Issue 3 Sheep Ireland Guide & Directory of Breeders Sheep Ireland www.sheep.ie Sheep Ireland Highfield House, Shinagh, Bandon, Co Cork. T: 1850 601 901 E:
[email protected]. find us on Sheep Ireland Guide Chairman’s Message As farm incomes continue to struggle to achieve viability farmers across all sectors are considering every option that will either increase productivity or reduce production costs. The sheep sector has managed to hold its own over the last year and we have seen modest increases in the value of sheepmeat being exported and in the national breeding ewe flock. However profitability and income in the sector remain very low with the 2015 Teagasc National Farm Survey showing average farm income on sheep farms to be only James Murphy, €16,137. Yet we continue to have a core group of committed sheep farmers in Chairman Sheep Ireland the country and these farmers deserve to be supported and helped as they try to maintain and grow their family farm income from their sheep flocks. As always the price paid at processing level for lamb and sheepmeat is vitally important as it has such a direct impact on profitability. Yet other sources of support - particularly financial - are also very important. The announcement by Minister Creed committing €25 million per year to support a targeted ewe payment from 2017 is very welcome. Again the work of the IFA Sheep Committee in lobbying for such a scheme must be recognised. It is important now that this scheme is set out in a simple, common sense way that participating farmers can see benefit in and does not bring unnecessary cost on farmers.