I heard the Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon was caught by surprise at the Tullamore Show on Sunday.

I’m told some of those in the Sustainable Livestock Village serenaded the minister with a chorus of happy birthday.

I’m sure it was a shock. In other news, there are unconfirmed reports he umpired at a match during the last week in his native Kildare.

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The Dealer wonders was that job easier or more difficult than wrangling with public expenditure minister on agriculture’s upcoming budget allocation.

Back to the Sustainable Livestock Village. It appears tensions eased somewhat between the IFA and Bord Bia – in public at least. The Dealer spotted IFA president Francie Gorman; IFA chief economist, Tadhg Buckley; Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole; and Bord Bia director of client and stakeholder engagement, John Murray having a chinwag with not a cranky face in sight.

Is nature healing?