Speculation around Phil Hogan’s position as European Commissioner for Agriculture has kicked off already.
He was the keynote speaker at the JFK Summer School speakers lunch in New Ross last Friday. On the stage, in front of an interesting crowd which included former Taoiseach Brian Cowen and comedian Brendan Grace, to name but a few, Hogan was asked whether he will be re-appointed to the college of commissioners as Ireland’s representative. He refused to be drawn on the subject by his interviewer Dr Bob Mauro from Boston College.
While Hogan has undoubtedly been a success as Commissioner, his re-appointment is at the behest of the Taoiseach of the day. He is not as close to Leo Varadkar as he was to Enda Kenny, who might choose to remove a potential opponent (Simon Coveney) or an underperforming minister (Eoghan Murphy perhaps).
Teagasc's Grass10 walks go south and west
I see that the majority of Teagasc’s upcoming Grass10 autumn farm walks are based in the south and west of the country, with Mayo the farthest point north a farmer could access one.
There will be walks in Cork, Clare, Kerry, Mayo and two in Limerick.
Farmers in eastern, northeastern and border counties would want to be taking a full day out to attend any of them, should they decide to go.
With grass still scarce in parts, one would have thought a farm walk on a farm which is struggling with grass would have been in with a shout.
Trevor Sargent with his wife Aine Neville and Bishop Burrows.
From Sargent to clergyman
I note that former Minister of State for Food and Horticulture at the Department of Agriculture Trevor Sargent has joined the Church of Ireland.
He was ordained on Saturday evening last, at Christ Church Cathedral in Waterford city.
Sargent is a former leader of the Green Party and served as Minister of State at Agriculture House between 2007 and 2010.
A long way for Monaghan butter
Monaghan native Fergal Redmond contacted The Dealer following a discovery in his local store. He picked up a half pound of his favourite Champion butter during the weekly shop.
Champion butter
Nothing strange about that except for the fact this local store now just happens to be in St Vincent’s Grenadines in the Caribbean – some 6,553km from Monaghan. Champion is, largely, a local brand usually found in the northern half of Ireland.
The LacPatrick delivery agents must have clocked up some mileage there.
Farmer says no to €60 a bale
The Dealer was surprised to be told by a Co Kildare hay trader that he had just refused offers of €50 per bale for 100 round 4x4s and €60 each for 10 bales.
The trader explained that he wasn’t in fact holding out for more later in the winter. Instead, he has regular clients for this hay, which he unrolls and rebales as small squares, and he wants to keep what he has for them.
He said he will sell the small squares at €3.50 out of the yard, for these regular customers, or deliver with a charge for transport. At that price he is taking much less than he was offered for the rounds.
The VW Amarok.
A prize better than a free pen
I’m always on the lookout for a good freebie at the Ploughing and as prizes for competitions go, I’ve set my eyes on the shiny €40,000 VW Amarok pickup truck up for grabs on the AXA stand.
It beats the usual free pen, and hopefully insurance will be included.
It certainly looks like the insurer wants to make an impression for its first Ploughing since entering the Irish farm insurance market two months ago.
A rally for Lyme disease takes place on 26 September and will end at Leinster House. It aims to highlight problems with testing for the disease in Ireland.
Joe Donohoe from Donegal is involved in organising the protest. His daughter, Emma Doherty, was misdiagnosed for 11 years and sent bloods to Germany before she got diagnosed. She has been raising awareness of the disease in her area, which is particularly crucial for outdoor workers.
The Dealer stumbled across a number of well-decorated caravans at the Lisdoonvarna match-making festival in Co Clare over the weekend. However, one in particular drew my eye.
The owners had created a new slogan that was very apt for the year that is in it.
“Any wives or silage?” the caravan asked passers-by at the festival.
And, there was plenty looking for silage as well as a wife, or husband.
Speculation around Phil Hogan’s position as European Commissioner for Agriculture has kicked off already.
He was the keynote speaker at the JFK Summer School speakers lunch in New Ross last Friday. On the stage, in front of an interesting crowd which included former Taoiseach Brian Cowen and comedian Brendan Grace, to name but a few, Hogan was asked whether he will be re-appointed to the college of commissioners as Ireland’s representative. He refused to be drawn on the subject by his interviewer Dr Bob Mauro from Boston College.
While Hogan has undoubtedly been a success as Commissioner, his re-appointment is at the behest of the Taoiseach of the day. He is not as close to Leo Varadkar as he was to Enda Kenny, who might choose to remove a potential opponent (Simon Coveney) or an underperforming minister (Eoghan Murphy perhaps).
Teagasc's Grass10 walks go south and west
I see that the majority of Teagasc’s upcoming Grass10 autumn farm walks are based in the south and west of the country, with Mayo the farthest point north a farmer could access one.
There will be walks in Cork, Clare, Kerry, Mayo and two in Limerick.
Farmers in eastern, northeastern and border counties would want to be taking a full day out to attend any of them, should they decide to go.
With grass still scarce in parts, one would have thought a farm walk on a farm which is struggling with grass would have been in with a shout.
Trevor Sargent with his wife Aine Neville and Bishop Burrows.
From Sargent to clergyman
I note that former Minister of State for Food and Horticulture at the Department of Agriculture Trevor Sargent has joined the Church of Ireland.
He was ordained on Saturday evening last, at Christ Church Cathedral in Waterford city.
Sargent is a former leader of the Green Party and served as Minister of State at Agriculture House between 2007 and 2010.
A long way for Monaghan butter
Monaghan native Fergal Redmond contacted The Dealer following a discovery in his local store. He picked up a half pound of his favourite Champion butter during the weekly shop.
Champion butter
Nothing strange about that except for the fact this local store now just happens to be in St Vincent’s Grenadines in the Caribbean – some 6,553km from Monaghan. Champion is, largely, a local brand usually found in the northern half of Ireland.
The LacPatrick delivery agents must have clocked up some mileage there.
Farmer says no to €60 a bale
The Dealer was surprised to be told by a Co Kildare hay trader that he had just refused offers of €50 per bale for 100 round 4x4s and €60 each for 10 bales.
The trader explained that he wasn’t in fact holding out for more later in the winter. Instead, he has regular clients for this hay, which he unrolls and rebales as small squares, and he wants to keep what he has for them.
He said he will sell the small squares at €3.50 out of the yard, for these regular customers, or deliver with a charge for transport. At that price he is taking much less than he was offered for the rounds.
The VW Amarok.
A prize better than a free pen
I’m always on the lookout for a good freebie at the Ploughing and as prizes for competitions go, I’ve set my eyes on the shiny €40,000 VW Amarok pickup truck up for grabs on the AXA stand.
It beats the usual free pen, and hopefully insurance will be included.
It certainly looks like the insurer wants to make an impression for its first Ploughing since entering the Irish farm insurance market two months ago.
A rally for Lyme disease takes place on 26 September and will end at Leinster House. It aims to highlight problems with testing for the disease in Ireland.
Joe Donohoe from Donegal is involved in organising the protest. His daughter, Emma Doherty, was misdiagnosed for 11 years and sent bloods to Germany before she got diagnosed. She has been raising awareness of the disease in her area, which is particularly crucial for outdoor workers.
The Dealer stumbled across a number of well-decorated caravans at the Lisdoonvarna match-making festival in Co Clare over the weekend. However, one in particular drew my eye.
The owners had created a new slogan that was very apt for the year that is in it.
“Any wives or silage?” the caravan asked passers-by at the festival.
And, there was plenty looking for silage as well as a wife, or husband.
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