Richard Halloran spoke to Matt O’ Keeffe about the ongoing saga of Brexit and outlined a range of scenarios from the negotiations including a possible no deal or a basic trade agreement or an unlikely comprehensive agreement in the short term. Richard warned of the very serious implications for dairy and beef sectors if there is a reversion to WTO trade tariffs.
Enda McLoughlin of Teagasc advised cattle farmers to deal with any BEAM or BDGP issues as the closing dates for compliance with these schemes is approaching. He also told listeners that the closing date for fertiliser application is on 15th September and advised farmers to plan their Autumn grazing carefully to set up the farm for next Spring.
Paul Hyland, outgoing president of the Irish Grassland Association, chatted to Matt about the organisation’s efforts through online virtual seminars to provide alternatives to the IGA’s normal range of Summer dairy, beef and sheep tours. Paul emphasised his belief in grass as our most important competitive advantage in livestock production.
Colm Markey, newly appointed member of the European Parliament to replace Mairead McGuinness, discussed his new role and the importance of having someone with a strong agricultural background in the role of MEP. Colm outlined his background as a former Macra president and how it gave him important experience of interacting with EU and government agencies.
Eric Driver and George Candler provided comprehensive reports on this week’s livestock trade in Carlow and Kilkenny.
