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 Fine Gael Tipperary North / South Offaly TD Noel Coonan has strongly welcomed the decision by the EU Commission to bring forward the awarding of the Single Farm Payment (SFP), following representations made to the EU Commission by the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney. Farmers will now be able to draw down 50% of their SFP from 16th October instead of having to wait until December as previously intended.
“The Single Farm Payment forms an increasingly significant part of farmers’ annual income. The news that this payment will be available two months earlier than originally planned will make a big difference for farmers in South Offaly and North Tipperary,” said Deputy Coonan.
“Minister Coveney made a strong case at the recent meeting of the Council of Ministers for the payment to be brought forward. In the current economic climate, the SFP has become increasingly important, especially considering the difficulties people are having accessing credit. Cash-flow is paramount for farmers, particularly those on low incomes, and the timing of these payments is extremely important. Farmers are more and more reliant on the SFP to subsidise the running costs of their farms. Very often the payment constitutes an amount greater than the net farm income,” concluded the local Fine Gael TD.
 Kobe Beef Irish consumers will soon be able to buy a Tipperary home grown version of highly-prized and pricey Japanese Kobe beef.
Well that is according to award-winning butcher Pat Whelan, owner of James Whelan Butchers, here in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, who is supporting this initiative. Kobe beef (Named after sixth-largest city in Japan.) is the particular product of cattle known as the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu (Translated: Japanese cow.) that produce this highly-prized meat.
Wagyu cattle were introduced into Japan in the second century as as beasts of burden, used mostly in rice cultivation. However as beef consumption became more prominent in society, farmers began hiring workers to massage the animals’ backsides to improve their meat quality. The mountainous topography of the islands of Japan have resulted in small regions of isolated breeding of these animals, yielding herds that developed and maintained qualities in their meat which differ significantly from all other breeds of cattle.
Some of the biggest Wagyū herds outside of Japan are now farmed in New Zealand while in the United States, Japanese Wagyū cattle have been bred with “Aberdeen Angus cattle” to create a crossbred animal that are better able to survive the native climate and U.S. ranching methods.
Herd isolation and distinctive feeding techniques, which resulted from limited grazing land availability, have led to distinguishing features that make the meat both superior in marbling texture, in the ratios of unsaturated versus saturated fats and a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
The animals, which are being reared in Tipperary, will be treated with the same level of attention and care, as this well known Japanese breed of Wagyu
Described as the ‘foie gras of beef,’ producing a tender, naturally enhanced flavour, Kobe meat usually retails at up to €35 per 150 grams of filet steak sold retail, but Mr Whelan claims that his operation are aiming to produce this meat for a fraction of that price, for their discerning customers.
The first Irish born and bred Kobe style beef should be on the meat shelf by August of next year.
Whelan Butchers, currently based in Clonmel, Tipperary, now have their sights set on expanding into the Dublin meat market initially and ultimately into the export market, to cope with the huge international demand for this expensive, but prized meat.
The Thurles and District Vintage Club was formed following the enormous success of their millennium celebrations in 2001. Over the past ten years the event has grown considerably and has now become one of the top annual attractions in Tipperary, drawing visitors and vintage machinery exhibitors /collectors from far outside its local natural environment.
In 2001 the club started with three members and today membership has grown to over eighty three, not just from all over North Tipperary, but from surrounding counties such as Co. Limerick and Co. Laois.
The clubs main aim is to promote the collection and restoration of all types of vehicles and memorabilia, thus preserving past heritage and providing valuable primary sources for lovers of rural Irish history.
Our world, over the past ten years, has observed more change and experienced more rapid progress than in the previous one thousand years of man’s existence, so it is extremely important that we display not just our old rural artifacts and labour saving devices, but that also we demonstrate the skills required to operate these devices.
Between annual events the club organise different charity fun events, raising large sums for various designated local and national charities.
The highlight of their year, however, is the clubs Annual Vintage Rally which normally takes place in Corbally, Thurles, Co. Tipperary and already the club have begun planning for this event, and of course are always on the lookout for willing volunteers and helpers, whose assistance is very much appreciated.
We learn from club chairman Mr Jim Fogarty that two, up and coming, events for are already well into the planning stages and worthy of note for those who love to travel back in time and reminisce.
Note : Thurles Vintage Rally is planned for 12th June 2011, while their Thurles and District Road Run will take place on the 17th July 2011.
The club is affiliated to the Irish Vintage Engine and Tractor Association and last year they had the honour of hosting the I.V.E.T.A. National Rally.
For further information on this clubs activities contact Paddy Kelly, Thurles, Tel 087 9678114 or Jim, Tel 087 9678114 or 086 2743442.
For all of their great work and effort, this organisation is truly worthy of Tipperary’s full support.
Contributor Proinsias Barrett comments here on our recent post “70 Jobs Lost As O’Connors Nenagh Supermarket Closes.”
Proinsias writes:
“In the words of Joni Mitchell in her song ‘Big Yellow Taxi,’ – ‘You don’t know what you’ve got ’till it’s gone.‘
We already know the situation milk and other foodstuff producers are facing here in Ireland, with the bulk buying retail chains. If, as a producer, you don’t play ball with the multi-national grocery retailers you go out of business. Spotlight or Panorama recently aired a very good documentary on the difficulties faced by small/medium producers in getting their products out to customers. Usually the only way is through the ‘Big 5‘ multi-national chains. If you complain about the prices they are willing to pay, or go public about bulk deals etc, you usually end up with your product being subject to ‘quality issues and removed from display.’
 Yet each year the profit margins of the these mega retailers increase further, into the Super Normal Profit category, while food and clothing prices are on the increase because, we are told of high oil prices, and increased demand globally for meat and dairy (China and India and emerging demand in parts of Africa).
Again, we the consumer, are being led by the nose. The processing of ‘food ‘ has evolved considerably in the last two decades, allowing what was once waste meat products being ‘processed ‘ into products for human consumption. Jamie Oliver, that crusader for natural wholesome un-processed home cooked food, refers to this product as ‘pink slime.‘ Technology has developed a machine which can literally suck the ‘meat ‘ out of bone and offal and using chemicals such as ammonia, various derivatives of sodium and mono-sodium glutamate, this slime now ends up being passed for human consumption in various forms such as Deli meats and canned meats. In fact he went so far as to say if you want real un-tampered with mince meat you have to physically watch your butcher mince some traceable beef or steak before your eyes.
People don’t know enough about the products they eat every day and buy every day from the Big 5. Look at the packaging in some of the mega retailers, labels like ‘product of several countries ‘ or ‘produced in the EU ‘ or simply ‘packed in the Republic of Ireland by such and such, for such and such.’ Nothing, no information what-so-ever. The meat could be hormone pumped intensively farmed pink slime, from countries where certain chemicals and food additives are allowed, which aren’t necessarily allowed over here. Simply by importing raw-materials and re-packing them here you can loophole many food regulation laws.
Haven’t Galtee and Denny admitted to importing ‘ham products ‘ from everywhere and anywhere, re-packing them and selling the meat as ‘a taste of Ireland ‘ and so on, citing issues with regular supply here in Ireland as the reason, claiming they didn’t want to ‘let down ‘ their customers with irregular availability and supply patterns. We have to get back to buying locally produced food, and it is happening slowly, but the mega retailers will fight it tooth and nail.
You have to question your environment and the laws governing your health and your children’s health. Because a product is available for sale doesn’t mean its ok. Who says it’s OK? Someone who may regularly receive ‘gifts ‘ from a company trying to get around quality and traceability issues. Even the advertising standards commission are literally backlogged with cases of false advertising or advertisers making false claims. Skin products, health products, toilet products, kitchen products, we are led to believe every day that these things are essential to our daily lives. The advert on telly suggests that everyone else is using them so we should too. Now with summer well and truly around the corner the mega retailers are stocking up on weed killer, ant killer, insect killer, various sprays and potions and my favourite: jeyes fluid (who incidentally recently removed the warning from their ‘fluid ‘ which used to state ‘harmful to skin and all aquatic organisms ‘) … lovely… I’ll have two please.
Maybe I have strayed a little from the initial point I wanted to make, which is that while we all have free choice we should exercise it with caution. When all the small producers are gone we will be totally reliant on these mega retailers who have profit at the centre of their operations. Not the joy of producing something of quality, or supporting local produce, or contributing to the local economy. The amount of low paid jobs offered by these Big 5, as opposed to the destruction of local business/producers, doesn’t equate. We are (will be) the real losers. Twenty years ago, almost 100% of chicken consumed in Ireland was produced here, now this has fallen to 50% at best. It cannot be fresh if it has to travel half way around the world to the shelves of our mega retailers.
It has been proven that a market in a town or village causes a knock on effect of bringing in more business to already established shops in the vicinity. I suggest that the Saturday market which used to be a feature of Thurles be re-vamped and re-established on Liberty Square, and traffic restricted to essential only. The market, before it was banished over to Parnell Street car park, had admittedly become more of a brick-a-brack affair than a market proper, but with some insight and a will to change, a Saturday market in Thurles featuring a size-able amount of locally produced goods will eventually break the stranglehold the big retailers are imposing on us and on our friends and neighbours who are struggling to find a market for their produce.”
 Late Joe Murray R.I.P. The death has taken place of Mr Joe Murray, the former head of agricultural programmes at RTÉ.
Mr Murray, from outside Roscrea, Co Tipperary, passed away yesterday evening at St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Dublin, aged 74.
Joe joined RTÉ in the 1960’s taking charge of agricultural programmes in 1969, following the late Justin Keating‘s elevation to the post of Labour Party Cabinet minister.
Joe retired in 2000, returning to RTÉ for a period in 2001 to assist with RTÉ’s coverage of the foot-and-mouth outbreak of that year.
An award winning journalist over a period of almost three decades, Joe fronted the popular television programmes On the Land and Landmark, and radio programmes which included Farm Week and other documentaries on RTÉ radio, winning the “Agricultural Journalist of the Year “ award on a number of occasions.
He is survived by his wife Toni, daughters Isobel and Susan and five grandchildren. His funeral mass will take place in Foxrock, Dublin, on Saturday morning next.
Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam dílis.
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