In August, I told you that the Ploughing was rumoured to be moving to Carlow next year. Then, during last month’s National Ploughing Championships, Carlow-based TD Pat Deering said publicly that the event was heading for his home county. Each time, the National Ploughing Association (NPA) vehemently dismissed the suggestions.
Then on Sunday, the NPA finally announced that next year’s Ploughing would take place in ... Ballintrane, Fenagh, Co Carlow.
The last time the Ploughing took place in Co Carlow was for the 2006 World Ploughing Championships. The site at the time was outside Tullow, just 10 miles away from next year’s venue.
Bord Bia’s Brexit budget boost
Bord Bia has been reorganising in advance of Brexit. The importance of the role it holds in marketing and promoting Irish food, both at home and abroad, can be seen in the €46.6m allocated to them in Budget 2019, a 40% increase in five years.
Padraig Brennan will lead a new team that brings together Bord Bia’s meat, food and beverage divisions. Ailish Forde will take on the role of director of markets.
Mike Neary will now lead the horticulture division, developing a strategy to address the significant challenges and opportunities facing the sector, and developing Bord Bia’s farmer engagement programme.
Spuds for harvesters of tomorrow
Potato grower Sean Ryan took the opportunity of National Potato Day with both hands. Sean hosted over 200 children from six local primary schools on his farm in Ballywilliam, Co Wexford, on Monday.
They were given the full story of the spud. Sean explained how the potato crop is grown, showing them soil samples and planting machinery, and demonstrating dry-matter testing. In the grading shed, they were shown how cold storage, grading, washing, bagging and stitching takes place. They were brought by tractor and trailer (sitting on comfy bales of straw) out to a field where potato harvesting was taking place and were able to pick some potatoes themselves.
They then went to Sean’s shop, which is unusual in that it is self-service. People come in, get what they want, write it down on an envelope, put money in the envelope and drop it in a safe at the counter.
Seeing stars in terminal situation
The Dealer had to put on his glasses when he attended the genetic advantage sale of Limousin females in Roscrea Mart a few weeks ago. On inspecting the catalogue for the all-female sale, he noticed that there were stars printed for both the replacement index and the terminal index.
ICBF does not print the stars for the terminal index on females, much to the frustration of some of the more terminal breeds.
It seems the sellers got out their markers and painted in a few just for good measure. With all the stars on the page, they looked most impressive and sold very well too.
The Dealer wonders if more innovative people of artistic persuasion will follow suit.
The same heifers, different claims
The Dealer stumbled across a case in Poland where a father-and-son team were penalised for 100% of a payment that supports the buying of high-value heifers. A son bought some fine, high-value dairy heifers from his father and received his payment.
Two days later, the same son sold the exact same number of high-value heifers to his father – and the father received a payment. Smell the rat? EU auditors did. They were the same heifers, who were left happily chewing the cud and never saw the inside of the lorry.
Charity tractor run seeks entries
A tractor run for new and vintage tractors, in aid of Crumlin Hospital, is taking place on Sunday 4 November. Starting at 1pm from Littlewood Hall, Killabeg, Coolkenno, Co Carlow, it will encompass some of the Wicklow Way.
A cost of €20 per tractor is asked with prizes for best-restored vintage tractor and the cleanest modern tractor. Sponsorship cards are also on the rounds: €2 per line or three for €5.
Those interested can contact Eric Driver on 087-277 6282.
The new Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot scheme, otherwise known as BEEP, could have had some dodgy origins as a name. The Dealer imagines Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed was reluctant to introduce a suckler cow payment with Fianna Fáil likely to claim credit for it as they led a motion through the Dáil to introduce one. Perhaps to be polite he referred to it as that beep-ing scheme and some official picked it up wrong.
The tray of sandwiches is a staple at any Irish event, although I heard that Lakeland had some supply and demand issues at a meeting in Ballyconnell. Shareholders had gathered to hear about the proposed LacPatrick merger with light refreshments promised afterwards. However, a smaller crowd than expected turned out as sandwiches were prepared for 200 attendees but less than 40 turned up.
At least the next day’s lunchboxes were sorted.
In August, I told you that the Ploughing was rumoured to be moving to Carlow next year. Then, during last month’s National Ploughing Championships, Carlow-based TD Pat Deering said publicly that the event was heading for his home county. Each time, the National Ploughing Association (NPA) vehemently dismissed the suggestions.
Then on Sunday, the NPA finally announced that next year’s Ploughing would take place in ... Ballintrane, Fenagh, Co Carlow.
The last time the Ploughing took place in Co Carlow was for the 2006 World Ploughing Championships. The site at the time was outside Tullow, just 10 miles away from next year’s venue.
Bord Bia’s Brexit budget boost
Bord Bia has been reorganising in advance of Brexit. The importance of the role it holds in marketing and promoting Irish food, both at home and abroad, can be seen in the €46.6m allocated to them in Budget 2019, a 40% increase in five years.
Padraig Brennan will lead a new team that brings together Bord Bia’s meat, food and beverage divisions. Ailish Forde will take on the role of director of markets.
Mike Neary will now lead the horticulture division, developing a strategy to address the significant challenges and opportunities facing the sector, and developing Bord Bia’s farmer engagement programme.
Spuds for harvesters of tomorrow
Potato grower Sean Ryan took the opportunity of National Potato Day with both hands. Sean hosted over 200 children from six local primary schools on his farm in Ballywilliam, Co Wexford, on Monday.
They were given the full story of the spud. Sean explained how the potato crop is grown, showing them soil samples and planting machinery, and demonstrating dry-matter testing. In the grading shed, they were shown how cold storage, grading, washing, bagging and stitching takes place. They were brought by tractor and trailer (sitting on comfy bales of straw) out to a field where potato harvesting was taking place and were able to pick some potatoes themselves.
They then went to Sean’s shop, which is unusual in that it is self-service. People come in, get what they want, write it down on an envelope, put money in the envelope and drop it in a safe at the counter.
Seeing stars in terminal situation
The Dealer had to put on his glasses when he attended the genetic advantage sale of Limousin females in Roscrea Mart a few weeks ago. On inspecting the catalogue for the all-female sale, he noticed that there were stars printed for both the replacement index and the terminal index.
ICBF does not print the stars for the terminal index on females, much to the frustration of some of the more terminal breeds.
It seems the sellers got out their markers and painted in a few just for good measure. With all the stars on the page, they looked most impressive and sold very well too.
The Dealer wonders if more innovative people of artistic persuasion will follow suit.
The same heifers, different claims
The Dealer stumbled across a case in Poland where a father-and-son team were penalised for 100% of a payment that supports the buying of high-value heifers. A son bought some fine, high-value dairy heifers from his father and received his payment.
Two days later, the same son sold the exact same number of high-value heifers to his father – and the father received a payment. Smell the rat? EU auditors did. They were the same heifers, who were left happily chewing the cud and never saw the inside of the lorry.
Charity tractor run seeks entries
A tractor run for new and vintage tractors, in aid of Crumlin Hospital, is taking place on Sunday 4 November. Starting at 1pm from Littlewood Hall, Killabeg, Coolkenno, Co Carlow, it will encompass some of the Wicklow Way.
A cost of €20 per tractor is asked with prizes for best-restored vintage tractor and the cleanest modern tractor. Sponsorship cards are also on the rounds: €2 per line or three for €5.
Those interested can contact Eric Driver on 087-277 6282.
The new Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot scheme, otherwise known as BEEP, could have had some dodgy origins as a name. The Dealer imagines Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed was reluctant to introduce a suckler cow payment with Fianna Fáil likely to claim credit for it as they led a motion through the Dáil to introduce one. Perhaps to be polite he referred to it as that beep-ing scheme and some official picked it up wrong.
The tray of sandwiches is a staple at any Irish event, although I heard that Lakeland had some supply and demand issues at a meeting in Ballyconnell. Shareholders had gathered to hear about the proposed LacPatrick merger with light refreshments promised afterwards. However, a smaller crowd than expected turned out as sandwiches were prepared for 200 attendees but less than 40 turned up.
At least the next day’s lunchboxes were sorted.
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