Forestry caused a mainstream furore over the weekend when An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tweeted that the Government was committed to planting 440m trees over the next two decades.
A good day for tree-huggers and climate activists everywhere.
Varadkar said the target was “achievable” but failed to say that 440m trees equates to 8,000 ha/year – a target that the Government has already set and consistently missed over the last number of years.
Burgers top the Picnic menu
The Dealer took a spin down to a busy field outside Stradbally for a few hours on Sunday, where the Electric Picnic was in full swing.
Tempted to the catering area, I was heartened to see that the food stall with the longest queue by a mile was that for a good old-fashioned beef burger.
The queue for a burger was for over an hour, while the queue for the fancy falafel
and noodle stands was 10 minutes.
A case of mistaken identity in Sligo
A diplomatic incident appears to have been narrowly averted in Sligo. The Dealer hears that IFA presidential candidate Joe Brady was not impressed when he learned on the campaign trail in Yeats country that his rival “Coughlan” was due to address the county executive the following week.
News quickly spread back to Cavan that John Coughlan had locked down Sligo.
However, it appears to have been a case of mistaken identity.
Brady need not have worried, for it turns out that it is the ICBF CEO Sean Coughlan that is set to address the county executive on Wednesday 11 September.
Supporting farmers’ mental health
Farmers and their families can enjoy a day out on a scavenger hunt and bake sale this Saturday in aid of Pieta House and the Rape Crisis Centre.
CSO statistics show that on average 26 farmers die by suicide every year and the event aims to raise support for charities that help farmers and people in rural communities. Stress was a major concern during last year’s drought and a Teagasc survey showed that over two-thirds of farmers were stressed as a result.
The event is being held on Saturday 7 September from 12pm to 3pm at Tory Hill House, Croom, Co Limerick, V35 WF43.
Polish favourite for EU Ag portfolio
An announcement on the new European Commission is expected any day now.
Phil Hogan will be moving on from DG Agriculture, with DG Trade being the most talked about. If that happens, The Dealer will be watching how he goes about selling the Mercosur deal, which is up for approval during the next term.
It is thought that the agriculture portfolio will go to the Polish commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowskia, a former MEP.
As an eastern European, it is expected that he will have a strong focus on pushing for 100% convergence and he is also known to have a strong interest in animal welfare.
Irish farmers will be watching with interest his views on live exports.
Restraining order for UK vegan
John Wood’s Meat and Greet British Farming Facebook page became very popular when he set it up last year.
The farmer promoted “Meaty March” as a counter to “Veganuary”.
However, not all who viewed his musings were supportive. Police briefed the Dorset farmer of the dangers of being so vocal about meat-eating.
“When you’re looking under your tractors in the morning for bombs, nobody should be living like that,” Wood told The Daily Telegraph.
“I don’t say to anybody: ‘If you don’t eat meat, you’re scum.’ If I did that I’d be branded a lunatic – these people go out regularly and do the opposite, it’s not acceptable.”
Vegan activist Emma Christoforakis was given a two-year restraining order and fined over £1,000, having harassed the sheep farmer on his farm and at public farming events, calling him a “murderer”.
Forestry caused a mainstream furore over the weekend when An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tweeted that the Government was committed to planting 440m trees over the next two decades.
A good day for tree-huggers and climate activists everywhere.
Varadkar said the target was “achievable” but failed to say that 440m trees equates to 8,000 ha/year – a target that the Government has already set and consistently missed over the last number of years.
Burgers top the Picnic menu
The Dealer took a spin down to a busy field outside Stradbally for a few hours on Sunday, where the Electric Picnic was in full swing.
Tempted to the catering area, I was heartened to see that the food stall with the longest queue by a mile was that for a good old-fashioned beef burger.
The queue for a burger was for over an hour, while the queue for the fancy falafel
and noodle stands was 10 minutes.
A case of mistaken identity in Sligo
A diplomatic incident appears to have been narrowly averted in Sligo. The Dealer hears that IFA presidential candidate Joe Brady was not impressed when he learned on the campaign trail in Yeats country that his rival “Coughlan” was due to address the county executive the following week.
News quickly spread back to Cavan that John Coughlan had locked down Sligo.
However, it appears to have been a case of mistaken identity.
Brady need not have worried, for it turns out that it is the ICBF CEO Sean Coughlan that is set to address the county executive on Wednesday 11 September.
Supporting farmers’ mental health
Farmers and their families can enjoy a day out on a scavenger hunt and bake sale this Saturday in aid of Pieta House and the Rape Crisis Centre.
CSO statistics show that on average 26 farmers die by suicide every year and the event aims to raise support for charities that help farmers and people in rural communities. Stress was a major concern during last year’s drought and a Teagasc survey showed that over two-thirds of farmers were stressed as a result.
The event is being held on Saturday 7 September from 12pm to 3pm at Tory Hill House, Croom, Co Limerick, V35 WF43.
Polish favourite for EU Ag portfolio
An announcement on the new European Commission is expected any day now.
Phil Hogan will be moving on from DG Agriculture, with DG Trade being the most talked about. If that happens, The Dealer will be watching how he goes about selling the Mercosur deal, which is up for approval during the next term.
It is thought that the agriculture portfolio will go to the Polish commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowskia, a former MEP.
As an eastern European, it is expected that he will have a strong focus on pushing for 100% convergence and he is also known to have a strong interest in animal welfare.
Irish farmers will be watching with interest his views on live exports.
Restraining order for UK vegan
John Wood’s Meat and Greet British Farming Facebook page became very popular when he set it up last year.
The farmer promoted “Meaty March” as a counter to “Veganuary”.
However, not all who viewed his musings were supportive. Police briefed the Dorset farmer of the dangers of being so vocal about meat-eating.
“When you’re looking under your tractors in the morning for bombs, nobody should be living like that,” Wood told The Daily Telegraph.
“I don’t say to anybody: ‘If you don’t eat meat, you’re scum.’ If I did that I’d be branded a lunatic – these people go out regularly and do the opposite, it’s not acceptable.”
Vegan activist Emma Christoforakis was given a two-year restraining order and fined over £1,000, having harassed the sheep farmer on his farm and at public farming events, calling him a “murderer”.
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