted in Newtownhamilton on 101, quoting ref: 213 301015.
If you prefer to provide information without giving your details you can contact the independent Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Charolais bulls peak at 5,200gns
There was a brisk trade for Charolais bulls at Dungannon last Friday (6 November) when 22 bulls sold to an average of £2,928.
Prices peaked at 5,200gns for T O’Neill, Claudy and his class winner Glenramble Jonah TI +51 SRI +48. This 17 month old son of Alwent Goldbar was purchased by James McCracken, Bellarena, Co Derry.
He also purchased another Goldbar son, the 15 month old reserve male champion Mullanary Jethro, out of a homebred dam going back to Celtic Bigboy and exhibited by Richard and Paula Hill, Dungannon, Co Tyrone. The bull sold for 4,300gns.
Next, selling to John Butler, Ballycastle, Co Antrim for 4,000gns came Brigadoon Jupiter, sired by Royal Capitan and exhibited by WD and JA Connolly, Ballynahinch, Co Down. The supreme champion from Gilbert Crawford, Maghera, also secured 4,000gns. Coolnaslee Jackal TI +39 SRI +36, a 14 month old son of the 12,000gns Maerdy Fiend went to John McBride, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone.
Leading the bids for the females at 3,200gns was the female and reserve supreme champion from LA Richardson and son, Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh.
Hillviewfarm Jolene, a 19 month old daughter of the 19,000gns Corrie Alan was bought by John McGrath, Omagh, Co Tyrone
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