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The IFA’s ‘No Dogs Allowed’ campaign will continue until the authorities take meaningful action, the association has confirmed. Launching this year’s campaign in Co. Offaly recently, IFA President Tim Cullinan was critical of the authorities’ attempts to tackle what he described as “a growing problem on farms”. Meanwhile, IFA Sheep Chairman Kevin Comiskey said dogs should not be allowed in or near farmland as a critical period for sheep farmers gets underway.

Mr Comiskey added that the Government must deliver strengthened legislation as “a matter of urgency” and have it in effect by year end.

Farmers urged to get up to speed with TB testing

ICMSA Livestock Chair Des Morrison has urged farmers to get up to speed with new TB testing procedures which came into effect on February 1st.

The new rules, brought in as part of EU Regulations, require all animals moving farm to farm or through marts to be tested within a certain timeframe.

The Livestock Committee Chairperson said that there will undoubtedly be some level of confusion in the opening months of this test change, but it is important that farmers know their requirements - especially those breeding herds that will be moving cows into their herds on a permanent basis.

IFA: Food Regulator must have real powers

IFA President Tim Cullinan has pleaded with Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue to strengthen the regulatory powers of the Office of Fairness and Transparency in the Food Chain.

“Enforcement of the Unfair Trading Practices Directive and reporting on market data will help bring transparency to what is a broken system. But without a Food Regulator who has the power to ensure a fair price, farmers remain to be convinced how they will benefit from the long-promised Office of Fairness and Transparency and Food Regulator,” he said.

The IFA President said the association submitted several proposals regarding the Bill as it progressed through the Oireachtas.

“Some recommendations such as increased penalties for offences were included while many others were not,” he said.

Roscommon MART WATCH

There was a large entry of stock on offer at last Friday’s special bullock sale with a very strong trade for all classes. Bullocks fetched from an average of €3.17 per kilo up to €4.09 per kilo. Dry cows made an average of €2.41 per kilo up to €3.16 per kilo. There was a good attendance of customers at the ringside with online bidders also active.

There was a good entry of topquality weanlings at Tuesday evening’s sale with a strong trade for both bulls and heifers. Bull weanlings fetched from an average of €3.21 per kilo up to €4.21 per kilo, while heifer weanlings made from an average of €3.07 per kilo up to €3.96.

We had a large number of sheep on offer at our weekly sale of lambs and cast ewes. Prices for finished hoggets peaked at €142 while the tops for stag ewes fetched €176.

The next sale of lambs and cast ewes takes place next Wednesday (22nd) at 11 am following a sheep scanning service from 9 am to 10 am.

Sample prices for dry cows: Char X 775kgs €2430, Char X 865kgs €2400, Lim X 645kgs €2040, Char X 785kgs €2310, Lim X 730kgs €2140, Char X 750kgs €2310, Char X 805kgs €2280, Char X 745kgs €2180, Char X 755kgs €2150, Lim X 695kgs €1890, Char X 620kgs €1840.

Bullocks: Char X 582kgs €2380, sectors but have no proposals on how farmers are expected to fund their targets,” he concluded

‘Stop the misleading climate narrative!’

ICSA President Dermot Kelleher has called on the Government, media outlets, and all those engaged in the climate debate to stop the narrative that the target of 25 per cent for agriculture is low in comparison to other sectors in the Climate Action Plan.

Mr Kelleher, who was speaking at the ICSA AGM in Portlaoise on Thursday last, said commentary around the target for agriculture was “misleading”.

“The burden is not spread out over the entire population as is the case in other sectors. The entire burden for meeting the target for agriculture is falling on approximately 100,000 farmers, a tiny fraction of the population,” he said.

The ICSA President demanded progress on helping active farmers to become more profitable and sustainable, and reiterated the association’s demand for a €250 million per annum support programme to helping farmers achieve climate targets.

ICMSA want ‘specific data’ on farm trespass-hunting

Following a recent meeting with the Department of Justice, An Garda Síochána and National Parks and Wildlife, ICMSA Deputy President Denis Drennan said the “endemic problem” of farm trespass by illegal hunting gangs must be dealt with.

Mr Drennan said there seemed to be some confusion as to what powers Gardaí responding to such incidents had. He said Gardaí need to have a meaningful response procedure and trespassers must face consequences.

Char X 695kgs €2440, Lim X 620kgs €2400, Char X 640kgs

€2040, Lim X 680kgs €2400, Lim X 670kgs €2360, Char X 600kgs €2300, Char X 640kgs

€2290, Char X 625kgs €2290, Char X 620kgs €2280, Lim X 615kgs €2180, Lim X 620kgs

€2180, Char X 580kgs €1950, Lim X 540kgs €1930, Char X 505kgs €1800, Lim X 525kgs

€1820, Char 585kgs €1900, Lim X 545kgs €1880, Char X 625kgs €2140, Char X 595kgs €2010.

Weanling heifers: Lim X 245kgs €970 - €3.96 per kilo, Char X 240kgs €940 - €3.92 per kilo, Char X 285kgs €1010 - €3.54 per kilo, Char X 260kgs €900 - €3.46 per kilo, Char X 355kgs €1340 - €3.77 per kilo, Char X 330kgs

€1220 - €3.70 per kilo, Lim X 325kgs €1190 - €3.66 per kilo, Lim X 285kgs €1050 - €3.68 per kilo.

Weanling bulls: Char X 290kgs €1220 - €4.21 per kilo, Lim X 240kgs €960 - €4 per kilo, Lim X 305kgs €1180 - €3.87 per kilo, Char X 245kgs €1000 - €4.08 per kilo, BBX 365kgs €1400 - €3.84 per kilo, Lim X 465kgs €1710 - €3.68 per kilo, Lim X 365kgs €1340 - €3.48 per kilo, Char X 355kgs €1350 - €3.80 per kilo.

Finished hoggets: 57.5kgs €142, 52.8kgs €141, 52.3kgs €141, 57kgs €141, 52.1kgs €141, 56kgs €140, 52kgs €140, 49.3kgs €138, 49kgs €136, 47kgs €135, 46.9kgs €131.