News | Latest Breaking News Stories & Headlines

Meetings have been taking place across the country

17,000 beef farmers join forces over prices

Beef farmers say they are struggling to stay in business due to a significant drop in the price they receive from meat processing factories.

Ireland • 05 Feb 19

A large group of farmers were protesting outside the Department of Agriculture on Kildare Street

IFA President calls for support for beef farmers

The President of the Irish Farmers' Association has accused Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed of "standing idly by" as beef farming "goes down the tubes".

Ireland • 03 Oct 18

Michael Noonan notes farming industry's tough times

IFA issue broad welcome to Budget 2017

Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) President Joe Healy welcomed much of Budget 2017, claiming that the Government responded positively to their farm income campaign as Finance Minister Michael Noonan extends the 'Start Your Own Business' scheme for a further two years.

Budget 2017 • 11 Oct 16

Half of Ireland's beef exports go to other European and international markets

Creed: Ireland will not turn its back on UK market

Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has said Ireland will not turn its back on the UK beef market, which he described as the "most lucrative" in the world.

News • 08 Jul 16

Farmers want the NPWS to dredge the river to prevent flooding

Protest over River Shannon dredging 'refusal'

Farmers have held a protest in Banagher, Co Offaly, over what they claim is the refusal of the National Parks and Wildlife Service to allowing dredging of the River Shannon to go ahead.

News • 09 Apr 16

Farmers say the sale to Larry Goodman's ABP meat processors would make Mr Goodman even more dominant in the meat sector

Farmers protest over proposed meat factory sale

Farmers have rallied outside the Slaney meat factory near Bunclody in Co Wexford to demand that the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney intervene to prevent the sale of a 50% stake in the meat factory.

News • 07 Feb 16

Farmers staged a noisy protest outside the EU council building

EU to release €500m in emergency aid for farmers

The EU has announced it will release €500m to aid European farmers hit by plunging milk and meat prices, partly blamed on a Russian embargo.

News • 07 Sep 15

IFA chief Eddie Downey objects to the publication of payments on the basis of confidentiality

Farmers angry over EU payment list publication

The President of the IFA, Eddie Downey, has said that farmers are extremely angry that the Department of Agriculture has published full details on its website of EU payments that individual farmers received last year.

News • 30 May 15

It will be paid to over 6,000 farmers who are active members of the society

Glanbia members approve €32m payment to farmers

Glanbia Co-operative Society members are meeting in Co Kilkenny to approve the payment of €32m in price supports to dairy and grain farmers.

News • 05 Feb 15

Eddie Downey said farm families were very worried about their incomes

IFA leader demands action to protect viability

Irish Farmers' Association President Eddie Downey has demanded action from politicians in Dublin and Brussels to restore farm profitability.

News • 28 Jan 15

Gardaí in Castlebar estimate between 250 and 300 people gathered to protest outside the Taoiseach's office

300 farmers protest outside Kenny's Mayo office

Between 250 and 300 farmers have been protesting outside Taoiseach Enda Kenny's constituency office in Castlebar, Co Mayo this afternoon, according to gardaí.

News • 05 Dec 14

Dairy incomes are forecast to fall by 50% next year

Farmers call on Hogan to increase milk price

Dairy farmers have called on European Union Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan to significantly increase the EU intervention price for milk to avert a major crisis for rural Ireland next year.

News • 03 Dec 14

Commissioner Phil Hogan said it was important that beef farmers 'survived'

Hogan says processors driving down beef prices

European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan has accused supermarkets and meat processors in Ireland of "squeezing" farmers and driving down the price of beef because of their dominant market position.

News • 18 Nov 14

Farmers protested outside 14 meat factories around the country

Coveney says Beef Forum can deliver progress

The 48-hour nationwide protest by farmers at meat factories has ended with farmers vowing to return to the factory gates if the prices they receive for their animals do not increase.

News • 11 Nov 14

John Trethowan of the Credit Review Office publishes his 14th report

Banks becoming more supportive of SMEs - CRO

The Credit Review Office has said that banks are becoming generally supportive towards small and medium enterprises.

Business • 10 Nov 14

The IFA limited the current protest to 14 out of the country’s 29 meat factories

Beef farmers continue 48-hour protest over prices

Farmers are continuing their 48-hour protest at meat plants across the country in a bitter dispute over beef prices.

News • 11 Nov 14

A two-week intensive negotiation period was agreed at the last Beef Forum

Beef talks end without agreement

Negotiations between beef farmers and beef industry representatives at City West in Dublin have ended without agreement.

News • 08 Nov 14

The protest will end at 3pm this afternoon

Farmers camp overnight in protest over beef prices

Farmers camped outside 30 meat factories across Ireland overnight as part of the first nationwide farmer blockade in almost 15 years.

News • 29 Oct 14

Beef farmers in Rathdowney, Laois will continue to protest until 3pm tomorrow

Farmers camp overnight as part of 24 hour protest

Protesters will camp outside 30 meat factories across the country tonight as part of the first nationwide farmer blockade in almost 15 years.

News • 28 Oct 14

IFA President Eddie Downey said farmers are not prepared to tolerate loss-making prices

IFA plans protest over beef prices

The Irish Farmers’ Association has called for a nationwide 24-hour protest by farmers outside every meat factory in the country from 3pm next Monday to highlight their anger over beef prices.

News • 23 Oct 14

Mr Noonan announced a tax boost for farmers

Farmers' income exempt thresholds rise 50%

Michael Noonan has introduced a number of tax measures to support farming – which has an annual turnover of about €26bn billion and 170,000 employees.

Business • 14 Oct 14

CSO figures show that prices for cattle in the first seven months of this year were down by an average of 11.3%

Farm incomes see another drop in July - CSO

Agricultural incomes, which have been under considerable pressure since last autumn fell further in July, according to the latest official figures from the Central Statistics Office.

Business • 16 Sep 14

Farmers are seeking a change to the entry requirement for the GLAS

Farmers protest outside Taoiseach's office

A number of farmers are staging a protest outside the Taoiseach's constituency office in Castlebar to demonstrate about the eligibility criteria for a new environmental scheme.

News • 03 Sep 14

Almost €1.5 billion is to be distributed through the scheme over the next seven years

New scheme to help farmers tackle climate change

Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney said that farmers will start to be admitted into the new EU supported Agri-Environment scheme GLAS next year.

News • 13 May 14

The study found that two-thirds of consumers believe supermarkets do not treat farmers fairly

90% of consumers want new laws to protect farmers

Almost 90% of consumers believe that legislation should be introduced to ensure that farmers receive a fair price for their food from supermarkets, according to a new Ipsos/MRBI survey.

News • 27 Mar 14