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The nitrates derogation is of huge economic importance to the Irish agrifood sector and the wider national economy. The nitrates derogation allows our grassland farmers to maximise the advantage of the Irish grass-based system while balancing the significant economic disadvantages that Irish farmers encounter compared to their EU counterparts. The current uncertainly around the future of the nitrates derogation is doing little to improve the water quality situation in Ireland, which in comparison to other EU member states, is relatively good. Extract from Retaining Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation – Common Objectives Read the full Document here (PDF 4 Mb) >>

  Christopher Cahill from County Cavan has been named the 2024 FBD Young Farmer of the Year. Christopher is a 30-year-old dairy farmer and a graduate of the Sustainable Agriculture Master’s degree from UCD. He entered a shared farming arrangement in 2021 with the assistance of the Macra Land Mobility Service and has since expanded the dairy enterprise from 110 cows to 250 crossbred cows. Christopher has also been named category award winner for Land Mobility. Along with farming Christopher also owns Cavan Grassland Consultancy Ltd, a grass measurement and management service provider across the north midlands area. The evening...

Marty Morrissey to present the 2024 Macra FBD Young Farmer of the Year The final of the 26th FBD Young Farmer of the Year will take place on Tuesday 10th September in the Heritage hotel, Laois. The FBD Young Farmer of the Year Awards in association with Macra, are sponsored annually by FBD and run by Macra in partnerships with the IFA and Macra Agricultural Skillnet. The competition was launched in 1999 and has been successful in raising the profile of young farmers within their community by recognising their achievements and contribution to farming.   The semi-final took place on...

Tickets for the Macra Annual Conference are now open for booking, but don't delay as they are sure to sell like hot cakes!  Book your tickets below.    

Multilingual Data Analyst Alannah is Cavan's First Blue Jean Country Queen L-R: Sarah Byrne (2nd Prize, Wexford), 2024 Blue Jean Country Queen Alannah Finnegan (Cavan), Gillian Donnellan (3rd Prize, Clare) (Photo: Grace Halton) Alannah Finnegan, a data analyst who speaks Italian and Portuguese claimed the title 2024 Blue Jean Country Queen this past June Bank Holiday weekend, marking the first time a woman from Cavan has claimed the title. 26-year-old Alannah is a member of the Three Province Macra na Feirme club which was only established in 2020. The second prize went to Wexford's Sarah Byrne, a drama teacher and...