The Big Dealer: Biggins takes on rural development

I see Mayo man Michael Biggins has been elected the new chair of the IFA’s rural development committee. The suckler farmer from Glencorrib will take up his new role at the IFA AGM next Monday, 27 January.

Biggins is an IFA veteran of 20 years, having served as Mayo county chair, vice-chair of the livestock committee, the chair of south Mayo LEADER and other community groups. He takes over the rural development reins from Joe Brady.

Biggins has set his sights on enhancing farm schemes in the next rural development programme (RDP), restoring agri-environmental schemes to the equivalent of the old REPS €10,000 payment and increasing ANC payments by 20% in the next RDP.

Farm transfer incentives, TAMS and a yellow card system for Department inspections are also on his to-do list.

I see there are changes among familiar oil companies who have been supplying agri diesel to farmers and contractors in the Leinster area for years.

Klass Oil Distributors is now operating the business of the well-known Flynn Fuels, which built up a big operation from its headquarters at the Flynn family farm at The Downs, Mullingar.

Klass Oil acquired Harmon Oil, which operates across Westmeath and Meath, delivering agri diesel as well as home heating oil.

I hear that Klass Oil has also approached Tommy Dowd Oil Distributors Ltd to see if the two could do business. Twice All-Ireland winning Dowd established a successful business, with many farmer clients, operating out of Athboy and Kells.

Tight margins in the oil business are driving this rush to co-operate or scale up.

One supplier told The Dealer that he gets a gross margin of just 3c/l to 4c/l on agri diesel between his wholesale buying price and his price out to farmers. From this he must pay for the driver, the lorry and other running costs.

The art of achieving maximum voter turnout is an issue of concern for many election hopefuls in the coming weeks.

It’s of no surprise then, that after a recent trip to the Dáil, incoming IFA president Tim Cullinan told farmers back home in Tipperary that TDs had been asking him for tips on how to get voter turnout.

Tim Cullinan won 11,497 votes in the IFA election, a large proportion from his Tipperary base.

He might have told a few TDs what his turnout tips were, but like a true politician, he didn’t let The Dealer in on the secret.

A new Government programme will see all Government staff, TDs and senators pay for the carbon emissions associated with every flight they take.

I’m told that they will have to value every tonne of carbon emissions their air travel emits at the current carbon tax rate of €26/t. The money is to come from each Department’s travel budget and will go into the Government’s Climate Action Fund.

Travel on the Government jet is also covered by the new rules. I’m looking forward to seeing how much goes into the fund in the coming years.

A new Irish butter brand was showcased at a retailer trade show in San Francisco last week. Bailie Gold 8oz butter sticks claim grass-fed and Irish provenance.

But who is the new entrant into the US market? Apparently Lakeland Dairies recently moved to trademark the butter brand. The co-op is a member of Ornua, owner of the iconic Kerrygold brand,the number one imported butter in the US.

Lakeland says it has no intention of selling butter on US supermarket shelves. But is this a case of if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, then it is a duck?

Over 23,000 people applied for two jobs on the Great Blasket Island, off the Dingle Peninsula in the Kingdom, which will see the successful applicants

take to the island for six months from April to manage accommodation and the coffee shop.

Company on the island is in the form of a few sheep and donkeys, along with other wildlife.

Some of the perks of the island include no electricity, no hot water and the best of all - no WiFi.

With everything going on in farm politics and current beef prices, The Dealer was almost tempted to apply for the job himself.

International Welsh rugby referee Nigel Owens hauled his way passed the try line in a bidding war during a Hereford sale in the UK to pick up Greenyards 1 Hannah L272 for a tidy £5,985 (€7,034).

It wasn’t the first time Owens was clocked supporting the Hereford breed, having previously bought a pedigree cow with calf at foot for £1,785 (€2,097).

The Dealer would be happy to show the Welshman the home of the Garryowen and fit in some Hereford sales this spring.