Farming.

[ONeill]

They are fully aware. However some of us can be a stubborn bunch when it comes to health and safety and believe it won't happen to me. Like texting at 70 mph.

[orangeman]

Another poor farmer died in Pomeroy.

[Hereiam]

Hit by a tractor. Sad hanling.
Contractor was putting in silage near us late night, using 4 130hp New Holland tractors with all young lads driving them. Our road is a narrow busy country road and here these young lads driving this heavy expensive equipment going flat out with the phone in one hand texting or whatever the hell they were doing. If I were the owner of a silage outfit I would telling them to leave the dam phones at home.

[orangeman]

Another farmer this morning killed on a tractor going to the mart apparently in Dungannon.

[lawnseed]

Farming in crisis. Grain farmers losing money. beef farmers losing money, pig producers uncertainancy with russian ban. Theres a definate risk to dairy farming as quotas come to an end next year and theres huge increases in production levels all ready to go.
Its beef producers who are really getting shafted ever since the horsemeat scandal supermarkets and  meat processers have been plotting and scheming to source cheap meat somewhere and now theyve managed it. By introducing specs that take time to adjust to it gives them the chance to steal beef from guys who simply dont have any other outlets for their finished product. Theres the livestock marketing commission a body set up to.. Well its actually difficult to say what they do but its worth mentioning that the entire board except for two members work in meat factories..
For the last few years farmers opted to rear bulls they grow faster and have better conformation so they would have been more profitable. Out of the blue meat factories announced they no longer "wanted" bulls over 16 mths old. Most producers would have been planning to finish thier bulls at 18 to 24 months. Bulls all ready in these systems simply cud not meet the new specs so the factories cut the price and said it was "out of spec" this cheaper "stolen" beef effectivly became the "new horse". Cheap beef they could mince or do what ever they wanted with one establishment actually put a meat stall out on the road to flog "out of spec meat" as if they were doing the public  a good turn, in fact its an attack on small butchers shops. Recent developments may include a further reduction in the 16mth age limit artificially creating more 'out of spec animals'. at short notice no farmer can get cattle ready. Breeding bulls have effectivly become horses they at the end of their career are completely 'out of spec' since the carcase will deffo be over weight and the bull will be over 16mths. A farmer would be lucky to get anything for them. Its more likely the one of the factories minnions hanging around the marts will buy these bulls for feck all and get 20quid commission for bringing the animal to slaughter. Try asking for some of the cheap meat next time your in the butchery dept or the butchers it doesnt exist. Meat in uk supermarkets has risen 7% this year prices paid to farmers for 'in spec' beef has fallen 25% never mind 'out of spec'.
The latest plan of attack is the residency rule. This states the animals who have changed hands/addresses more than four times are out of spec and subject to a 150 quid penalty so you rear it for nothing. The two main supermarkets pushing this rule are tesco and sainsburys suprisingly asda dont care how many farmers have owned the animal as long as its on quality assured farms. This rule is presented as persuent to better animal welfare but doesnt take into account that the animal could change hands from father to son with different herd numbers but never even move out of the foeld they are being kept in, or that a farmer could have land in crossmaglen and land in derry and can haul them up and down the road as much as he likes.
Im hoping given the importance of farming in this country as a source of employment and a way of life that people will take an interest in whats happening and see the injustice of the system as is and try to avoid buying meat from tesco or sainsburys or better still give them a complete miss. Go to your local butcher. Every little helps

[Hereiam]

Well put lawnseed. The supermarkets have too much power. I for one wouldnt buy meat of them.

[lawnseed]

Well put lawnseed. The supermarkets have too much power. I for one wouldnt buy meat of them.

Every time £7 changes hands in the uk a poundof it spent in tesco. Not ringing them for your shopping wont break them but if only a few people take a stand they are so paranoid about market image they dont like it. Maybe they'll stop trying put small irish farmers mostly part-time on the side of the road

[orangeman]

Have the farmers, at least in terms of yield, ever had it so good due to the exceptional weather this year ?. Apples, spuds etc seem to have produced bumper crops. Maybe the prices for these will fall due to a huge crop but hopefully not.

[Tony Baloney]

Have the farmers, at least in terms of yield, ever had it so good due to the exceptional weather this year ?. Apples, spuds etc seem to have produced bumper crops. Maybe the prices for these will fall due to a huge crop but hopefully not.

It'll hardly stop them complaining.

[giveherlong]

Anyone under 40 doing this level 2 in agriculture? Supposed to be 'beneficial' to your single farm payment down the Line

[sensethetone]

I got a text from cafre to say my application was accepted,  it's only financially beneficial if you are head off holding. If you were to be a head of holding down the line then its handy to have done. Heard of ppl signing farms on to younger generations to get larger sfp etc, only to get drawn into a inheritance tax handling?

[orangeman]

I got a text from cafre to say my application was accepted,  it's only financially beneficial if you are head off holding. If you were to be a head of holding down the line then its handy to have done. Heard of ppl signing farms on to younger generations to get larger sfp etc, only to get drawn into a inheritance tax handling?

Be careful. You can't be paying tax if it can be avoided.

[TabClear]

Looking some advice here on the Countryside Management scheme

My Dad has been in the scheme for 8 years but has been sick for the last few months so the land is let out. He has received his summary letter to submit the claim but is not planning on claiming the grant as he has not been able to check for himself if he has met all the requirements. He is old school and too honest!

The claim is for a couple of grand and to me it looks like the land is in good shape but I dont know enough about the scheme to know if he is compliant. The last thing I want is for him to get in bother for a non compliant claim but he could do with the money.

What I want to know is how onerous are the requirements and how much checking do the department do. Would I have to meet them on the farm etc?

I am going through the document at the minute but it is hard work so any advice/experience people on here have had would be appreciated .

Cheers

[gerry]

quear job for the silage.



84" F50 Alloys.

MF red.

Pointlessly loud exhaust.

Real head turner. (Because its cool)

Family forces sale.

Tinted cab.

BMW M3 front weights

Dump valve top link.

Lowered to the balls for good land only.

Pulls 7 bales a 2.0psi boost.

Upgraded PTO

Side engine covers in an attempt to keep in the beastly power.

13 overdrive switches.

0 - 25kph in -10 seconds. Good for getting out in front of the cattle.

Welded diff

No dreamers or townies.

No offers (unless they work out better for me)

Would consider swapping for MF390
Price:  € 50,500 (EUR)
Approx. Price: in GBP: £ 39,570
(With exchange rate 0.783631)

http://www.donedeal.co.uk/tractors-for-sale/massey-ferguson-135-turbo-extreme/7920638

[WT4E]

I got a text from cafre to say my application was accepted,  it's only financially beneficial if you are head off holding. If you were to be a head of holding down the line then its handy to have done. Heard of ppl signing farms on to younger generations to get larger sfp etc, only to get drawn into a inheritance tax handling?

What was the handling? If it was a normal case would agricultural property relief not just be claimed and no tax payable?