Farming has created some GAA icons down through the years.
However, the link between the land and the pitch has waned in recent years with fewer farmers lining out on county teams.
The Monaghan footballers appear to be the last bastion of farming and GAA figures. Midfield engine Darren Hughes is a dairy farmer, along with his brother Kieran, while fullback powerhouse Drew Wylie is a cattle man.
I’ve been reliably informed that Drew has regularly shunned watching himself on The Sunday Game to grab reruns of Countryfile. That’s commitment.
The farmers (not Tyrone ones) of Ireland are sure to be behind the Farney Army this weekend as Monaghan plays its first All-Ireland semi-final in 30 years.
Darren Hughes, Monaghan footballer. \Oliver McVeigh, Sportsfile
Two seats up for grabs on National Milk Agency board
The Dealer sees that the National Milk Agency is holding board elections on 30 October this year. Set up to regulate the supply of milk for liquid consumption, the board is made up of producer, retailer, distributor and consumer representatives.
At the moment Teddy Cashman, Aidan Casey, Denis Fagan, William Lennon and Padraig Mulligan are the farmers on the board representing the producers.
The Dealer hears that both Cashman and Fagan are stepping down. This frees up two seats, one in each constituency.
Between Glanbia, LacPatrick, Aurivo and Glenisk; three producer members are elected. Then there are two seats among the remainder; The Village Dairy, Bainne Codladh, Arrabawn, Clóna Dairy, Dairygold, Dawn Dairies, Lee Strand Co-Op, North Cork Co-Op and Centenary Thurles.
Those seeking election must first be nominated by 20 liquid milk suppliers from their constituency.
The term is three years and it usually involves five meetings a year.
Marrying for love of the land
I’ve always cut a fairly youthful figure in the marts, so it might surprise some of you to know I have a daughter of marriageable age. I decided it was time to have a sit down with her to emphasise the importance of marrying for love, as in love of the land.
In true daughter fashion, she rolled her eyes at me and informed me she could check up on how much any lad she met at Macra was getting on his entitlements on the Department website.
They say that daughters grow into their mothers, but I reckon this one might be following my lead.
Towards the end of the month, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed will be handed a list of three names and invited to approve one as the new secretary general of the Department of Agriculture.
The first name will be the one recommended by the Public Appointments Service and the Top Level Appointments Committee for the €197,116 per annum role. But, as usual, the Minister will be allowed pick the individual he deems best from the shortlist. All going well, the successful candidate will be ready to take up the reins in September, before Aidan O’Driscoll departs to head up the Department of Justice.
The minister will have to decide which candidate will be best able to deal with the challenges ahead, most critically Brexit and CAP reform. The Department’s 3,000 staff, along with the farm organisations and agri-food industry, will hope he makes a wise choice. The closing date for applications is 16 August.
Mart dinner price holiday hike
Like many farm families on a bank holiday, The Dealers headed off to the local mart on Monday to catch up with neighbours and maybe buy a few four-legged investments.
The day wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the canteen for the dinner, but The Dealer was taken aback when the stern-looking dinner lady added an extra €1 to the usual price.
Apparently it’s standard bank holiday dinner pricing.
Larry’s helicopter flies into action
The Dealer noted with interest that the Goodman helicopter was rolled out last week.
A German group from Real supermarket were flown in style to an organic farm in Co Cavan, where they were shown the criteria for keeping and maintaining an organic farm.
It seems Mr Goodman must be keen to promote organic beef, especially now ABP has a majority share in Good Herdsman, the main organic processing plant in Ireland.
When is a calf not a calf?
The Dealer was interested to see the champion Hereford at the bank holiday Monday’s Nenagh Show been trailed by a 12-month-old bull “calf”.
This bull was born on the 24 July 2017 and was shown alongside his mother in a class clearly specified as “Purebred Hereford cow with calf at foot”.
Surely anything past 12 months of age shouldn’t be allowed to be shown as a calf at foot. By now the cow should have calved down her next calf.
Is this just another gimmick to better the exhibitor’s chance in claiming a championship sash? Well, in this case, it worked.
Farming has created some GAA icons down through the years.
However, the link between the land and the pitch has waned in recent years with fewer farmers lining out on county teams.
The Monaghan footballers appear to be the last bastion of farming and GAA figures. Midfield engine Darren Hughes is a dairy farmer, along with his brother Kieran, while fullback powerhouse Drew Wylie is a cattle man.
I’ve been reliably informed that Drew has regularly shunned watching himself on The Sunday Game to grab reruns of Countryfile. That’s commitment.
The farmers (not Tyrone ones) of Ireland are sure to be behind the Farney Army this weekend as Monaghan plays its first All-Ireland semi-final in 30 years.
Darren Hughes, Monaghan footballer. \Oliver McVeigh, Sportsfile
Two seats up for grabs on National Milk Agency board
The Dealer sees that the National Milk Agency is holding board elections on 30 October this year. Set up to regulate the supply of milk for liquid consumption, the board is made up of producer, retailer, distributor and consumer representatives.
At the moment Teddy Cashman, Aidan Casey, Denis Fagan, William Lennon and Padraig Mulligan are the farmers on the board representing the producers.
The Dealer hears that both Cashman and Fagan are stepping down. This frees up two seats, one in each constituency.
Between Glanbia, LacPatrick, Aurivo and Glenisk; three producer members are elected. Then there are two seats among the remainder; The Village Dairy, Bainne Codladh, Arrabawn, Clóna Dairy, Dairygold, Dawn Dairies, Lee Strand Co-Op, North Cork Co-Op and Centenary Thurles.
Those seeking election must first be nominated by 20 liquid milk suppliers from their constituency.
The term is three years and it usually involves five meetings a year.
Marrying for love of the land
I’ve always cut a fairly youthful figure in the marts, so it might surprise some of you to know I have a daughter of marriageable age. I decided it was time to have a sit down with her to emphasise the importance of marrying for love, as in love of the land.
In true daughter fashion, she rolled her eyes at me and informed me she could check up on how much any lad she met at Macra was getting on his entitlements on the Department website.
They say that daughters grow into their mothers, but I reckon this one might be following my lead.
Towards the end of the month, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed will be handed a list of three names and invited to approve one as the new secretary general of the Department of Agriculture.
The first name will be the one recommended by the Public Appointments Service and the Top Level Appointments Committee for the €197,116 per annum role. But, as usual, the Minister will be allowed pick the individual he deems best from the shortlist. All going well, the successful candidate will be ready to take up the reins in September, before Aidan O’Driscoll departs to head up the Department of Justice.
The minister will have to decide which candidate will be best able to deal with the challenges ahead, most critically Brexit and CAP reform. The Department’s 3,000 staff, along with the farm organisations and agri-food industry, will hope he makes a wise choice. The closing date for applications is 16 August.
Mart dinner price holiday hike
Like many farm families on a bank holiday, The Dealers headed off to the local mart on Monday to catch up with neighbours and maybe buy a few four-legged investments.
The day wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the canteen for the dinner, but The Dealer was taken aback when the stern-looking dinner lady added an extra €1 to the usual price.
Apparently it’s standard bank holiday dinner pricing.
Larry’s helicopter flies into action
The Dealer noted with interest that the Goodman helicopter was rolled out last week.
A German group from Real supermarket were flown in style to an organic farm in Co Cavan, where they were shown the criteria for keeping and maintaining an organic farm.
It seems Mr Goodman must be keen to promote organic beef, especially now ABP has a majority share in Good Herdsman, the main organic processing plant in Ireland.
When is a calf not a calf?
The Dealer was interested to see the champion Hereford at the bank holiday Monday’s Nenagh Show been trailed by a 12-month-old bull “calf”.
This bull was born on the 24 July 2017 and was shown alongside his mother in a class clearly specified as “Purebred Hereford cow with calf at foot”.
Surely anything past 12 months of age shouldn’t be allowed to be shown as a calf at foot. By now the cow should have calved down her next calf.
Is this just another gimmick to better the exhibitor’s chance in claiming a championship sash? Well, in this case, it worked.
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