THE NATIONAL Ploughing Championships were described as “a showcase for the spirit and genius of rural Ireland” by President Mary McAleese when she officially opened the event yesterday at Cardenton, near Athy, Co Kildare.
Mrs McAleese, who was performing the opening for the last time as President, was given a standing ovation by the huge audience that crowded around the platform for the ceremony.
There was a record-breaking crowd on site for the opening day, with 71,000 people making the trip, more than 5,000 up on the opening day last year, according to the organisers. Traffic delays of about an hour were experienced.
“Take a look at the sector which has emerged as a star of our economy in these particularly tough times,” the President said.
“The agrifood sector is our most important indigenous industry and it is playing a hugely important role in our export-led economic recovery.
“This did not happen by some coincidence but by the hard and relentless work of our agricultural community which has set and maintained the highest standards in food-production, the environment and sustainability.
“The quality of what they produce is first class and respected all over the world. Your success gives us heart as a nation and renews our faith in Ireland’s status and potential as a world leader in the agrifood sector.”
Mrs McAleese said that despite the enormous scale and size of the championships, celebrating its 80th birthday, the event had stayed rooted in community and dependent on the spirt of the meitheal, the spirit of the volunteer whose goodwill and hospitality brought people together in their thousands each year.
She added that while this was her last time as President to open the championships, she would be back with her husband Martin, who always raved about the lovely food he got at the event and the welcome they received every year.
Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney took up the theme of the importance of the agricultural sector at a press conference, where he said export figures published by An Bord Bia showed food and drink exports at an all-time high.
“The 12 per cent increase expected this year to a total of €8.9 billion shows the targets set in the Harvest 2020 report are achievable and we can meet those targets by then,” he said.
Mr Coveney announced the payout of €220 million to 100,000 farmers in the disadvantaged areas scheme and he said farmers would get the full amount within the next few days.
The payment was aimed at keeping farmers on the land in areas where farming was difficult. He said the minimum stocking rate on these farms was currently under review as too low a stocking rate was as bad as one that was too high.
Irish Farmers Association president John Bryan, commenting on the Minister’s first visit to the championships since taking up the post, said Mr Coveney had displayed considerable energy and enthusiasm since taking up the job.
“However, he will be judged by farmers on his first real test, which is to maintain funding for all farm schemes, retain existing tax reliefs and improve competitiveness in budget 2012 to support production and drive the sector’s growth,” Mr Bryan added.
The event continues today.