Website and rural booklet launched
WICKLOW farmers have so far received €2,582, 951.18 in payments this year under the 2016 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme.
Nationwide, the scheme worth €140 billion, has been issued to close to 6,500 farmers.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, Andrew Doyle TD, says the payments should provide financial assistance to hard pressed farmers.
‘ These payments represent a significant and timely financial boost for farmers in Wicklow and for the wider rural economy here in Wicklow. The Department of Agriculture will continue to clear remaining cases for payment over the coming weeks as a matter of priority.’
Minister Doyle also attended the Ploughing Championship in Screggan during the week and took the opportunity to launch two new initiatives funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine under the CEDRA Innovation Fund, OptIn.ie and the publication Rural Tourism.
Opt-In.ie is a new website which provides information on local training and diversification opportunities for rural families. The website was developed by Teagasc and contains advice in relation to training, skills development and business development and diversification opportunities.
‘ There is huge untapped potential in rural Ireland,’ said Minister Doyle.
‘Opt-In will help equip develop rural dwellers with the information on training and up-skilling opportunities to help them diversify their sources of income, and importantly to make the right choices for themselves and their families. I warmly welcome this initiative, funded by my Department under the CEDRA Innovation Fund.’
The portal is being piloted by Counties Limerick and Tipperary and will be rolled out nationwide in 2017.
Minister Doyle also launched Rural Tourism, a publication aimed at guiding rural dwellers on diversification opportunities in agri-tourism.
The publication produced by Teagasc and provides guidance which compliments the resurgent interest in Irish food, heritage and holidays.
According to Minister Doyle, ‘Rural Tourism is ta perfect way to encourage tourist footfall out of towns and cities.
‘ There is such diversity in rural Ireland’s visitor activities and attractions, as well as in our specialist farm producers.’
In the Rural Tourism booklet, former Teagasc tourism specialist Maria Heneghan outlines the steps for setting up on-farm holiday accommodation, in the form of bed and breakfast or self-catering cottages.
She also looks at other choices of accommodation such as glamping, pods, shepherd huts and yurts.
The economic benefits of rural tourism and the continued development of this sector has huge potential.
Sheep sale, Thursday, September 22
There were 3500 sheep on offer. Improved trade with prices up by €2 - €3 per head. Strong demand for ewe lambs. Prices: 20 Ewe Lambs 50kg €120, 25 Weather Lambs 52kg €108.50, 25 Mixed Lambs 48kg €107. Butcher & Factory Lamb over 50kg €103 - €110, Store Lambs: over 35kg €76 - €91, Under 35kg €65 - €85, Ewe Lambs €82 - €120, Cast Ewes €45 - €108, Breeding Ewes: Hog Ewes €115 - €180, Older Breeding Ewes €90 - €140, Breeding Ram €300€720, Older Breeding Ram €100 - €200.
Cattle sale, Saturday, September 24
650 cattle and 60 calves, Good demand for all classes with prices similar to last week. Prices: 4 LM Blk 670kg @ €1470, 4 CH Blk 745kg @ €1610, 5 CH Blks 488kg @ €1170, 5 CH Hfrs 528kg @ €1160, 5 AA Hfrs 470kg @ €925, Beef & Forward Blks 600 - 920 over, Cont Store Store Blks 480 - 820 over, FR Blks 200 - 610 over, Beef Hfrs 550 - 830 over, Store Hfrs 300 - 780 over, Weanlings Bulls 400 - 650 over, Beef Cows 400 - 750 over, Store Cow 50 - 300 over.
Calves: FR Bulls €95 - €215, Cont Bulls €290 - €420, Cont Hfrs €230 - €360.
Saturday, September 17 650 Cattle and 60 Calves, Good demand for all classes.
Prices: 4 LM Blk 670kg @ €1470, 4 CH Blk 745kg @ €1610, 5 CH Blks 488kg @ €1170, 5 CH Hfrs 528kg @ €1160, 5 AA Hfrs 470kg @ €925, Beef & Forward Blks 600 - 920 over, Cont Store Store Blks 480 - 820 over, FR Blks 200 - 610 over, Beef Hfrs 550 - 830 over, Store Hfrs 300 - 780 over, Weanlings Bulls 400 - 650 over, Beef Cows 400 - 750 over, Store Cow 50 - 300 over.
Calves: FR Bulls €95 - €215,
Weanling sale, Friday, September 23
343 weanlings on offer. Very lively trade for all types of bulls, lighter plainer heifers harder sold. Prices: Weanling Bulls over 500 Kgs €520 to €700 over €/kg, Weanling Bulls over 400 Kgs €470 to €625 over €/kg, Weanling Bulls over 300 Kgs €400 to €560 over €/kg, Weanling Bulls over 200 Kgs €370 to €515 over €/kg, Weanling Heifers over 400 Kgs €400 to €600 over €/kg, Weanling Heifers over 300 Kgs €370 to €480 over €/kg, Weanling Heifers over 200 Kgs €250 to €370 over €/kg.
Cattle sale, Wednesday, September 21
A smaller sale due to the national Ploughing Championships. Trade similar to last week for all types. Sample prices: Bullocks: 475 kg €1095 CH, 450kg €1030 LM, 500 kg €1100 CH, 520kg €1080 SIM, 695 kg €1400 LM. Heifers: 405 KG €920LM, 540KG €1010 LM, 540KG €1045 BB, 380KG €875 CH, 386kg €810 CH.
Sheep sale, Saturday, September 17
Improved trade for 2, 3 & 4 y.o. Cheviot & Suffolk Cross Ewes. Hoggett Ewes easier by €5 - €10 and lambs easier by €1 - €2. Prices: 50 + kg lambs made from €95 - €112, 45 -50 kg from €84 - €100, 40 - 45 kg from €70 - €97, Stores from €50 - €90, Suffolk Cross Ewe Lambs made up to €135, Cast Ewes - €40 - €100, Suffolk Cross Hoggetts - €140 - €195, Cheviot Hoggetts - €130 - €185, 2,4, & 4 - €80 - €155, Rams - €100 - €450.