FOLLOWING five months of delays, DARD has finally released the names of the latest recruits for the Focus Farms initiative.
This week Minister Michelle Gildernew declared the Focus Farms programme open for business and encouraged all farmers to make full use of the excellent training resources available from these farms.
Facilitators of the scheme first hoped Focus Farm visits would of started by the end of May, but a series of delays and mountains of paperwork prevented this from happening.
There has been huge frustration among farmers' groups who have been trying to arrange visits to these farms over the past few months, but have been prevented in doing so - until now.
The 55 farms involved will provide educational facilities focusing on best practice techniques for 10 different farming operations. Some double up to offer more than one enterprise.
Ms Gildernew officially declared the Focus Farm programme open on Wednesday during a visit to Ballycastle Focus Farmer Eoin McCambridge, who is operating under the renewable energy collar.
Speaking after a tour of the McCambridge farm, the Minister said: "Northern Ireland farmers will be glad to see the new Focus Farm programme up and running, as it will provide a much needed helping hand to the rural economy.
"The programme offers a wide range of technologies and benchmarking training under one roof, as I’ve seen on my tour of Eoins’ Focus Farm today."

Full story available in FARM WEEK - see your local newsagent
Click here for previous stories

September 18th 2009
September 11rd 2009

example flipper