are irish farmers backward

supersean1999

:):):):):):):):):):):):)

Sam Kade

Cows, sheep, pigs is that all farmers do? What will happen when grants go?

For anyone that wondered what Sean asked. Not the same wording but close enough.

John_F

why was it taken down?

they are the main enterprises that made money in the past, bio fuels and such crops are coming on but very slowly, the returns from these crops is questionable without government grants anyway.

personaly i don't see europe stopping all funding to farmers

squarebale

Bio-fuels can never become more profitable than growing wheat. The reason for this is that the poorest (urban) dwellers in the world and there are billions of people involved must be able to eat or there will be riots and political instability and war. Governments would fail and fall. So governments have to always ensure that there is enough grain and that grain growers, if necessary, are subsidised. All other commodity farming follows this. Niche products and activities are the only exception

djmc

At the moment it is cheaper burn wheat or barley than wood pellets,oil or gas
for heating.
As for the OP I never heard of any pig farmer geting a grant in this country for producing food.

bbam

Maybe OP could throw out some ideas on what he/she thinks would constitute forward thinking and genuine alternative farming enterprises, I would be particularly interested in his/her ideas for the smaller farmer.