Sean Kelly campaigns for suckle cow payment in new CAP
As a Member of the European Parliament from a county in which the suckler cow is a particularly important component for the wellbeing of a great many farms, Seán Kelly announced the commencement of a campaign to ensure that a Suckler Cow Payment forms part of the new Common Agricultural Policy when it comes into place in 2020.
“I will be working on the Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan’s CAP proposal in the months ahead, together with my colleagues in the European Parliament and the European Council, to reach a deal on the post-2020 framework,” Seán said at the launch of the campaign this week. The Fossa man is the leader of Fine Gael in the European Parliament and said that the post-Brexit period is likely to carry serious challenges for Irish farmers.
Kerry ploughing season commences on Sunday
The series of six ploughing matches in Kerry, with four occurring before Christmas and the remaining two in January, gets under way on Sunday next with the Abbeydorney Association holding the opening round.
On Tuesday evening, the annual Mass for deceased ploughmen took place at St Bernard’s Church and now all is in readiness for the 2018 match which takes place at a new venue, Barney Dowling’s at Kilbrickane on Sunday. The location is close to the Corridan farm where the Abbeydorney match has taken place in recent years.
“We will have all the usual ploughing events, the tractors and the horses, and the loy digging on Sunday and we’re just hoping that the weather is kind to us,” Tommy McCarthy, the chairman of the Abbeydorney Ploughing Society, said.